Designing a personalized wedding that fits the unique style of you as a couple is the goal, right? To really capture your style, you might opt for a themed wedding. Great Gatsby? Vintage Hollywood? How about a Star Wars themed wedding?

Yes, that’s a real theme. I had the fun experience of collaborating with a couple who plans to say I do on May 4th, Princess Leia style.

As I wrote their unique wedding vows for their even more unique wedding theme, I realized how writing wedding vows for a themed wedding is a bit different than simply writing wedding vows.

There are other factors to consider to write wonderfully personalized wedding vows.

Follow these tips for how to write your own unique wedding vows when your wedding has a particular theme and you’ll achieve making your day even more personalized.

Tip #1: Understand the Meaning of the Theme

Why did you choose this theme for your wedding? Was it simply a fun idea or does this theme have a deeper meaning within your relationship?

For example, let’s say you’re planning a Big Bang Theory themed wedding (yes—it’s a thing!).  Are you both scientists who simply enjoy the show together? Or did you meet at a Big Bang Theory season finale watching party and since then, you watch the show together as a weekly ritual?

If you chose a theme based on a deeper connection to your relationship—like the one described in the second example—then work this theme and the stories you share around it into your wedding vows.

If the theme is just something you thought would be entertaining—don’t feel obligated to force it into your vows.

Tip #2: Keep the Focus on You, Not the Theme

Your wedding vows should be a reflection of your love story first and the theme should only support that. This is your wedding day. Don’t let the theme overshadow you.

How do you accomplish this balance? Let’s say you’re having a Wizard of Oz themed wedding. Don’t just throw in random quotes the Tin Man exclaimed without any connection to your fiancé.

Instead, determine what themes from the movie mirror themes in your relationship.

How about “there’s no place like home.” This central theme of being at home in the movie could reflect how when you’re with your fiancé you always feel at home. From there, you can describe all the ways he makes you feel comforted and loved.

See? It’s not about pushing your theme into your vows. It’s about using your theme to intensify your vows.

Tip #3: Keep it Minimal

Just because your wedding is themed out from the light saber centerpieces to the officiant dressed as Darth Vader, doesn’t mean your wedding vows need to be soaked in the theme too.

Make one connection to your theme or quote one line from the movie. That’s enough to weave in the idea. Short and sweet is the melody to follow when writing your theme into your unique wedding vows.

Tip #4: Run Your Wedding Vows by Your Officiant

Be sure to review your personalized wedding vows with your wedding officiant. If you’re having a themed wedding, chances are your officiant has already planned to work your theme into the ceremony.

By going over your wedding vows with him or her in advance, you avoid the risk of saying something similar that your officiant plans to cover during his readings.

Tip #5: Discuss Wedding Vow Writing with Your Fiancé

Before you start writing your unique wedding vows, have a chat with your fiancé to make sure you’re on the same page.

What if you write your own vows focused on the wedding theme and he doesn’t mention the theme at all? Discuss the wedding vow writing process in advance and agree on how you both plan to address or not address your wedding theme within your vows.

You can also try creating a wedding vow writing date night to make the process more fun and collaborative.

Tip #6: Choose Themed Vow Booklets

You don’t necessarily need to include your theme when you write your nontraditional wedding vows. Instead, you can show the theme during your vow reading.

Scour the internet for wedding vow booklets that represent your theme. You can also check out this post from Wedding Words about wedding vow booklets to browse more pretty ways to present your custom wedding vows.

Tip #7: Work with a Professional Wedding Vow Writer

Writing your own wedding vows is hard enough. Trying to tie your theme to your vows can be more stressful than simply the wedding planning associated with tying the knot.

Consider hiring a professional wedding vow writer to collaborate together on the task. At Wedding Words, we love working with all sorts of couples and wedding styles. What’s your theme? Let’s talk.