How do you come up with vow renewal wording? The first time you said “I do,” you likely recited traditional wedding vows. As you celebrate your wedding anniversary and mark the occasion with a vow renewal ceremony, why not write custom wedding vows?
Vows that you and your spouse write can be the perfect way to honor your love story and further solidify your commitment.
The challenge? Coming up with vow renewal wording.
As a professional wedding vow and toast writer, I work with couples who need help with vow renewal wording. Together, we create beautiful vows that will honor their marriage to date and create a whole new set of promises for their future.
Tip #1: Ask Yourself Key Vow Renewal Questions
When it comes to a vow renewal ceremony, your vows are really the most important part of the entire day.
You’ve already done the wedding day routine once before. While things like your dress and the cake will still be exciting the second time around, the day is focused on renewing your vows so how you decide to word your vows is extremely important.
How do you word vows for your renewal ceremony?
Start by asking yourself some important questions. This will help you to determine what material to use for your vow renewal wording.
Why is it important for you to renew your vows?
How have you changed as an individual and as a couple from your wedding date to the present day?
What are some new promises you wish to make to your spouse?
How do you envision your next 10, 20, or 30 years together?
How is your marriage different than what you had envisioned on your wedding day?
Press record on your phone and then answer these questions out loud. For many, it’s easier to talk than to write. So ramble on about your thoughts to these questions as if were are talking to a best friend.
Then, relisten to the recording and pull out key phrases or ideas that you want to use within your vows.
Tip #2: Revisit Your First Wedding
Take a stroll down memory lane and flip through your original wedding album or watch your wedding video. Read through the guest book and reminisce over every detail from that day.
What does it feel like? What emotions come to surface?
How was that day special and in what ways do you want your vow renewal ceremony to differ from your original wedding day?
Mentally and emotionally reliving your wedding day as you prepare for your vow renewal ceremony will help you discover what’s most important to you.
Use those important elements as part of how you can phrase your vow renewal wording.
Tip #3: Have a Vow Renewal Writing Date Night
To come up with vow renewal wording, spend some quality time with your spouse.
Dress up and go out for cocktails or stay in and make a decadent dessert to share. While enjoying something different, have a conversation about your relationship.
Need help getting the conversation started?
Here are some questions you can use to prompt fun and romantic talks.
How do you feel our love has changed these past years?
What challenges have we endured together? How has it changed us?
Why are you glad you married me?
How is our marriage different than what you anticipated on our wedding day?
How is our marriage the same as what you envisioned on our wedding day?
Not only will conversation around these questions make for a fun date night but it will also provide you with plenty of inspiration for vow renewal wording.
Tip #4: Take Time Alone to Write Vow Renewal Ideas
Now that you’ve completed a few activities that have brought you vow material, it’s time to start writing!
This is the most daunting part of the vow writing process. And for that reason, many people procrastinate writing their vows.
Schedule time in your calendar for vow writing the same way you’d schedule a doctor’s appointment. Then, show up for it.
One hour blocks work best. It’s enough time to make progress but it’s not so much time that you’ll want to push it aside.
Tip #5: Follow a Vow Renewal Wording Outline
Something that can help as you sit down to write your vows is to reference a vow outline.
This will provide you with a structure for how to organize your thoughts. Plus, you can write your vows one section at a time—making it much more manageable.
Vow Renewal Wording Outline:
Introduction: Kick off our wedding vows by addressing your spouse and make a quick statement that can drive the vows forward.
Talk About Your Spouse: Detail out things that you admire about your spouse.
Talk About Your Relationship: Detail out things that you appreciate about your marriage.
Make Promises: List out new promises for your marriage.
Closing: Close with a strong last line about your marriage and how you feel.
Vow Renewal Wording Script Example
Reference this vow renewal wording example. You’ll see how this script follows the vow outline. Plus, it should give you some ideas on how to formulate your own ideas into vow renewal wording.
Daniel, it’s been so long since we last said, “I do,” but I feel like the same blissful bride from 25 years ago.
You are the most dependable, thoughtful, and loving husband. I knew back then that you’d make a wonderful husband but after nearly three decades together, I have been able to experience your love and feel your commitment in countless ways.
From unsolicited backrubs to my coffee always being ready by the time I get out of bed, your thoughtful gestures remind me every day what true love looks like.
We have grown so much since our wedding date. We were just two kids with naive visions of an easy life together where all we’d need to thrive would be to live on love and laughter. Now we stand together wiser, stronger, and so much more in love because of every challenge that came our way, every tear we shed, and every fight we managed to work through before going to bed each night.
I promise to continue learning through our love.
I promise to put our marriage first and that everything else in our life will be better because of how we make our relationship our number one priority.
I promise to continue being playful together and to find time for us.
I promise to remain dedicated and true to you, my husband and one true love.
You were my person then. You are my person now. You are my person forever. I love you.
Tip #6: Get Some Help with Your Vow Renewal Wording
Are you still worried about how you’ll come up with vow renewal wording?
You don’t have to tackle this task on your own. At Wedding Words, I work with couples to write their vow renewal wording. We specialize in creating custom wedding vows that reflect the couples unique personality and love story.
Get in touch to see how we could work together to write wedding vows for your vow renewal ceremony.
