What is a vow?
A vow is defined as a promise made to God. The promise is binding, and so differs from a simple resolution which is a present purpose to do or omit certain things in the future.
As between man and man, a promise pledges the faith of the man who makes it; he promises, wishing some other person to trust him, and depend upon him. By his fidelity he shows himself worthy of trust; if he breaks his word, he loses credit, by causing the other a disappointment which is destructive of mutual confidence - and, like faith, mutual confidence is important to society, for the natural law condemns all conduct which shakes this confidence.
A Wedding vow is a promise made by the bride and groom to each other during a wedding ceremony. In Western culture, this promise has traditionally included the notions of affection (“love, comfort, keep”), faithfulness (“forsaking all others”), unconditionality (“for richer or for poorer”, “in sickness and in health”), and permanence (“as long as we both shall live”, “until death do us part”). Some couples choose to write their own wedding vows, rather than relying on standard ones spoken by the celebrant.
