Wedding vow renewal ceremony is for those married couples who have spent several years with one another and wish to re-live those fond memories. Read the story to know more about how to conduct and move forward with the planning.
Reasons for a Renewal
The couple wishes to celebrate their 5th, 10th, 20th, and so on, wedding anniversary.
The original marriage was only legal and not religiously performed (no church, no vows, no minister).
The original marriage was performed religiously and now the couple wishes to marry legally.
Chances are that the couples' original marriage ended up in disaster (something went wrong during the actual ceremony). And now the couple wants a do-over.
The couple didn't have enough money for a lavish wedding back then. So now the wedding vow renewal ceremony is an excuse to make things right.
The original wedding was very small, with only few guests present. This time the couple wish to share their wedding vows in front of all their family and friends.
The couple had a rocky time in the past and now they wish to reaffirm their love, faith, and commitment to one another.
And the all-time best reason for renewal of wedding vows is, because it is romantic!
Etiquette for the Ceremony
Before you begin writing for your wedding vows, let's understand what should be looked forward to. As any renewal ceremony is a declaration of your love and commitment to your family and spouse, here are some of the difference (from an actual wedding) you need to keep in mind:
As this ceremony is only symbolic and not a second marriage, there won't a need for any minister or judge to perform it. You won't need a marriage license either. You can ask someone from your family or any of your close friends to perform the ceremony, and make it more intimate.
Perhaps you're wondering about the need to throw bachelor or bachelorette parties. As the tradition is, these parties are typically for those who will be spending their "last night out as a single person". You are a married couple, so the fact remains, no such parties.
Another party that you will have to steer clear of is "the bridal shower". Again, you are already married and your house is perfectly set up. So, encourage your friends and family to attend the renewal ceremony with nothing but love and support for the two of you.
For the wedding vow renewal invitations, it need not be very formal. You can have your kids or grand kids address it to the guests. Also, add a line in your wedding vow renewal invitations "no gifts please".
Now that the bride is already married, her father doesn't need to "give" her away in marriage. However, if you wish, he can walk her down the aisle.
Personalize your wedding renewal vows. You can talk about the journey so far and so much more to look forward to. If you have kids, include them as well in the vows. Make the most of it and express your true feelings for one another all over again, and that too in front of your family and friends.
Now the part about what the "bride" will wear. Try to avoid the temptation of walking down the aisle in a white dress and a veil. Opt for a classy formal gown or a floral dress.
As for the rings, don't exchange the rings, unless the bride is actually obtaining a new one. Perhaps the groom has decided to present her with a new ring or an anniversary ring, then only follow it.
You can include your kids, if you have any, in the actual ceremony as well. Have them become your maid-of-honor, bridesmaids, groomsmen, best man, flower girl, and ring bearer.
For those couples who have been married for several years, you can have the baker recreate your original wedding cake to bring back those beautiful memories. You can also invite guests who were present at the original wedding as well.
Whether you will be celebrating your first, second, tenth, or sixtieth anniversary, just go for it and have a big bash (not necessarily with hundreds of people and extravagance).
You don't need to be tied down and worry with all the rules and regulations. Wear pink, blue, yellow, or any other color at the ceremony, and just have fun. All the best, and may your love always stay as strong as it was the first day you met.