5 Ideas for a Wedding Vow Renewal Ceremony
A wedding vow renewal is a beautiful ceremony in which a married couple reaffirm or renew wedding vows. Couples can hold a vow renewal for various reasons, for example, to celebrate an anniversary, to have a religious ceremony or a lavish wedding they never had, or to reaffirm their commitment after going through a rough patch. Here are 5 ideas for a wedding vow renewal ceremony.#1. Unconventional wedding. If you had a traditional wedding to please your relatives who wouldn't approve of anything unconventional, a vow renewal ceremony is your chance to get funky and have a wedding of your dreams. It can be a beach wedding, rustic wedding, or even a Tolkien-themed wedding. Whatever you choose! Just keep in mind that a vow renewal isn't actually a wedding, so there is no need to throw a shower, bachelor/bachelorette party, etc. It will be too much.
#2. Eloping. If you want your marriage vow renewal to be just for the two of you, choose a destination and pack your suitcases. You can have an intimate and romantic ceremony in Paris, get hitched in Vegas with Elvis officiating the ceremony, relive your Hawaiian honeymoon, or splurge on a cruise. If you make the ceremony more about you, you won't have to stress about your guest list, sitting arrangements, etc. Focus on your relationship with your spouse, that's the only thing that really matters.
#3. Family affair. If you already have children, make them a part of the ceremony. Very few people get their children to be the ring bearer/flower girl or walk them down the aisle, unless it's their second marriage. A vow renewal ceremony is a great opportunity to include your children in your wedding party without actually having a wedding and show them how much their parents love each other (not that they need reassurance, but it's still nice).
#4. Stroll down memory lane. Use your vow renewal ceremony as an opportunity to look back at your sweetest moments together. You can reminisce on your early dating days in your vows, decorate the venue with a photo display that visually captures the development of your relationship, or even create a love timeline documenting your most important moments together as a couple and as a family and have it printed on invitations. The point is that you recollect your happiest memories while keeping in mind that the best is yet to come.
#5. Big party. If you didn't have a big wedding and couldn't invite all your friends and relatives because you were short of money when you got married, a vow renewal is your chance to throw a party and invite anyone you want. However, you should keep in mind that a vow renewal ceremony is not your second wedding, so keep it fairly simple. You don't need a black tie dress code or fancy dinner to make this day special. Just be casual and have fun.