Whether you’re standing at the altar for the first time or renewing your vows to reaffirm your enduring commitment, finding the right words can be both exhilarating and overwhelming.
Below we’re sharing 12 touching and heartfelt wedding vow renewal examples that will inspire you to declare your love in the most unforgettable way.
From classic promises to adventurous pledges, family-focused commitments to vows of growth, let these beautiful wedding vow renewal examples serve as your guide to penning the perfect promises to your spouse all over again.
Plus, we’re sharing tips for planning the best vow renewal, when and why you should renew your vows, and how to write your renewal ceremony script.
First things first: What is a vow renewal ceremony?
A vow renewal is a ceremony where a couple who is already married recommits to one another. They do this by reaffirming their love, reflecting on their shared past and making promises for their continued future together.
Because they already exchanged vows at their first wedding, this ceremony is known as a vow renewal, renewing the promises they’ve made to one anther.
A vow renewal ceremony is not a legal wedding ceremony. Because the couple is already married, there’s no need to do any legal paperwork. It’s simply a commitment ceremony focused on a couple’s love and devotion, rather than a change in marital status.
Vow renewal ceremonies can be big or small, casual or formal, taking any style or shape that the couple desires.
Some couples treat their vow renewal like another wedding, planning a full ceremony and reception, inviting all their friends and family, buying special outfits, taking photos, etc.
Others choose to simply stand in their backyard and share new promises together. There’s no right or wrong way to renew your vows, just like there’s no right or wrong way to get married!
12 wedding vow renewal examples
Below you’ll find 12 wedding vow renewal examples perfect for any kind of commitment ceremony.
Remember, these examples are just a starting point. Feel free to personalize and adapt these vow renewal examples to make them unique and meaningful for you and your partner. Or use them to inspire you to write your own vows!
1. Classic vow renewal
“I, [Name], take you, [Name], to be my beloved spouse once again. I promise to continue cherishing and honouring you, through all the ups and downs of life. With this vow, I reaffirm my eternal love and devotion to you.”
2. Adventure-themed vow renewal
“As we embark on another journey of love, I, [Name], pledge to continue exploring the world by your side. I promise to be your constant companion, your partner in adventure, and your rock in times of uncertainty. Let’s continue making unforgettable memories together.”
3. Promise of growth
“I stand before you, [Name], grateful for the years we’ve shared and excited for the ones to come. Today, I vow to support your dreams and aspirations, to grow alongside you, and to always encourage your personal development. Together, we will become the best versions of ourselves.”
4. Beach vow renewal examples
“Like the ocean’s tides, our love has weathered storms and danced with joy. I promise to stand with you through every wave of life. With sandy toes and a full heart, I renew my commitment to you and our beautiful journey.”
5. Family-focused vows
“I renew my vows to you, [Name], not only as your spouse but also as a devoted parent to our children. I promise to love and guide them with you, creating a home filled with laughter, understanding, and unconditional love.”
6. Through thick and thin
“To my beloved [Name], we’ve faced challenges and celebrated triumphs together. I promise to be your unwavering support, your confidant, and your biggest cheerleader. As we renew our vows, I recommit to loving you fiercely in good times and bad.”
7. Laughter and joy
“I vow to keep laughter alive in our relationship and to cherish every moment of joy we share. I promise to find humour in life’s little quirks and to never let a day go by without making you smile.”
8. Vow of forgiveness
“As we renew our commitment to one another, I acknowledge that we’re not perfect, but our love is worth the effort. I promise to forgive you, as I hope you’ll forgive me, and to work through any challenges that come our way with patience, understanding, and compassion.”
9. Shared dreams
“To my beloved [Name], today and every day, I promise to dream with you, to support your aspirations, and to work together to make our shared dreams a reality. Your happiness will always be my happiness.”
10. Soulmates vow
“I knew from the moment we met that our souls were connected. Today, I reaffirm my belief in destiny and promise to honour the sacred bond we share. You are my soulmate, and I am forever grateful for your love.”
11. Gratitude and appreciation
“In the presence of our loved ones, I express my deep gratitude for the love you’ve brought into my life. I promise to show appreciation for you and our relationship every day, celebrating the unique qualities that make us a perfect match.”
12. Timeless love
“As we stand here today, I am reminded of the timeless nature of true love. I promise to continue loving you with the same passion and devotion as the day we first said ‘I do.’ You are my forever love, and I am yours.”
Why should you renew your vows?
In our books, you never need an excuse to celebrate your love. But in case you’re looking for a good reason to have a vow renewal, here are three:
- You get to refocus on your relationship. For many couples, their relationship takes a backseat after years of busy careers, raising kids, moving across the country, etc. A vow renewal gives you a great opportunity to refocus on what really matters: your marriage!
- You get to make new promises and renew old ones. If you got married five, ten, twenty or more years ago, the vows you made may feel a little old – if you can even remember them! When you renew your vows, you’re recommitting to your partnership and updating your promises to reflect what life looks like now.
- You get to party! What better reason to party than as a celebration of love? Your vow renewal ceremony is an amazing chance to reconnect with family and friends, wear a special outfit, plan an awesome party and dance the night away. Plus, you can go on a second honeymoon!
When should you renew your vows?
Luckily, wedding vows don’t expire! So there’s no specific time when you need to renew your vows.
Some couples choose to renew their vows every year on their wedding anniversary, some wait until they’ve been married for 20+ years and others choose not to renew their vows at all.
Any married couple can renew their vows whenever they want to. Because this isn’t a legal ceremony, no paperwork has to be filed and the renewal can be whatever you want it to be.
You could plan your vow renewal ceremony for a special milestone, such as your 10th anniversary or the year you both turn 50. You could use the ceremony to renew your commitment after a rough patch or life transition, such as after one partner has a health scare or once you’re empty nesters.
Or you could choose to renew your vows whenever certain conditions are met, like when you travel to a new continent or when your home team (finally) wins the Stanley Cup!
At the end of the day, your vow renewal should be born out of your desire to recommit to one another, not a set-in-stone date on the calendar. As long as you both want to rededicate yourselves to your marriage, go ahead and renew those vows!
What should you include in a wedding vow renewal ceremony?
The wonderful thing about planning a wedding vow renewal is that it’s truly up to you. Since this type of ceremony isn’t traditional, you can totally run with it and make it your own.
Some couples choose to go big, throwing an event that looks exactly like a wedding, minus the legal paperwork. And others choose to do something completely different from their original wedding day.
The important thing is that your wedding vow renewal is grounded in recommitting yourself to one another. Your partnership and lasting love should be at the basis of every decision you make.
The celebration you plan should reflect both of you and what’s important to you at this stage of life.
Do you need a vow renewal script and officiant for a vow renewal?
Technically, you don’t need a wedding officiant for your vow renewal because you’re not having a legal ceremony. Therefore you don’t need a licensed officiant to complete the paperwork. However, that’s not the only reason why couples hire officiants!
While a wedding officiant does take care of the legal paperwork, they do so much more than that for a commitment ceremony. They can work with you to craft a custom ceremony that reflects who you are. This ceremony can talk about your years of marriage, include special family and friends, and incorporate important traditional, religious or cultural elements.
A professional wedding officiant brings their expertise to a ceremony, something a friendor (friend + vendor) doesn’t have. Officiants are experienced in leading events, managing crowds and working with other vendors.
If you’re planning a vow renewal, it’s because you believe in the power of marriage. You are taking the time and effort to recommit yourself to your partner in a meaningful way. And the best way to ensure that your vow renewal is a beautiful, lasting memory is to have an experienced wedding officiant lead the ceremony.
Your wedding officiant will work with you to create the vow renewal ceremony of your dreams – one that will have all of your guests laughing, tearing up and saying to each other, “Wow, those two are so in love!”
Find an officiant for your vow renewal today!
What goes into a renewing vows script?
A renewing vows script can look very much like a traditional wedding ceremony script, following the same ceremony outline and order of events, just minus the legal part.
That being said, because this isn’t a legal ceremony, you have a lot more flexibility to make your vow renewal your own.
For example, you can choose to remove the ring exchange, re-exchange your current wedding rings, or exchange brand new rings in your vow renewal script.
Instead of signing a marriage licence, you could sign a printed version of your vows to demonstrate your recommitment to one another. You could also simplify the ceremony, choosing to only exchange vows and seal your renewed promises with a kiss.
What about our renewal vows?
Your vows will be the most important part of your renewal ceremony. After all, they’re the whole reason why you’re having this ceremony!
More than just an excuse to party, your vows are your chance to put into words why you want to recommit yourself to your partner, what you love most about them, what this marriage has meant to you, and what you want it to look like going forward.
Make sure you’re dedicating time to putting together the perfect renewal vows for your celebration. Get inspired by our wedding vow renewal examples below and check out our FREE guide to writing the best vows!
How to celebrate: 10 year vow renewal ideas
So you’re coming up on 10 years of marriage? Congratulations! One of the best ways to celebrate your love and look forward to the next 10 years is with a vow renewal.
Here are some 10 year vow renewal ideas to ensure your celebration is as memorable and meaningful as possible!
(PS: Renewing your vows at 5 years, 20 years or some other milestone? Awesome! These ideas work for any kind of vow renewal.)
- Write personal vows. Of course, we think every renewal of vows should centre on your vows. Take the time to write personal, meaningful vows. (Need help? Check out our vow writing course!)
- Display photos from each year of your marriage. Bonus points if you can line it up with the number of tables (i.e. 10 tables for your 10 year vow renewal) and display photos from each year at their corresponding table.
- Think outside the box. Don’t be afraid to get creative with your wedding vow renewal. Maybe you want to renew your vows during a helicopter elopement, on a gondola in Italy or at the top of a ferris wheel!
- Theme your 10 year vow renewal. Celebrate your decade of marriage by throwing it back to 10 years ago! Hang posters from popular movies, listen to popular music and rock some fashion from last decade.
- Involve friends and family members who have been a big part of your marriage in your renewal. You can ask these special loved ones to give toasts, do readings or even join you in a community vow.
- Have the wedding you never could. Maybe you’ve always wanted to say your vows on the beach but it rained on your big day, forcing your wedding indoors. Well, now is the time to plan the wedding of your dreams!
- Throw out the dress code. If you felt forced into a big white dress or stuffy black tux on your wedding day, your vow renewal is the perfect time to change things up. Wear the outfit of your dreams whether that includes a fabulous feathered cape, bedazzled jean jacket or bright red cowboy boots!
- Memorialize the event. Hire a photographer and videographer to capture all the best moments of your vow renewal. Frame your recommitment vows and hang them in your home where you can read them every day. Or create a time capsule from the day to open on your 20th anniversary!
- Skip the wedding traditions that don’t resonate with you. Since a vow renewal isn’t traditional, you don’t have to keep any wedding traditions you don’t love. Feel free to throw out the bouquet toss, ring exchange, cake cutting or anything else you don’t want!
Renewing your vows is a beautiful way to celebrate your years of marriage and commit to many more years together. Get started by writing personal renewal vows with our FREE vow writing guide and get in touch to create a custom ceremony with your officiant.
May your vow renewal ceremony be filled with love and joy, celebrating your past years and your bright future together!
