There is no more romantic way to celebrate a milestone anniversary than by renewing your wedding vows. Whether just the two of you, or professing your love in front of a crowd of loved ones, it’s important to make sure your vow renewal is as touching and symbolic as your wedding.
Of course, you don’t want to pull out all the bells and whistles the way you did with your wedding. While that was fun, all the planning can be a headache. Actually, according to Natasha Anakotta, of American Marriage Ministries:
“The most important thing to remember is not to get caught up in ‘wedding planning’ again…Vow renewal ceremonies should be unique and meaningful while wholly re-committing yourselves to each other.”
So if you are looking for tips on how to reaffirm your wedding vows in a unique, simple, and sweet way, read on!
1. Invite whoever you want!
According to From Ring To Veil:
“A vow renewal is a ceremony to renew your commitment to each other and to celebrate your life so far with your friends and family! A wedding is a celebration of the start of the whole thing, and a vow renewal is a celebration of what’s already happened and what’s to come.”
So, invite whoever you want. And since this is more a celebration than an official ceremony, you do not have the pressure to invite your Aunt’s best friend’s sister or something like that.
2. Anybody can host, maybe even your children.
If you are celebrating a long term marriage, and have adult children, it could be touching to have your children host and officiate the ceremony. Since it is not a legally binding ceremony, anyone you want can host, or you can have no officiant at all.
3. Take out the veil, and update your dress.
Since this is a vow renewal, you don’t need the symbolism of purity that accompanies a veil. Consider not wearing white, or updating your wedding dress in some stylish way. It can be a cool way to bring an old dress into the Twenty-First Century.
4. Rewrite your vows.
If you are renewing your vows, your marriage has likely lasted a long time and you and your spouse have experienced a lot together. Together, you have likely faced things and grew in difficult and exciting ways that you could not have foreseen when you first got married. Use your vow renewal as a way to acknowledge and celebrate how your marriage has grown and will continue to grow.
5. Have a party!
A vow renewal is a pretty informal event. It’s up to you to decide if you want to have a reception, or just have share your vows in the middle of the fun. Either way, it’s important to keep things light for yourself and your guests.
6. Include your friends and your guests.
This is a celebration! Your friends and family have watched you and your spouse grow over the time you’ve been together and they are often an important part in supporting your marriage. They probably have great stories and words of advice to share during a toast.
7. Have a photographer, and maybe show some pictures from the first time around.
One fun way to to mark the passage of time is to display pictures from your first wedding and the early years of your marriage. Your first wedding pictures are probably older and on film or in Polaroids. While you display your first wedding photos at the venue, also make sure you have a professional photographer to capture this special moment too.
8. Have whatever kind of food you want!
Most people going to a wedding expect a three-course meal and a tiered cake. But this is your renewal which is really more like a fun party than a formal event. Of course, you should serve food for yourself and your guests, but if you’d rather have an ice cream truck and a burrito station, more power to you.
9. Walk down the aisle together.
This is an update from your original wedding. Two spouses walking down the aisle together can symbolize a commitment to your shared journey. It’s a sweet touch that shows you two off as a beautiful team.
10. Plan a honeymoon!
Maybe you had budget constraints during your first wedding and had to compromise on your first honeymoon, or maybe you had to work immediately after and never got a chance to take a honeymoon the first time. Well, now is your chance. By the time of your vow renewal, you are likely more stable in your life than you were when you first married, and you can choose to go anywhere in the world you want!
To hear more tips and advice about planning a vow renewal, watch the video below.
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