Till death do us part...

I was reading an article where it stated that the latest trend among couples in the US is changing their wedding vows to suit their preferences. This shift from traditional vows to something personally fitting could very well be due to the fact that many marriages in this era end up in bitter divorces or separations that end up in lengthy legal battles to settle scores. The traditional upto-the-grave vow 'Till death do us part' is now being rapidly altered to vows like 'For as long as we continue to love each other', 'For as long as our love shall last', 'For as long as our marriage shall serve the greatest good' and even 'Until our time together is over'. Now some may see this as quite realistic because nowadays almost everything is being altered to adjust to the rapidly changing social trends, hence it's a tad unrealistic to make such a 'grave' promise :) that one may not be able to keep. Also people come from different backgrounds and have various experiences that lead them to have different beliefs. However I say this switch is a sure recipe for failure. My point is that if you want to alter the traditional vow that has been there for so many centuries to something new that keeps you on the safe side, then is there real love in it at all? I think that's being cautious while expecting disaster, isn't it? Love is such a sacred feeling and marriage is a sacred bond knitted by that love and continues to be knitted as years pass by, through both good and bad times. Now I do understand that nothing is certain in life and people change too. However changing the wedding vows to be on the safe side even before you have tread the shores of married life is like taking Panadol before u get the flu :) It's keeping yourself well wide open incase it doesn't work - isn't that like being noncommital in a committed relationship?

Anyways I also read about a newly-married couple who changed the traditional vow to a breath-taking 'For all the days of our lives'! The bride stated 'I didn't want us to say 'until death do us part', I believe in heaven and that we will be together after we die. I kind of went the other way'. And she is no love-fool because she is a matured lady and is a Psychology student (Phd) at a reputed university in the US. So yes there are people who go to the other extreme too and I personally think that they are the ones who are really in love and understand the depth of marriage, even if their marriage failed 2years later. What matters is that right now you feel completely committed to that person because you're going to marry him/her!

I know that Hindu/Buddhist and most other weddings don't include verbal vows but what are your thoughts on this according to your cultural wedding customs? Should people go and change traditional vows to suit the times and personal preferences or should they say 'till death do us part' and stick by that even when they are 75 and may have to puke before thinking of a romantic night-out..lol no offense to anyone, just a wicked joke :) Shower me with your wisdom now.