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In 1549, the Book of Common Prayer was published and the first wedding vows were introduced to the world but before then, and until they were commonly recognized as part of a ceremony, the father and the groom would meet and agree that his daughter would be the groom's wife. This was usually accompanied by an agreement of services provided by the groom and a small dowry provided by the bride's father. The wealthy lords and ladies of the day would put the agreement into a legal document to make it seem official and would hold a ball or party to make it official. This was the era where the first vows and the first marriage licenses came into play.
