Vow Renewal Ceremony with Handfasting

PROCESSIONAL

• GUESTS ARE SEATED FOLLOWED BY THE ENTRANCE OF THE COUPLE OR WEDDING/RENEWAL PARTY.

Invocation

Officiant to reception 
Hello, and thanks to everyone for joining us here today! 

Y'all know why you’re all here… To celebrate with ___________ and  ___________ as they renew their vows to each other. 

Now, you know it’s a big deal to commit to someone for a lifetime -- to look them right in the eye and say, “You know what? I promise to love you every day from here on.” 

But you know what’s an even bigger deal? 

To look at that person a year later, two years later, (amount) years later? And to say, “I still promise… After all that we’ve been through together, after every day of loving and learning, I still promise. And I want to make that promise again, to recommit, in front of all our friends and family, that we’ve created together.”

That’s why we’re here today -- because ___________ and  ___________ ‘s love is the biggest deal around. And they want to promise to love and honor each other all over again! To renew those original vows, and to recommit, and reinvest in their marriage. 

Can you imagine what they’ve seen? What they’ve learned these past (amount) years? You know  ___________ could write a book on what she’s learned by now! 

Exchange of Vows

Officiant to reception 

But let’s hear it right from them. Let’s let these two tell us about their love.

 ___________ and  ___________ want to share their original vows with us, the same words they read to each other on their wedding day. They’ve also written some new promises that reflect their deeper understanding of each other and their marriage. 

Officiant to Partner One

 ___________, would you like to speak first? 

• Partner One shares their vows

Example of vows
 ___________, I choose you to be my (wife / husband / partner), to love and to honor, and to make coffee for every morning in my pajamas. I want to walk down every sunny street with you, I want to visit every small town bakery with you, I want to laugh with you, and argue with you over who left the cabinet door open. I want to support you through good and bad days, celebrate and cry with you, and love you every day until we’re old. Until we’re dead and we decide to haunt a college library together. 

I promise to treat you with respect, patience, and compassion. I promise to approach disagreements from a place of love, because we are always on the same side. And I promise to stay honest, and vulnerable, and nerdy, because I love you. And I’m so glad that you agreed -- every day! -- to be my (wife / husband / partner).

 

Officiant to Partner Two

  ___________, are you ready to share?

• Partner Two shares their vows

Example of vows 
___________, I choose you to be my (wife / husband / partner), to love, and honor, and to serenade you every night while you’re trying to brush your teeth. Your sense of humor is what made me say yes to our first date, but it was your kindness, intelligence, sense of adventure, take-no-shit attitude, huge collection of new wave vinyl records, and excellent taste in restaurants that made me fall in love with you. I want to be the person you come to after a bad day, and the first person you try new jokes out on. I want to celebrate and cry with you, and love you every day for the rest of my life. 

I promise to treat you with respect, patience, and compassion. I promise to treat every adventure, and every disagreement, as an opportunity to hear and see you a little clearer, just as you are. I promise to always make time for us, to go on those adventures, and to treat our marriage like the joyful gift it is, and has been to me. I promise to stay honest, vulnerable, and hilarious, because I love you. I’m so happy that you are my (wife / husband / partner) -- again! 

 

Officiant to couple

Beautiful! Thank you both. 

Handfasting Unity Ritual 

Officiant to reception

 As a show of deepening commitment,  ___________ and  ___________ have chosen to include a handfasting as part of their renewal in place of a ring exchange. 

Handfasting is an old tradition -- it’s performed by wrapping a cord symbolically around the couple’s hands, and tying that cord in a knot… maybe you’ve heard the expression ‘tie the knot”? The cord symbolizes a bond between two people on a spiritual level, a bond that goes beyond the day to day. And the knot, it seals the love, and stays unbreakable!

• The minister holds up the cord

But this bond is about community, too! It’s a public promise. So as I wrap the cord around  ___________ and  ___________’s hands, I want all of you to join me in pouring as much love, joy, support, and celebration as you can, into this knot. Think about your favorite memories of these two together over the years. Ok? 

I want to feel it! Really feel it, the way we feel their love for each other. And if you want to make some noise, I want to hear it too! 

 

Officiant to couple

 ___________ and  ___________, are you ready? 

 

• The couple place their hands out, one on top of the other, while the minister readies the cord.
• The minister wraps the cord around the hands three times, and then ties the ends in a knot. They might use the infinity knot to make it decorative. The crowd cheers!
• The minister pulls the cord to secure the knot, and the couple removes their hands. The minister might hold up the cord, or pass it to one of them to hold.

 ___________ and  ___________ with your vows and the spiritual bond of handfasting, you’ve made a fresh promise to each other today. 

Closing Words

Officiant to couple

You chose each other (amount) years ago, and you continue to choose each other, every day. You are on an amazing adventure together -- may it continue to bring you closer together no matter how far you travel forward in life. 

Pronouncement

Officiant to couple

With all of our blessings to hold you, and all of my heart, I pronounce you (married / bound)… again! 

You may now kiss! 

RECESSION

• End of the ceremony

'We Still Do...' Vow Renewal Package

Reaffirm marriage vows, make new promises for the future, and commit to love all over again with this unique Vow Renewal Package! This sweet package is for couples who wants to deepen their connection and say YES all over again, and officiants that want to make it all happen. This resource contains everything a couple needs to celebrate a renewal of vows, anniversary celebration, or recommitment ceremony.

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This package includes:

• 1 Elegant Vow Booklet Set with vow writing prompts and pages for finished vows
• 1 copy of AMM’s bestselling The Book of Wedding Vows and Ceremonies
• 1 “I Still Do” pamphlet – A short officiants guide to the vow renewal ceremony
• 3 Decorative Renewal of Vows certificates (Timeless, Floral, and Signature)
• 1 Wood display frame
• 1 AMM Embossed Presidential™ Custom Pen