RENEWAL OF WEDDING VOWS
Remove what you do not want to use.
Feel free to add whatever else you would like as well.
Do not worry about entering your names or any formatting.
Send what you develop to me as a raw word attachment.
TO GUESTS.
We are gathered here today to give recognition to the worth and beauty of married love, and to add our best wishes to the words which shall celebrate this in the life of __(Bride)_ and _(Groom)_.
TO COUPLE
_(Bride)_ and _(Groom)_ , just as two threads woven in opposite directions will form a most beautiful tapestry, so too have your two lives merged together with aspirations to build and grow a beautiful marriage. As you are aware, making your relationship work takes love. This is the core of your marriage and why you are here today. It takes trust, to know in your hearts that you truly want the best for each other. It takes dedication, to stay open to one another – and to learn and grow together. It takes faith, to go forward together without knowing exactly what the future brings. And it takes commitment, to hold true to the journey you both have pledged to share together.
<><><><><><><><>
OPENING PRAYER
Heavenly Father, (Bride) and (Groom) stand here before me, to renew their vows of faithfulness and love on the occasion of ____________________. I pray that You would make this very important moment in their lives into a very sacred one and grant that their marriage continues to be blessed and a source of joy to both of them and their children. Even as You have shown the world, through Jesus Christ, what real love is, so also be with (Groom) and (Bride) and help them to discover more and more of that love in years to come. In Christ’s name we pray. Amen.
<><><><><><><><><>
PLEDGE #1
_ (Groom) __________ and _(Bride) __________, by your presence here you are already making public your intention to renew your marriage vows. So that your integrity of purpose may be made clear to those of us present, would you respond to these questions:
__(Bride) __________and _(Groom) ___________, do you purpose in your hearts and minds to continue to cherish each other?
Together answer: We do.
Do you purpose to continue to love each other, honour each other and be faithful to each other in times of personal need and personal blessing?
Together answer: We do.
Do you pledge to the best of your ability to continue to seek to establish and maintain honest, open and loving communication between each other?
Together answer: We do.
_(Bride) ____ , would you now please pass your bouquet to your Maid of Honor.
Face each other and join hands.
PLEDGE #2
(Bride) and (Groom), by your presence here you are already making public your intention to renew your marriage vows. So that your integrity of purpose may be made clear to those of us present, would you respond to these questions:
(Groom) and (Bride), do you purpose in your hearts and minds to continue to live with each other in a fashion consistent with God’s design for marriage?
Together answer: We do.
Do you purpose to continue to love each other, honour each other and be faithful to each other in times of personal need and personal blessing?
Together answer: We do.
Do you pledge with God’s help and to the best of your ability to continue to seek to establish and maintain honest, open and loving communication between each other?
Together answer: We do.
<><><><><><><><><>
THE WORD OF GOD #1
In that you have stated your willingness to renew your wedding vows before God, will you now hear the counsel of God’s Word concerning marriage and love?
Jesus said, “As God has loved me, so have I loved you: continue in my love. If you keep my commandments, you shall abide in my love. This is my commandment, that you love one another, as I have loved you.”
This love of which I speak is slow to lose patience; it looks for a way of being constructive. It is not possessive; it is neither anxious to impress nor does it cherish inflated ideas of itself and its own importance.
Love has good manners and does not pursue selfish advantage. It is not touchy. It does not compile statistics of evil or gloat over the wickedness of other people. On the contrary, it is glad with all good men when truth prevails. John the apostle said, “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God: and everyone that loves is born of God. Anyone who loves not knows not God: for God is love.”
Love knows no limit to its endurance, no end to its trust, no fading of its hope; it can outlast anything. It is, in fact, the one thing that still stands when all else has fallen.
THE WORD OF GOD #2
This love of which I speak is slow to lose patience;
it looks for a way of being constructive.
It is not possessive;
it is neither anxious to impress nor does it cherish inflated ideas of its own importance.
Love has good manners and does not pursue selfish advantage.
It is not touchy.
It does not keep account of evil or gloat over the wickedness of other people.
On the contrary, it Is glad with all good men when truth prevails.
Love knows no limit to its endurance,
no end to its trust,
no fading of its hope;
It can outlast anything.
It is, in fact, the one thing that still stands when all else has fallen.
(I Corinthians 13:.4-7 JBP)
Love suffers long, and is kind.
Love seeks not her own.
Love bears all things,
believes all things,
hopes all things,
endures all things.
Love never fails.
And now abides faith, hope, love,
but the greatest of these is love.
I Corinthians 13:7-13
WORD OF GOD #3
4 Love is patient,
love is kind.
It does not envy,
it does not boast,
it is not proud.
5 It does not dishonor others,
it is not self-seeking,
it is not easily angered,
it keeps no record of wrongs.
6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
8 Love never fails….
13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love.
But the greatest of these is love.
I Corinthians 13:4 NIV
<><><><><><><><><><>
Face each other and join hands.
VOWS
(Bride) / (Groom) would you please repeat after me your vows to (Bride) / (Groom)?
Vows #1
__ (Bride) / (Groom) __________ , with all my heart
I want you to continue being my wife / husband
I will love you
through the good and the bad,
through the joy and the sorrow.
I will try to be understanding,
and to trust in you completely.
Together we will face all of life’s experiences
and share one another’s dreams and goals.
We will be equal partners
in an open, honest relationship
throughout the years.
Vow#2
I, __ (Bride) / (Groom) __________,
recommit myself to you
as your wife/husband,
to have and to hold
from this day forward;
for better, for worse,
for richer, for poorer,
in sickness and in health,
to love and to cherish,
til death us do part,
and this is my solemn vow.
VOWS #3
I, _ (Bride) / (Groom) _________ ,
recommit myself as your wife/husband.
I promise you my deepest love,
my fullest devotion,
my tenderest care
throughout our life together.
No matter what may lie ahead of us,
I pledge to you my life
as a loving and faithful husband/wife.
VOWS #4
(Bride) / (Groom), with joy and in love
I continue to take you
to be my wife / husband
and the companion of my days.
I promise to share with you
in whatever happiness or sadness, abundance or want,
adversity or blessing
that may be a part of our lives.
I intend that our lives
should be continue to be woven
together into a single tapestry
of love and mutual concern
for as long as we both remain alive. This, (Bride) / (Groom),
is my solemn pledge
to you as we renew our covenant
of love before God
and our family and friends.
<><><><><><><><>
READINGS
#1 LOVE ~ © Rev. Ray Cross
I love you for what you are,
And for what I am when with you.
I love you for what
You have made of yourself,
And for what
You are making of me.
I love you for what you bring out of me;
For passing over the foolish, weak things
To see the potential for good in me,
For seeing beauty others missed
By loving me enough to see me as I could be.
I love you for giving me a vision
For what can be
Through a love that transcends me.
I love you for placing a song in my heart
Our song, our love song, our joy,
Not by means of touch or words —
Merely by being yourself.
#2 ART OF RENEWAL ~ © Rev. Ray Cross
For me, my dear,
I choose not to expect our marriage happiness to be automatic.
I will create and nurture our happiness…
By retaining, in the forefront of my mind, the privilege that is mine that you honour me by coming to be mine so beautifully on this day of renewal,
By, at no time, taking you for granted,
By keeping our courtship alive through all of our years together,
By determining to continue dating you as my sweetheart,
By remembering to say “I love you” at least once daily,
By speaking words of appreciation and demonstrating gratitude in thoughtful ways,
By doing things for you, not out of duty or sacrifice, but in a spirit of honour and privilege,
By treasuring who you are, not who you, or I, or anyone else thinks you should be,
By searching together for the good and the beautiful,
By standing together as we face the world,
By valuing your opinions even if they disagree with mine,
By cultivating flexibility, patience, understanding and a sense of humour,
By harmonizing our sense of values and common objectives,
By forming, with you, a circle of love that gathers together all of our family and friends,.
By respecting you and your uniqueness and
By providing an environment where
– Independence is equal,
– Dependence is mutual and
– Obligation is reciprocal,
By maintaining the capacity to forgive and forget,
By never going to sleep angry,
By giving each other an atmosphere in which we can grow and grow old graciously,
For I recognize, dear, that happiness in marriage is not merely a matter of marrying the right partner:
It is being the right partner.
#3 THE LOVE OF MY LIFE ~ © Rev. Ray Cross
Meeting you changed me
In ways I could not anticipate.
Ours is the love of a lifetime —
A miracle delivering everything of which I had dreamed,
From one I thought existed only in my imagination.
The happiness I lived without you
Does not compare to the joy I experience with you.
You fill my thoughts.
You inspire my emotions.
You drive my vision.
I believe anything is possible,
With you at my side.
On this, our day of renewal,
I thank you for the miracle of you.
You are, and always will be,
The love of my life.
#4 MY FOREVER FRIEND ~ © Rev. Ray Cross
In my innermost being
I long to love one person
With all my heart,
With all my soul,
With all my mind, and
With all my body…
I need a forever friend
To trust with my secrets,
And not hold them against me;
A forever friend who sees and appreciates
The small child in me,
And sees the potential of
Who I might be.
A forever friend I feel blessed to hold
Who thanks God for me,
And never forgets the privilege we share
To be one, as a marriage should be.
#5 RIDE THE TIDE ~ © Rev. Ray Cross
Many days bring happiness,
Many days are sad.
But two hearts, together,
Overcome what’s bad.
For together we ride
On the crest of a tide
Where our joy and pains
Are the source of our gains.
#6 MY DEAREST _(BRIDE)_, ~ © Ray Cross
It is my perception that the way we age is an accumulation of our life experiences.
If this is true, my dear, it is my intention to build more and more beauty into who you are…
- Laugh lines
- Sparkling eyes filled with delight
- A mouth that smiles as we meet
- Hands that reach out to clasp mine
- Feet that delight to walk step by step with me
- Hair that flows gently through my caressing fingers.
Life is a builder of memories, Dear.
I intend that the memories we continue to build will be mostly happy, the kind of memories we will delight to share together into the mists of old age, working together, playing together and building our happiness together.
I intend that our life together be a beauty treatment for your soul as, in small ways and large, I build your sense of worth and expand your horizons.
Together we will be much more than we ever could have been apart.
All my love, a l w a y s.
#7 WITH THESE HANDS ~ © Ray Cross
A reading well placed immediately prior to the exchange of rings.
These hands are my hands;
The hands of your best friend.
They may be young and inexperienced,
But they offer you loving touch
And gentle support that I alone can bring.
As I hold your hands in mine, on this day of our wedding,
I pledge to you all of my love,
today, tomorrow, and forever.
With these hands I will work alongside you,
As we build our future together.
With these hands I will cherish you through the years,
With these hands I will comfort you like no other.
With these hands I will protect you when fear or grief assails.
With these hands I will wipe the tears from your eyes;
Whether tears of sorrow, or, as today, tears of joy.
With these I will tenderly hold our children,
I will partner with you to build the family we are given.
With these hands I will be your strength.
Even when wrinkled with age,
I will, with these hands, still be reaching for yours,
Still giving you the same unspoken tenderness,
With a touch of my hand.
<><><><><><><><>
BLESSING OF THE RINGS #1
Bless these rings, O Lord. May they symbolize eternity and the love in _(Groom)_ and _(Bride)_ ‘s union. Dear Lord, we ask a special blessing upon _(Bride)_ and _(Groom)_ , as they give each other their rings. May they always remember the words that they speak today. May You comfort them when times are difficult and remind them of the love they feel this day.
BLESSING OF THE RINGS #2
Bless O God these rings, that each gives, receives and wears as a token of the covenant between them and God, and may they ever abide in Your peace, living together in unity, in love and in happiness, and with a sincere purpose do Your will. Amen.
<><><><><><><><>
EXCHANGE OF RINGS #1
_(Bride) _______, would please place your ring on your bride’s finger and repeat your commitment after me to _(Bride) ________ ?
With this ring,
I take you again as my wife,
for as long as we both shall live”
_(Bride) ____ , would please place your ring on your groom’s finger and repeat your commitment after me to (Bride) ?
With this ring,
I take you again as my husband,
for as long as we both shall live”
THE EXCHANGE OF RINGS #2
From the earliest of time the golden circle has been a symbol of wedded love. It is made of precious gold to symbolize the preciousness of your love. Being one unbroken circle, it symbolizes unending love. As often as either of you see these golden circles you will be reminded of this high moment and the unending love you have promised.
As you place your ring on your bride’s finger, please repeat after me your commitment to _(Bride)_ ?
As a sign and pledge of my love, faith and loyalty,
I give you this ring.
May it constantly remind you
of my commitment to you this day.
I receive your ring, _(Groom)_ ,
and declare my intention
to wear it as a reminder
of our vows this day.
As you place your ring on your groom’s finger, please repeat after me your commitment to _(Groom)_ ?
As a sign and pledge of my love, faith and loyalty,
I give you this ring.
May it constantly remind you
of my commitment to you this day.
I receive your ring, _(Bride)_
and declare my intention
to wear it as a reminder
of our vows this day.
WORDS OF CAUTION
(Groom) and (Bride), in this ceremony you have renewed your promise to stay faithful and honest with each other from this day forward. This is your new beginning of being committed to each other and only each other.
If you believe that God holds you together, then no man or woman should try to break or to dissolve your marriage. In marriage, you are a gift to each other from God and how you live your marriage is your gift back to Him. Seek always to keep God in the centre of your marriage and your parenthood.
BLESSING PRAYER
Bless and strengthen this marriage of _(Groom)_ and _(Bride)_ with your presence and power, we pray. Strengthen their bond that they may honor each other and You in all that they are and do. Draw them close to each other with a deep inner spiritual tie that will enable them to love each other and You with all their heart, soul, mind and strength. We pray this in Jesus name.
<><><><><><><><><><><>
PRONOUNCEMENT #1
In that you, _(Bride) ____________ and you _(Groom)____________, have renewed these solemn promises of marriage I proclaim before all of your guests the renewal of your marriage. May your promises today usher you into new dimensions of fulfillment and faithfulness as you step forth into an uncertain future hand and hand and heart to heart.
PRONOUNCEMENT #2
In that you, (Groom) and you (Bride), have renewed these solemn promises of marriage before God and these witnesses, in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, I ask a continued blessing on you as husband and wife.
You may seal your vow with a KISS.
PRAYER
Lord, love is a beautiful emotion.
Love with commitment is so strong.
Love with devotion and delight is truly divine.
Thank you so much for giving us this capacity – a capacity that promises and delivers the deepest and most fulfilling dimensions into our lonely lives – closeness, companionship and a caring touch from one who truly matters to us more than any other person – our precious mate, our partner, our love. Amen
RENEWAL BLESSING ~ © Rev. Ray Cross
May your need of each other grow out of the fullness you share,
Rather than from individual emptiness.
May you seek praise rather than criticism,
And express your love often.
May you embrace each other without encircling one another.
When quarrels arise, may you have the good sense to take the first step back.
May your delight in each other’s presence ascend to the spiritual,
Exceeding the touch of a hand or walking side-by-side,
Warmed by love that transcends time and space.
May marriage continue to provide all the exquisite excitements a marriage should bring,
Always by loving enticement, not compulsion,
With patience and understanding.
May you continue to find happiness in making each other happy.
BENEDICTION
May the Lord bless you and keep,
may He make His face to shine upon you, and give you peace. In the name
of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spiritual, Holy God, three in one, God the source of true love, Our Saviour.