Free Republic

It is a phrase used for centuries by couples pledging to be faithful to each other. But as Gary and Louise Lidington, from London, made final preparations for their wedding last weekend, they received an urgent telephone call from council registrars warning that they could not legally say the words “in sickness and in health”. Officials in Tower Hamlets, east London, said that the phrase, which is used around the world, was too “religious” for a civil ceremony. The couple were forced to rewrite their vows, which they chose because of their traditional ring, just hours before the wedding, which...

CONTINGENCY OPERATING LOCATION Q-WEST – Wedding bells were ringing at the chapel here recently, when two deployed U.S. Army Soldiers renewed their vows to mark their one-year anniversary.Sgt. Christopher Jones, a food service specialist, and Spc. Elyse Jones, a logistics specialist, both with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, Special Troops Battalion, 15th Sustainment Brigade, 13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), welcomed friends and well-wishers to the ceremony, April 13. Instead of a white gown for the bride and a tuxedo for the groom, both were dressed in Army green, just like the guests and the chaplain.  In lieu of a band or organist,...

Her husband accidentally pronounces 'lawfully' as 'wawfully,' and she cracks up so much that they had to take a break in the ceremony.

In some weddings, "'til death do us part" is going the way of "to honor and obey" — that is, out the window. Vows like "For as long as we continue to love each other," "For as long as our love shall last" and "Until our time together is over" are increasingly replacing the traditional to-the-grave vow — a switch that some call realistic and others call a recipe for failure.