Las Vegas Weddings · Ceremony Guide
Short Wedding Vows for Elopements
At an elopement there's no crowd to perform for, just the two of you. Here are 28 short vows you can use as written or make your own, and a simple formula for writing yours in an evening.
28
Vow examples
30–60 sec
Ideal vow length
75–150
Words per person
3
Parts to every vow
Why Short Works
Vows Written for Two People, Not a Crowd
At a big wedding, vows are partly for the guests. At an elopement, they’re only for each other. There might be an officiant, a witness, and a photographer, and that’s all. You don’t need a speech. You need a few true sentences you can say while looking at the person in front of you.
Short vows also suit how a Las Vegas elopement runs. A Sign & Go appointment takes about 10 minutes, and a full desert ceremony at Valley of Fire or Nelson Ghost Town takes 15–20. Thirty to sixty seconds each fits easily, and the moment stays about the two of you.
Below are 28 short vow examples, grouped by tone. Use them as written, combine two, or change one detail so they’re clearly yours. After that is a three-part formula for writing your own from scratch.
Formula
How to Write Short Vows in Three Parts
Almost every great short vow has the same three parts. Write one or two sentences for each and you're done.
1 · What you love about them
One specific thing, not a list. 'You make every room calmer the moment you walk in' says more than 'you're kind, funny, and smart.' Details are what make vows land.
2 · What you promise
Two or three real promises, and they don't all need to be serious. 'I promise to always split the last bite' sits fine next to 'I promise to choose you on the hard days.' Mixing the small with the big makes the serious promise feel more sincere.
3 · The closing line
One sentence to finish on, said while looking up from the card. 'Today, tomorrow, and every day after that, it's you.' If you memorize anything, memorize this.
Length check
Read your draft out loud at a slow pace and time it. If it runs over 60 seconds, cut a promise rather than rushing through it. At 75–150 words, you’ll have time to pause, which is when the emotion comes through.
Romantic
Short Romantic Wedding Vows
1
"I didn't know what home felt like until I met you. I promise to be your home, wherever we go, for the rest of my life."
2
"You are my favorite person and my best decision. I promise to love you loudly, forgive you quickly, and choose you every single day."
3
"I've loved you in the easy seasons and the hard ones, and I know which one taught me more. I promise to stay through all of them."
4
"Before you, I was waiting for something without knowing what it was. It was you. It was always going to be you."
5
"I promise to listen when you talk, even when the story is long. I promise to hold your hand in every room we walk into. I promise forever, and I mean it."
6
"You make the ordinary feel like an adventure and the hard things feel possible. Everything I have, I give to you, starting now."
Lighthearted
Short Funny Wedding Vows
For couples who laugh more than they cry. One sincere line at the end keeps them from becoming a comedy routine.
7
"I promise to love you even when you steal the blankets, and to pretend I don't notice when you eat the last of the fries. Mostly, I promise to keep laughing with you."
8
"I promise to always let you pick the restaurant, and then to not complain about it. That's real love. The rest of my life is yours."
9
"I vow to be your teammate, your hype person, and your designated driver. Through every road trip and every wrong turn, I'm in the passenger seat."
10
"I promise to tell you when there's food in your teeth, to laugh at your jokes even the third time, and to love you more than I love coffee. Barely, but more."
11
"We came to Las Vegas and bet on each other. Best odds I've ever taken. I'm all in, today and every day."
12
"I promise to stop asking 'are you sure you locked the door?' Actually, I can't promise that. But I promise to love you forever, and that one I can keep."
Adventurous
Vows for a Desert, Road-Trip, or Helicopter Elopement
Written for the kind of wedding where the location is part of the story.
13
"Standing out here, with nothing but red rock and sky, I can see how far it is to the horizon. I want to walk every mile of it with you."
14
"These rocks have been here for millions of years. I can't promise you that long, but I promise you every year I have."
15
"You've always been the one who says 'let's go.' Wherever we go next, I promise to say yes and pack the snacks."
16
"We picked the middle of the desert to do this because it's quiet enough to hear what matters. So here it is: I love you, I choose you, I'm yours."
17
"From up here, everything below looks small, except you. I promise to keep you at the center of my world, however high or low we go."
18
"Under this moon, in front of this mountain, I promise you adventure, honesty, and a hand to hold when the trail gets steep."
Writing for a specific place?
Mention one real detail of where you’re standing, like the red sandstone, the old chapel, the open lakebed, or the Strip below. See our desert venue guide for what each location looks and feels like, or, if you’re timing your ceremony to the moon, our full moon wedding dates.
Non-Religious
Simple Non-Religious Wedding Vows
Secular vows that still sound timeless, ideal for a civil Sign & Go or a courthouse-style elopement.
19
"I take you as my partner in everything. I promise to respect you, to be honest with you, and to build a life with you that we're both proud of."
20
"I promise to be your partner, your friend, and your equal. I'll celebrate your wins as my own and carry your burdens as my own."
21
"I choose you, freely and fully. I'll keep choosing you on the easy days and especially on the hard ones."
22
"I promise to grow with you and not just beside you, to make room for who you're becoming, and to keep falling in love with each new version of you."
23
"You have my trust, my respect, and my whole heart. From today forward, we face everything together."
Blended Families
Vows That Include Children
For couples marrying into a family that already exists. Say these to your partner, then turn and speak to the kids.
24
To your partner: "I'm not only marrying you today. I'm joining a family I already love. I promise to honor what you've built and help it grow."
25
To a child: "I'm not here to replace anyone. I'm here to add to your life. I promise to listen, to show up, and to always be in your corner."
26
To a child: "Today we become a team, and you're on it too. I promise to be patient, to be fair, and to cheer the loudest at everything you do."
Vow Renewals
Short Vows for Renewing Your Vows
Looking back on what you've already lived through together.
27
"Years ago I promised you forever without knowing what forever would ask of us. Now I know, and I'd promise it all again."
28
"We've built a home, weathered storms, and grown up together. I choose you today with more certainty than I did the first time."
Planning a renewal?
Our Las Vegas vow renewal guide covers packages, locations, and how a renewal ceremony works, including how it differs legally from a wedding.
On the Day
Tips for Saying Your Vows
Use a card, not your phone
A handwritten card looks good in photos and makes a keepsake. A glowing phone screen does neither, and it's hard to read in bright desert sun.
Agree on tone and length
Keep the words secret if you like, but agree on how long and how funny. Matched vows feel like a conversation.
Slow down
Nerves make everyone talk fast. Pause after each promise. Your photographer gets the shot, and your partner hears every word.
Look up for the last line
Read the vow, then lift your eyes for the closing sentence. It's the moment that shows up in the photos.
Hand the card to your officiant
Ask your officiant to hold your cards until your moment comes, so your hands are free for each other.
Keep the cards
Frame them, tuck them into your album, or read them aloud every anniversary. Short vows are easy to revisit.
Next Steps
From Vows to 'I Do'
Once the vows are written, the rest goes quickly. Nevada has no waiting period, so you can get your marriage license and marry the same day. You’ll need one witness, and we provide one free if it’s just the two of you. For the full plan, from booking to filing, use our Las Vegas elopement checklist. Then choose your setting: a quick hotel-suite Sign & Go, a ceremony in the red rock at Valley of Fire, or vows above the Strip in a helicopter wedding.
Common Questions
Wedding Vow FAQ
How long should short wedding vows be?
Do we have to say vows to be legally married in Nevada?
Should we memorize our vows or read them?
Can we use vows we found online?
Should we share our vows with each other before the ceremony?
What if we don't want to write our own vows?
Can we say our vows privately, without anyone else there?
Vows Ready?
Now Pick the Place to Say Them
From a $299 Sign & Go with an optional vow exchange to a full desert ceremony at Valley of Fire, LVWC's licensed officiants guide you through every word, whether you bring your own vows or use ours.
