What is renewal of vows

A vow renewal ceremony is an occasion for a couple to renew the vows they made on their wedding day. It is a way to commemorate a love that has deepened or matured between a couple. There are many personal reasons why you would renew your vows.

A special milestone like an anniversary perhaps or you may now have children and wish to include them in a second ceremony. Any married couple, of any age, and married for any length of time, can arrange a renewal of marriage vows ceremony. Every couple has a different reason for wanting to renew their vows: It may be to hold a ceremony for family and friends after marrying abroad, to combine a renewal with a naming ceremony or just because they want to!

Although these ceremonies are often associated with a special anniversary, they can be performed at any time in your marriage. They have no legal implication but are a public statement of your continued commitment to each other and to relive the happy occasion all over again.

Some couples will use a renewal of vows ceremony to celebrate their time together and reaffirm their commitment to each other. It can also be a good option for those who have married recently but were not able to invite everybody, perhaps abroad. The ceremony itself can look very similar to a wedding with an exchange of promises and rings and a commemorative certificate to mark the occasion.

It is important that your guests understand that you are already legally married and so it is likely that your Registrar will acknowledge this during the ceremony.

This may be a register office, your home or garden, a hotel, a village hall, or another suitable non-religious setting.

Take our quiz and find out if you share humanist values — or watch this short video where Stephen Fry explains humanism. West Sussex-based Jane Blackman is an award-winning celebrant who has been creating and conducting relaxed, joyful, memorable, non-religious wedding and vow renewal ceremonies since You can follow Jane on Instagram. Meaningful non-religious ceremonies just for you.

Why renew your wedding vows? Is a humanist wedding vow renewal ceremony for me? For further information, and to make a booking, please contact the ceremonies officer for the area where you would like to have your ceremony. You will need to provide a certified copy of your marriage certificate. Home Births, marriages and deaths Ceremonies Marriages. Coronavirus - disruption to services Advice on how registration services will be affected.