Ideas for Writing Marriage Renewal Vows
Marriage vows provide the scaffolding for interactions and expectations throughout a relationship. The format of vows range from traditional and formal to free form and improvised. Renewing your vows in a recommitment ceremony is a personal and thoughtful way to express love and appreciation for your spouse. Your renewal vows present an opportunity to share the aspects of your relationship that have remained consistent throughout the years as well as the ways your relationship has evolved.
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Revisiting Vows
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Before writing your renewal vows, it is helpful to review the vows that were exchanged at your wedding. If you are able to locate an album with both sets of vows, this will create a complete picture of both the thematic elements and tone of the original ceremony. When reading through the originally vows, notice the portions that are in present tense as in "I love you" and the portions that are written in future tense, as in "I will always bring your flowers."
Brainstorming
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Use the present tense sections of your original vows to create statements that address continuity and change in your relationship. Note the attributes of your spouse that you still appreciate as much as when you initially got married as well as those that have grown. For example, "When I promised that I would love you forever, I never could have imagined that our love could ever grow this deep." Future tense statements from the original vows can be used as benchmarks to evaluate growth in the relationship and you as individuals. For example, if you promised to travel to exotic places every summer, you might note how having children changed your plans.
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Photos
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Reviewing photo albums that span the course of your relationship with your spouse can spark creative additions to renewal vows. As you look through photo albums, allow adjectives that describe your feelings to surface in your mind, and then record them in a notebook.
Writing
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Marriage renewal vows provide a way of looking back at your relationship and forward to your future together. Use your brainstorming notes to create an outline that covers all of the ideas that came up during your brainstorming session and photo album review. By this point in your relationship, you know your spouse well enough to trust your instinct as you speak. Look into his eyes and speak from the heart, knowing that you have prepared.
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References
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