Tips on Renewing Your Wedding Vows
Renewing your vows likely means just as much to you as the day you married your spouse, if not more. Having another ceremony to renew your vows allows you to celebrate your love in a special way, including the original reasons you married each other and the history that has kept you together.
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The Ceremony
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Repeat the vows you originally exchanged or write new ones to reflect how you feel now. Updating your vows allows you to add personal sentiments and express your deepest feelings for one another. Renewing your vows isn't a legally binding ceremony, so anyone can officiate -- from your long-time pastor to your best friend or your adult child. Choose someone who means something special to both of you. Update your wedding jewelry to reflect your renewed commitment to each other. Add a new inscription to your original wedding rings or upgrade to new rings.
Your Reasons
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You may want to share your reasons for renewing your vows in your invitations, programs or a reading. Some people renew their vows because they didn't get the "real" wedding they wanted, they are having a milestone anniversary such as the 25th or because their relationship has survived a major change or issue. Whatever your reasons are, make the experience about the two of you.
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Who to Include
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You may want to include your children, grandchildren, friends and other relatives. The people you include in your vows should be the people you want to share the experience with. For example, your renewal ceremony could include the two of you with your children while on vacation at an exotic resort. Invite your original maid of honor and best man to stand with you again, if you want your renewal ceremony to be nostalgic and bring back memories from the first time around. Give those closest to you an important role in your renewal ceremony, whether it's spreading flower petals, ringing bells, singing, reciting poems or lighting candles.
The Party
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The reception and celebration after the ceremony can be as lavish and formal as any traditional reception, especially if that's what you always dreamed of but couldn't afford for your original wedding. Alternatively, your reception can be as relaxed and informal as any family reunion or Saturday afternoon barbecue you typically enjoy. Plan a party that reflects your personality and style, while giving you an opportunity to truly enjoy each other's company, as well as that of your family and friends.
Memories
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Include a few touches from your first ceremony for those who weren't there, or to spark the memories of those who were. For example, add a wedding picture to the invitations or display your wedding album and play your wedding video during the reception. Display a timeline or board of memories that shows how you got to this point together, such as photos of your wedding, your first home, your children, anniversaries and other significant events in your marriage. Create new memories with pictures and video, and ask guests to share something significant in a memory book or on-camera interviews.
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References
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