“To have and to hold from this day forward”
Entering a married life starts with a promise! Wedding vows are the highlight of any wedding be it a north Indian wedding or south Indian wedding, modern wedding, or traditional wedding. Wedding vows are the expression of love and commitment that couples share between them. The promise on how they wish to travel down the journey of married life is made with the wedding vows. It is the foundation of South Indian and North Indian weddings.
The couple’s perception of the meaning of marriage and their commitment to it is expressed through wedding vows. It creates a bond between the couple with words that are strengthened with their love. Wedding vows are one of the most sacred and important elements of the wedding day.
Origin of wedding vows
A couple of the old Roman Empire used to make wedding vows expressing their consent to marry each other. The origin of wedding vows of the Christian community date back to 1549 and is found in the Book of Common Prayer in England. The traditional wedding vows of Hindu North Indian and South Indian wedding is rooted in Vedic scriptures to bring partners to an equal platform of love and commitment.
Let us have a look at wedding vows and promises made by various religious communities.
“for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health”
These are the most familiar lines from the wedding vows made by the couple in a traditional Christian wedding. It is a promise made by the couple to profess their love and commitment to each other from the moment of their marriage till the end of their life. The declarations in Christian weddings are made before God, church, friends, and family and it is followed by the ritual of ring exchange. Rings are the symbol of never-ending love that connects the hearts of the couple. It is followed by official documentation of the marriage ceremony. Today in most western countries, these wedding vows are personalized and the couple could profess their promise by writing their wedding vows.
The magic of 7…
In the Hindu wedding rituals of north Indian marriages and South Indian weddings, the vows are marked by the 7 sacred vows that are adopted from the Vedic scriptures. Each of the sacred vows of Hindu weddings implies meanings that tie the marrying couple in an everlasting bond. Let us look at the significance of every vow in Hindu wedding ceremonies.
First vow: Made by the couple professing their commitment to ensuring nourishment and happiness for the family.
Second vow: this vow professes the loyalty and faith of the couple throughout the thick and thin of life.
Third vow: during this vow couple proclaims their commitment of love and respect to their family.
Fourth vow: professes mutual love and trust to ensure knowledge, happiness, and harmony to the family.
The fifth vow: is about sharing happiness and sorrows with each other and pray for being blessed with healthy children.
Sixth vow: during the sixth vow, the couple seeks blessings for a long and healthy life.
Seventh vow: in the final vow, the couple professes the unity of their souls that is bound with these sacred vows and seeks a blessing for this unity to last till their souls depart. This last promise seals all the vows that they made by promising once again to stay honest and loyal to these vows they took before the sacred fire.
“in honesty and sincerity…”
Wedding vows in the Muslim community are not common, yet they listen to their imam who recites the responsibility and commitment they must adhere to in their life. Some of the bride and groom choose to profess their vows, by reciting, their commitment based on honesty and sincerity to remain faithful in their life in accordance with the instructions given by the Holy Koran.
With celebrating multiplicity and diverse cultures, India is rich with traditions and rituals. Weddings in India are so special and are meant forever. Therefore it is unavoidable to treasure your once-in-a-lifetime moments with the perfect wedding photography team. Wedding vows are elevated to higher levels with the background of scenic beauty and heritage of Kerala. Destination weddings in Kerala and destination weddings in Kochi are perfect spaces to make your vows for life. Promises you make forever are worth treasuring forever. All moments become special by capturing them. Capture the perfect moments of your wedding vows irrespective of community and cultures at destination weddings in Kerala. Pepper Green wedding photography team clicks the perfect moment of your big day. Make your choice with Pepper Green wedding photography for the best wedding photography in Kochi and best wedding photography in Thrissur. We help you to treasure your precious moments from you you’re your promise till you tie your knot. Make us your partners for capturing the moments and take in the services of wedding photography in UAE and wedding photography in Dubai. Contact us at +91 96330 65508 for booking the best services for wedding photography in Kochi, Thrissur, UAE, and Dubai.
