Filled with a delightful and diverse collection of ceremonies, this expert guide will help you create your perfect vow renewal ceremony whether it's been 6 months, 20 years or more. From a small, intimate ceremony to a gathering of a whole community of family and friends, author Wendy Haynes gives beautiful examples that will inspire you. You will also find suggested questions that will assist you to write your own ceremony and as a bonus - samples of vow renewal certificates that you can create for your special day.

John and Mary
Married 25 years

John and Mary were celebrating their 25th Wedding Anniversary with a small group of family and friends, including their two adult children, Sam and Jane. The ceremony was held in their landscaped garden and then they headed into one of the beautiful restaurants overlooking the water for lunch. The garden was awash with colourful spring flowers which they had planted especially for this occasion. I had spoken with their children, Sam and Jane prior to the ceremony and invited them to speak at the ceremony. They were a little hesitant at first to speak however it didn’t take much prompting and support to guide the way forward. Their expression of love and appreciation added a further dimension to the celebration.

Celebrant: On behalf of John and Mary and their family I would like to welcome you to witness the celebration of their renewal of vows. John and Mary were married on the 24th February at the Anglican Church in Sydney. Today we are here to celebrate their 25 years of married life and to honour the many experiences that have shaped not only who they have become as a couple but also shaped their relationship as a family.John and Mary have known each other for what seems like forever … both of their large families growing up next door to one another. However, it was New Years Eve that saw a friendship begin that was to see them start a lifetime journey as companions, work partners, parents and best friends. That was in 1978.

When we are young, life has a way of just happening around us, and that is how it was for John and Mary. They liked each other, they danced together, they worked together, parented together, and they grew into the family they have become.

All of their parents were very family orientated. John and Mary witnessed and appreciated the stability and commitment that was present in their parents’ relationships. Mary would also like to acknowledge the special bond she shared with her brother Danny, her older brother who was always there to lend a hand and who gave so much to all of his nephews and nieces.

John and Mary would like to take this moment to acknowledge their parents, Jan and Bob, Bette and Steven; and Danny who would be very proud to be here with you today as you celebrate your 25 years of marriage. Their love is here with you in spirit, always present in your hearts.

They have been shaped by many influences but by far the biggest has been the arrival of their children, Sam and Jane. Together as a family they have shared many challenges and joys. Sam and Jane, they are so very happy that you have been and still are a big part of their lives. They are both very proud of you and love you dearly. They want to thank you for being you, for loving them, for loving each other and for being such good friends with them. Thank you.

John and Mary, Sam and Jane would like to express their gratitude to you for all your love and support over the years.

Jane: Mum and Dad, Sam and I thought a lot about the many things that you have given to us over the years and once we started to talk there was so much! We are both deeply grateful that you have shown us the value of loving and being loved. You have given us the confidence to dream and to make the dream a reality.

You have always been there with advice when we have needed it (and even when we haven’t!), whether it was a favourite recipe or how to get the pink colour out of the white washing!

Sam: We love it that you have always made the time for us, creating a rich and varied tapestry of memories – of holidays in the snow, in Italy, or when we used to pack up and go camping just at the beach up the road. Thank you for taking us snorkelling and walking and enjoying the simple pleasures of sitting around a campfire.

Jane: We are so happy that you are both so happy. We know you have had your moments and that sometimes those moments were because of us. Thank you for hanging in there with everything – it means a lot to us.

Sam: Thank you for loving each other the way you do and for loving us.

Celebrant: John and Mary, you have a beautiful family and the love you share is palpable here in this space. It is a precious legacy you have given Sam and Jane and I can see how it has touched them. There is also someone very special who cannot be here today that needs to be mentioned. After Sam and Jane left home, their third ‘child’ came into their lives, Champ, who had been Danny’s dog. They love and appreciate having Champ in their lives, not only because Danny was very special to them, but also because Champ gets them out of their work mode and down to the beach for some time out together.

John and Mary, you have been married for twenty five years – it is your silver celebration. Your main responsibility to bring up your children is now over, the home is quieter … and cleaner, and you have reached the stage in your relationship where you are rebuilding your life as a couple on your own, taking more time for yourselves and for your golf.

This afternoon as you renew your marriage vows I know you look forward with a quiet excitement and enthusiasm.

Your union has been one of encouraging each other’s independence while ensuring you are there for each other in times of need. You have grown and adapted to meet the many changes you have reflected upon. Any close relationship is continually changing and it is the myriad of ways in which you have communicated and cared for one another that has strengthened your marriage. With this mutual concern and respect it has become possible to share the joys and successes, and also the sorrows, which have been gratefully few, and the challenges.

We are here today to celebrate the love that John and Mary have for each other, and to acknowledge their willingness to continually accept each other totally and to share their lives.

Both of you believe in your marriage and in each other. You trust not only the bond that unites you but you trust life itself. Your acceptance and forgiveness has allowed you to both give deeply into the relationship. Your gratitude and generosity are ever present – even in the short time I have known you I can tell by the way in which you speak to each other and about each other that this is part of your everyday language.

John and Mary, your heartfelt relationship comes from your shared love as well as what you have been through together – all the stresses and tensions of the past have not weakened your love but have only made you more determined to stick by each other.

To the guests: Their love for each other is different to the love they shared on their wedding day; however their commitment to each other is even stronger than it was because of what they have shared together.

John and Mary, in the coming decades you will be able to rest more in this security and continue to open up to your love for each other. This afternoon you are reaffirming the deep loyalty and loving trust that is the basis of your relationship.

John and Mary stand now before us to reaffirm their vows of love and declaration of trust for each other. I would like to ask them to turn and face one another and hold hands.

It is in this spirit of love and friendship that I ask you to exchange your vows and rings…”