by Scott Johnson
Just when you think we are done with last year, we come to you with our final series of our Favorites of 2019 Countdown. There’s a lot of craziness still going on in the world, with even more so likely to come, so we are doing our best to remember the good ol’ times. Oftentimes, or so television has led us to believe, the vows are the most stressful part of the wedding experience. And as TV has led us to believe, it is usually the guy who flubs his way through the vows he was so nervous to write in the first place. These wedding vows were the cream of the crop in 2019, and cover the full spectrum of the emotion we have come to expect behind them. We will try to pull out helpful hints from each to guide the way for any nervous writers out there! Ready to find out who we picked?
Benzing Wedding
Our early Fall wedding with Megan and Kevin out at the Trinity Tree Farm was an exquisite day from start to finish. Budding Christmas trees, dazzling lights, and a whole bunch of people eager to see these two get hitched were just a few key aspects to the day. When it came to the vows, which when you have an entertaining officiant can be a little intimidating to follow up on, Kevin went first. Kicking it off with the great mood-setting, “There are a billion things I could say about you, but I will keep it down to a few,” before launching into a list of promises and hopes he has for the two. Some produced laughs, others some tears.
Be sure to see how he finishes it off, because you might be crying just like everyone else in the room! Megan followed up with her own set of promises, and keeping with many of the same themes. Like married couples should, they seem to share part of a brain and she certainly delivered her own zingers. Remember, it doesn’t need to be some schmoozy love letter, sometimes the simple promises to each other are more than enough!
Godwin Wedding
The Godwins' late spring wedding was blessed with the typical unpredictability of the Pacific Northwest. Up at Nature’s Connection Place in Arlington, their magical day with lush greenery, a cool rain and translucent umbrellas was too good for a little drizzle to affect in the slightest. TJ and Hannah, standing under an umbrella, delivered their vows. TJ went first, dashing in a little bit of sarcasm, gratitude, and the doubt that “I can’t promise that I will always sing along to Fergalicious in the car with you…” We have a feeling he will, though! If you aren’t swooning by the end, you might need another listen.
Hannah picked things up with her recalling always dreaming of what her husband would be like, though he was not anything she could have ever imagined! Touching on their strengths, their history and the future, these “partners in crime,” really are meant to be. Always remember that this person is your best friend, and relying on those feelings are more than enough when writing your vows!
Cleary-Gawlak Wedding
Just the day after the Godwin’s wedding, a trip to the Georgetown Ballroom saw the union of Katerina and Jimmy. From the get-go, we knew we were in for something special. A charming officiant led the way into the vows, with the bride and groom acting totally at ease with their loved ones watching them as a funny unplanned exchange happened that sent the audience into laughter. Taking a moment to compose himself, Jimmy delivered the goods with, “You mean everything to me, over the last six years we have navigated our adult lives together in a place far away from home for each of us, and I couldn’t have asked for a better partner for the journey.”
Katerina followed up with some great vows herself, keeping it honest and real, while also letting the truth induce the emotion. Lines like, “I know that I am not perfect, but I love you for loving me as though I am,” and “you know me better than anyone in the world, and you still manage to love me and I love you for everything that you are now and everything that you will become” are right in the sweet spot for us. Don’t be afraid to bring the emotion,
Chavez Wedding
Last up in today’s entry comes to us from one of the most unique weddings (and wedding venues) we have ever had the pleasure of filming. The Chavez Wedding was held at Goatstock, an annual family gathering up in Mukilteo. Essentially a block party turned into a wedding, it was a blast from the second we got there. Shots, champagne, and good times led us into their ceremony. Shaylin and Christian were abundantly excited, with Shaylin starting first for the vows. Covering the spectrum, keeping it light and fun, but also slowly more emotional as she got swept up in her words, she delivered such lines like, “I vow to love you through gross farts and loud snoring and all of the times we get lost because you won’t use the GPS right,” which was effective on multiple emotional levels, for whatever reason!
A hard show to follow, Christian came back with great lines like, “you have taught me so much since the day we met and I cannot wait for the lessons to come as we grow old and fat together.” He continued on with their globe-spanning love, and how she has made him a far better person than he would be without her. Remember, don’t be afraid to be a little weird. Talk about the farts, talk about the silly things you argue about. It’s about you!
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There you have it for this first entry and be sure to tune back in soon for the next! Have any questions or comments? Have your own vows you want to share with us? Leave them below!