Wedding Vow Books: How to Choose
Vow books hold the promises you read at the ceremony and keep them safe afterwards. Choose by size (small enough to hold in one hand), the wording on the cover and the page style. Four matching sets are below, then how to choose.
4 curated picks, all available on Amazon
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Two hardcover books, about 5.75 by 4 inches, with a linen-texture cover and 40 lined sheets each, printed for a husband and a wife. Suits a husband-and-wife ceremony with a classic or rustic look.
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Two cream canvas hardcovers, about 5.75 by 4 inches, printed My vows to my Husband and My vows to my Wife, with gilded page edges, a ribbon bookmark and 40 lined sheets. Suits couples who want the books to look like keepsakes in photos.
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A pair of pocket-size his and hers vow books, about 5.95 by 3.4 inches, in blush and black with rose gold foil and blank pages, plus matching cards with envelopes. Suits a bride and groom who want a modern blush and black look, or blank pages to fill their own way.
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Two small books, 5.5 by 3.5 inches, in white and black with gold foil and raised flowers, 28 writing pages of ink-resistant paper and a small oath card with a short writing guide. Suits a short vow; a larger size and a genderless version are on the listing.
View on AmazonHow to choose wedding vow books
Size
You will hold the book in one hand, perhaps with a bouquet or a microphone nearby, and it may live in a jacket pocket until the vows. All four sets here are pocket-sized, from 3.4 to 4 inches wide. If your handwriting is large, the molekaus books also come in a 6.5 by 4.5 inch size.
The wording on the cover
Check that the cover fits the two of you. The two MUUJEE sets are printed for a husband and a wife. The Paper Junkie and molekaus sets are his and hers, and molekaus also offers a genderless version (see the molekaus books on Amazon). Read the cover wording on any listing before you order, because it cannot be changed later, and check it suits the couple if you are buying them as a gift. None of these four is personalized with names; for that, look for a custom-made vow book and allow extra time.
Lined or blank pages
Lined pages keep your writing straight, which helps when you are reading in front of everyone. Blank pages, as in the Paper Junkie set, leave room to paste in a printed vow or add a small drawing. The MUUJEE books have 40 lined sheets each, enough for drafts and anniversary notes later; the molekaus books have 28 writing pages, plenty for one vow.
Look and feel
Linen and canvas covers suit classic, rustic and garden weddings. Blush and black with rose gold foil looks modern. White and black with gold foil is a classic contrast that photographs well against a white gown and a dark suit.
The pen
Test your pen on the inside back page first. The molekaus and cream MUUJEE listings both describe thick paper, so most pens will not show through, but a heavy felt-tip still can.
How to use vow books on the day
- Write the final version early. Draft somewhere else, then copy the finished vow into the book a week or more before the wedding, so the ink is dry and you have time to practice.
- Read it aloud and time it. A minute or two per vow is a common length. Write a little larger than usual; ceremony light and nerves make small writing hard to read.
- Decide who holds them. Give both books to the officiant, or to the best man and maid of honor, to hand over at the vows.
- Bring them to getting ready. Photographers often include vow books in the detail shots with the rings and the invitation.
- Keep them together afterwards with your invitation, and read them again on an anniversary.
Common questions
Do we need vow books?
No, but they look better in photos than a phone or a folded sheet of paper, and you keep them afterwards as a record of what you promised.
When should we write our vows in the books?
Draft them elsewhere first, then copy the final version into the book a week or more before the wedding, so the ink is dry and there is time to practice reading aloud.
Who holds the vow books during the ceremony?
Usually the officiant, or the best man and maid of honor, who hand them over when it is time for the vows.
Are there vow books without his and hers wording?
Yes. The molekaus books are offered in a genderless version. Check the cover wording on any listing before you order.