Host: What is the proper tone for our original wedding vows?

Bill Cochran: Well, when we use that word tone, what I am really thinking about is how do you want them to come across to your guests. I believe and I have seen some who have written them that have embarrassed themselves and you don't want to do that. You want this to be the high moment in your lives and certainly the big moment of that day. The proper tone is as you want to find that kind of evident flow of seriousness as well as charming and even funny. It's okay if as you are saying your vows, your intended spouse smiles rather than cries, though sometimes it's hard to get these out without a few tears.

So, you don't want to be embarrassing yourself or your spouse. You don't want to be cryptic. You want them to be concise. You want them to be something to smile at. You want them to be something that's enduring to the heart and so that tone really is saying Here is why I appreciate you, here is why I am marrying you today, here is what you mean to me. That's really kind of what's the foundation when you write your own vows.