Answers (3)
Your wedding vows should be based in your faith traditions and cultural customs. If you believe that wives should submit to their husbands, then by all means, include that in your vows. It is considered traditional to go either way. Most time-honored marriage vows include phrases about loving and honoring one’s spouse, in sickness and in health, for better or for worse. These statements describe the overarching definition of marriage as being a union between two individuals that shall survive all of life’s troubles, no matter what comes. There are many other passages in religious texts that are used to further clarify and support the role of husbands and wives, but not all are included in wedding vows.
In my opinion, those religions take a very outdated view. Women today are more than capable of taking great care of themselves and the truth is that they probably can live without a man in their life (sad for me). However, I think the statement should be that women should fully support their husbands. I would rather marry a women who challenges me in a good way and makes me a better person everyday rather than be with a doormat who says yes to everything I say. That would be boring, no?
The vows are usually dependent on your religion itself. If you were a Christian, the vows would probably look something like this:
"I, ___, take thee, ___, to be my wedded husband/wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part, according to God's holy ordinance; and thereto I pledge thee my faith [or] pledge myself to you."
"I, ___, take thee, ___, to be my wedded husband/wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part, according to God's holy ordinance; and thereto I pledge thee my faith [or] pledge myself to you."