Addunedau Priodas
Welsh (Cymraeg) Wedding Vows
Welsh wedding vows: spoken in love, sung in the valleys, and occasionally mispronounced by nervous grooms.
Celtic Christianity planted deep roots in Wales as early as the Roman occupation, bringing with it monks, manuscripts, and marvellous beard growth. While much of Britain wobbled between empires, plagues, and fashion mistakes, Welsh Christianity held fast, even when the Angles and Saxons arrived in the 5th century and tried to pagan their way through everything.
And while they were at it, Henry VIII (a Welshman himself, oddly enough) decided it would be clever to ban the Welsh language from official use in 1536 — presumably because he wasn’t fluent and didn’t like people talking about him behind his back. This wasn’t exactly a hit with the locals. But like a dragon in a poetry club, Welsh refused to go quietly, and despite the ban, it lived on in homes, hymns, and heavy consonant clusters.
Fun fact: Henry’s ban wasn't officially repealed until 1942. Yes, nineteen-forty-two. That’s after the invention of television, jet engines, and sliced bread. By then, of course, English had become the most widely spoken language in Wales, but a strong revival movement kept Welsh not just alive, but singing on the wind — especially when there’s a rugby match or a male voice choir nearby.
Today, Welsh is a proud symbol of identity, and while English is the default language at most Welsh weddings, couples who want to connect with their cultural roots (and who have rehearsed the pronunciation a few times) often choose to recite their vows in Welsh.
That said, there’s a practical reason vows are spoken out loud in front of guests — they’re witnesses, not just well-dressed spectators. So if 98% of the room doesn’t speak Welsh, you might want to either provide an English translation, repeat the vows in both languages, or include helpful subtitles on a screen behind you (tech-savvy churches do exist).
And of course, all of this depends on your officiant. Some ministers are delighted by a bilingual ceremony; others may gently remind you that time is limited and the reception buffet is warming under foil.
Below, we present the traditional Christian wedding vows in Welsh — followed by an English translation. Whether you speak the language fluently or just want to honour your heritage without accidentally promising to do the dishes forever, we’ve got you covered.
Wedding vows in Cymraeg
Declaration
Will you love her, comfort her, honour and care for her,
and, forsaking all others, be faithful to her
as long as you both shall live?
Will you love him, comfort him, honour and care for him,
and, forsaking all others, be faithful to him
as long as you both shall live?
support and uphold them in their marriage
now and in the years to come?
i fod yn wraig i mi,
I’th gadw a’th gynnal,
O’r dydd hwn ymlaen,
Er gwell,
er gwaeth,
Er cyfoethocach,
er tlotach,
Yn glaf ac yn iach,
I’th garu a’th ymgeleddu,
Tra byddwn ni’n dau byw,
Yn ôl ewyllys a bwriad Duw.
Dyma f’adduned i ti.
to be my wife,
To keep you and support you,
From this day forward,
For better,
for worse,
For richer,
for poorer,
In sickness and in health,
To love and cherish you,
While we both live,
According to God's will and intention.
This is my vow to you.
i fod yn ŵr i mi
I’th gadw a’th gynnal,
O’r dydd hwn ymlaen,
Er gwell,
er gwaeth,
Er cyfoethocach,
er tlotach,
Yn glaf ac yn iach,
I’th garu a’th ymgeleddu,
Tra byddwn ni’n dau byw,
Yn ôl ewyllys a bwriad Duw.
Dyma f’adduned i ti.
to be my husband,
To keep you and support you,
From this day forward,
For better,
for worse,
For richer,
for poorer,
In sickness and in health,
To love and cherish you,
While we both live,
According to God's will and intention.
This is my vow to you.
