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Statement of Intent vs. Vows

JennLaxJennLax member
First Comment First Anniversary
in Wedding Vows & Ceremony Discussions
Hi Everyone,

I was just wondering if someone could clarify the different between the statement of intent and the vows during the ceremony?    We have just started working on our ceremony with our officiant and I asked him during our first meeting, but with all of the other information overload I have now forgotten haha   Now that we're at home working on drafts, I can't distinguish between the two !

Here is the order of our ceremony (if that helps):
- Musical Prelude
- Guest Greeting & Announcements
- Processional
- Opening Words
- Affirmation
- Statement of Intent for Bride
- Statement of Intent for Groom
- Vows for Bride
- Vows for Groom
- Ring Meaning
- Ring Exchange for Bride
- Ring Exchange for Groom
- Signing of the license
- Closing Words
- Declaration & Presentation
- Kiss <3
- Recessional

Also... FI and I would like to say a little something to each other.  A mushy gushy "I love you, this is why you are important to me."  I know this is not the vows, the vows are the promises that we are making to uphold in our marriage.  So does that mean it falls under the statement of intent?  Or is it another part of the ceremony completely that we have to add in?

Thanks in advance!
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Re: Statement of Intent vs. Vows

  • saharnshardsaharnshard
    First Comment
    Instead of an intent, we are going to do a pledge. "A, will you take B to be your wife..." I think this is similar to a statement of intent, but I may be wrong. Also, we put out mushy stuff right before our vows. I hope this helps!
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  • ginadogginadog member
    5 Love Its First Comment
    I think the statement of intent is the "repeat after me, I so and so..." part.  The vows may be your own personal written vows that you've added, if you choose so. 

    Ours would go like this then:

    - Statement of Intent for Bride
    - Vows for Bride
    - Statement of Intent for Groom
    - Vows for Groom

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  • Cony&BenCony&Ben
    First Comment
    In our ceremony, the statement of intent was read by the pastor and affirmed by us. "Will you, Bride, take Groom to be your husband? Will you love and honor him... in sickness and in health... as long as you both shall live?" followed by "I will."

    The vows were the things that we said to each other. "I, Bride, take you, Groom, to have and to hold..."

    This was the order we had:
    Statement of Intent
    Pledges of Support
    Scripture Readings
    Homily
    Exchange of Vows
    Exchange of Rings
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  • TiffannieFTiffannieF member
    Combo Breaker First Comment
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_ceremony-ideas_statement-of-intent-vs-vows?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:10Discussion:ac961ab6-91c6-4554-9050-3fe3ec527470Post:49b8969a-88eb-496d-9026-7f96e577eace">Re: Statement of Intent vs. Vows</a>:
    [QUOTE]In our ceremony, the statement of intent was read by the pastor and affirmed by us. "Will you, Bride, take Groom to be your husband? Will you love and honor him... in sickness and in health... as long as you both shall live?" followed by "I will." The vows were the things that we said to each other. "I, Bride, take you, Groom, to have and to hold..."
    Posted by Cony&Ben[/QUOTE]

    This.
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  • ElisabethJoanneElisabethJoanne member
    5 Love Its First Comment
    The Statement of Intent reads like this:

    N. WILT thou have this Woman to thy wedded wife, to live together after God’s ordinance in the holy estate of Matrimony? Wilt thou love her, comfort her, honour, and keep her in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all others, keep thee only unto her, so long as ye both shall live?

    The Man shall answer,
    I will.

    The vows read like this:

    I N. take thee N. to my wedded Wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part, according to God's holy ordinance; and thereto I plight thee my troth.

    In short, contemporary weddings, especially civil weddings, there's often only the statement of intent.

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  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] member
    First Comment First Anniversary
    In my ceremony the State of Intent is when the officiant asks us "Are you, Groom, ready to enter into this marriage with Bride believing the love you two share and your faith in each other will endure all things?"


    and the vows are the words you two exchange to each other, or repeat after the officiant.  I think you could include your "mushy" stuff in the beginning of your vows then go on to make your own declarations the "for richer and poorer" stuff to finalize the vows.  

    I had a great time writing my ceremony with my fiance, have fun with it!  I wasn't worried about tradition all too much although it is helpful to have that order of events to follow.
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