Example 1: Vows to a partner, romantic and heartfelt, about 2 minutes
286 words · about 2 min spoken
Jess, from the first day I stumbled into your tomato beds at the community garden, you had my full attention. You were so sure of yourself, bossing me around with muddy hands, and I remember thinking, maybe if I keep “watering wrong,” you’ll keep coming back to show me how it’s done.
I knew you were the one the night you woke up at 4 a.m. to wish my grandmother happy birthday in Malayalam, even though you’d only learned how to say it the week before. You said it a little wrong, she laughed so hard she cried, and she’s still asking about ‘the tomato girl.’ In that moment, I realized I wanted you beside me for every sweet, messy, ordinary part of my life.
I love the way you talk to the tomato plants like they’re old friends, how you remember everyone’s name—even all the dogs on our street. You carry extra reading glasses for me because you know I’ll forget. You always give more than you take, and you make the world feel warmer just by being in it.
I promise to keep asking about the right way to water the tomatoes, and to listen—really listen—before I try to fix anything. I promise to sit next to you for every Sunday dinner, even if the Vikings lose and your mom blames the ref. I promise to choose you on the quiet, ordinary Tuesdays, not just the shiny, easy days.
I promise to never take the shortcut unless you’re holding the map. And when we finally go to Kerala, I promise you’ll have my hand the whole way there.
I choose you, Jess, with every part of me, for every season ahead—roots, blooms, and all.
What the writer told Toastful to get this speech
- Speaker
- Priya, vows to my partner
- How they met
- We met on a Saturday volunteer shift at a community garden in Minneapolis. Jess was in charge of the tomato beds and told me, very seriously, that I was watering them wrong. My first impression was that she was a little bossy, and that I wanted to keep getting it wrong so she'd keep coming over to fix it.
- When they knew
- About a year in, my grandmother in Kerala turned 90 and I couldn't afford to fly home. Jess set an alarm for 4 a.m. so we could join the family video call together, and she'd spent two weeks secretly practicing how to say happy birthday in Malayalam. She got it a little wrong, my grandmother laughed until she cried, and she still asks about 'the tomato girl.' That's when I knew.
- What they love
- She gives the tomato plants a pep talk every morning before work, out loud, by name. She knows the name of every barista, bus driver and neighbor's dog on our street. And she keeps a spare pair of my reading glasses in every bag she owns because I always forget mine.
- Promises
- To keep watering the tomatoes the right way, or at least to ask first. To listen all the way to the end before I jump in and try to fix things. To sit beside you at every one of your mom's Sunday dinners, even when the arguments about the Vikings get loud. To choose you on the ordinary Tuesdays, not just the big days.
- Quirks
- She calls me 'Shortcut' because I got us lost for two hours on our first road trip to Duluth after insisting I knew a quicker way.
- Looking ahead
- Building raised garden beds in the backyard of the little house we just bought, and finally taking the trip to Kerala so Jess can meet my grandmother in person and see where my family is from.
- Extras
- We're not religious. We met in a garden and just bought our first house with a yard, so a gentle garden thread would mean a lot, but please don't overdo it.