To quote Miguel de Cervantes, Marriage, which makes two one, is a life-long struggle to discover which is that one. Thinking on these lines, there needs to be a custom that would boost the relationship between the newlywed couple and helps them to understand the newly formed relationship. The custom of announcing wedding vows is such a custom aimed at strengthening the bond between the couple. Moreover, these vows are mostly made in a church or a religious place.

A wedding vow is affiance or a promise. Both the bride and the groom announce their wedding vows during the wedding ceremony. A wedding may be civil, religious or both. The wedding vows vary according to the situation. Wedding vows are usually formal or rigid in nature in a religious wedding. In civil weddings, individual imagination is allowed and the language can be informal.

Regardless of the kind of wedding, there are some underlying values contained in the wedding vows. Traits like faith, sharing, caring, and permanence are some of the predominant ones in wedding vows. The couple vow to be moral supporters and good friends, not to mention life-partners.

Wedding vows are an inseparable part of the wedding ceremony. To honor this, the tradition of the bride and the groom spelling out wedding vows is sacred because it acts as a reassurance of the special bond between them. Human values are emphasized through this. Generally, whether it be the bride or the groom, some vows are common, like promise to be faithful, equal-minded in successes and failures, foster love forever, etc.

Marriage is a lifelong relationship and hence its foundation needs to be strong so that the couple is able to face the challenges in life. A marriage can be successful only if there is perfect understanding and harmony between the couple. Wedding vows play a major role to attain this end.