German Wedding Vows

Here are the traditional vows used at Catholic weddings in German — and as you'll see, they're not much different from those in most other languages. (Love, after all, tends to say the same things — just with a different accent.) We’ve also included an English translation, in case your Deutsch needs a bit of liturgical clarity.

There are a few notable differences between Germany’s German (Hochdeutsch), Switzerland’s German (Schweizerdeutsch), and Austria’s German (Österreichisches Deutsch). These include pronunciation quirks, unique expressions, and dialects that can leave even native speakers scratching their heads and asking, “Wait, was that still German?”

Hochdeutsch (High German) is the standardised version used in schools, news broadcasts, official documents — and, yes, wedding ceremonies. It’s the “go-to” dialect people reach for when the occasion calls for dignity, clarity and mutual comprehension.

In Switzerland, however, people usually speak Schweizerdeutsch in everyday life — a delightful mash-up of German, French, Italian, and a bit of “don’t even try to Google Translate that word”. Hochdeutsch is still used for writing and formal occasions, like speeches, contracts, and for impressing German tourists.

The situation is similar in Austria: Austrians use Hochdeutsch for anything official, but among themselves, they’ll switch to Österreichisches Deutsch, which can sound like German with an alpine twist and an extra helping of vowels.

The same story plays out in Luxembourg with Lëtzebuergesch, and in Liechtenstein, where the local flavour of German comes with its own pronunciation and charm — and often a mountain view.

Still, the wedding vows below are in clear, formal Hochdeutsch, and will be understood by Austrians, Germans, Swiss, Luxembourgers, Liechtensteiners, and anyone else in the greater Germanophone universe — including that cousin who only speaks Bavarian and shouts a lot.