Wedding Vows with Children

Just like Miranda Hobbes in Sex and The City, many people these days find their true love after the birth of their children. Does that make their union any different from other couples? Yes it does. Not because they are not "Young and innocent" any more. But, because their decisions affect their children's lives as well. Hence, the union is not just of two individuals, but two entities. Like the Brady Bunch, second weddings come with complications, when children are involved. So, to acknowledge the presence of the children, many people prefer to have their wedding vows written like that. Here are a few examples of vows for weddings with children. For the purpose of convenience, I have used the name Ron for the groom and Hermione for the bride, for all the vows.

Second Wedding Vows With Children
This list of wedding vows is for those people who have decided to give love and marriage another chance. It is for those parents, who have thought long and hard before deciding to bring another person in their life, and their children's lives.

• I Ron, marry you, Hermione, with my eyes wide open. You have enabled me to get rid of my past and start afresh. You have brought back love and laughter into my life and treated my children as your own. You are just as loving to my family, as you are to me. For that, I promise my eternal love and loyalty to you.
• I am proud to marry you this day, Ron. I promise to wipe away your tears with my laughter and your pain with caring and compassion. Together we will wipe clean the old canvases of our lives, and let God, with His amazing artistic talent, fill them with new color, harmony and beauty. I give myself to you and your family completely, and I promise to love you always, from this day forward. I know that you will be the father that my children need and deserve. Thank you, for completing my family.
• Hermione, you have been my best friend ever since we met. You were there to comfort me when I could not see past my tragedies. You mothered my children and saw them as your own, without any expectations. That was when I fell in love with you. You let me in to your life and family. When I met your children, I knew that this union would make two broken families complete. That is when I wrote these vows for you. I always have, and always will love you. I will honor and protect you. I will be your companion and the father to your children in sickness and in health. You are all my life now, you are my soulmate and the children are my mind and heart.

One can make changes in the vows or write your own wedding vows as per proprietary and convenience.

Traditional Wedding Pledges along with Children
One can opt for the traditional and original wedding vows. In that case a few changes can be made to include the children in the vows. Let's see how to go about doing that.

Groom: I, Ron, take thee, Hermione, to be my wife and thy children to be my children, and before God and these witnesses I promise to be a faithful and true husband and loving father.

Bride: I, Hermione, take thee, Ron, to be my husband and thy children to be my children, and before God and these witnesses I promise to be a faithful and true wife and a loving mother.

Groom: I, Ron, take thee, Hermione, to be my wedded wife and the mother of my children, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, 'til death do us part, according to God's ordinance; and thereto I pledge thee my troth.

Bride: I, Hermione, take thee, Ron, to be my wedded husband and the father of my children, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, 'til death do us part, according to God's ordinance; and thereto I pledge thee my troth.

Groom: In the Name of God, I, Ron with the permission and acceptance of my children, take you, Hermione, to be my wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until we are parted by death. This is my solemn vow.

Bride: In the Name of God, I, Hermione with the permission and acceptance of my children, take you, Ron, to be my husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until we are parted by death. This is my solemn vow.

These tiny additions to your vows will not only make your children more confident of the union, but will act as a public gesture of acceptance as well.

Wedding Vows Including Children
Many wedding vows actually include vows to be taken by the children as well. This is a great idea. As this way, even the children will know the seriousness and the importance of wedding vows and your marriage. Here is an example of such vows. It has been used by people, you can use it too.

Groom: "(Children's names), I want you to know that I dearly love your mother. We have become very good friends over the weeks and months and we have learned to love each other. As you have so graciously shared this wonderful woman with me, so will I share the love I feel for her with you. Together, we will learn much more about each other. I promise also to be fair and to be honest, to be available for you as I am for your mom, and in due time, to earn your love, respect and true friendship. I will not attempt to replace anyone, but to make a place in your hearts that is for me alone. I will be father and friend, and I will cherish my life with all of you. On this day when I marry your mom, I marry you, and I promise to love and support you as my own."

Bride: "(Children's names), I want you to know that I dearly love your father. We have become very good friends over the weeks and months and we have learned to love each other. As you have so graciously shared this wonderful man with me, so will I share the love I feel for him with both of you. Together, we will learn much more about each other.
I promise also to be fair and to be honest, to be available for you as I am for your dad, and in due time, to earn your love, respect and true friendship. I will not attempt to replace anyone, but to make a place in your hearts that is for me alone. I will be mother and friend, and I will cherish my life with both of you. On this day when I marry your dad, I marry you, and I promise to love and support you as my own."

The bride and groom's children then respond to the following vows when read by the pastor.

(Children's names), do you promise to love your mother and her new husband?
Children respond: "I do."
Do you promise to support their marriage and your new family?
Children respond: "I do."
Do you promise to accept the responsibility of being their children, and to encourage them, support them, and accept them just as our heavenly Father accepts us?
Children respond: "I do."

(Children' names), do you promise to love your father and his new wife?
Children respond: "I do."
Do you promise to support their marriage and your new family?
Children respond: "I do."
Do you promise to accept the responsibility of being their children, and to encourage them, support them, and accept them just as our heavenly Father accepts us?
Children respond: "I do."

This is a very emotional way to take marriage vows. The groom bends down and vows to the bride's children and then the bride does the same for the groom's children.

Yes, weddings are truly a magical time. Make it more special with these wonderful wedding vows that include children. With the children included, one can only imagine the best fulfillment of the vows. I need to go wipe my wedding tears. This is where I sign off! All the best!!