Love HAS Kept You Together, Even If It Didn’t Work for the Captain and Tennille.
Who says elaborate wedding celebrations are for newlyweds only? After all, half of marriages end in divorce, so it makes sense that committed couples who survive the ups and downs of a partnership should celebrate the ongoing success of their union.
If you and your partner are up for a well-deserved recommitment ceremony, check out the “whys” for holding such an event, as well as a few tips!
Why Plan a Vow Renewal Event?
The biggest and best reasons to plan a vow renewal event include:
- You want to make a big deal out of a big anniversary, such as 20, 30, 40, etc. years together.
- Your original wedding didn’t go exactly as planned, whether due to a hurricane or other nasty weather, youth and inexperience, or because didn’t have the sweet budget you have now.
- You decided to elope and want to plan a ceremony/event with friends and family.
- You’ve survived one or several marriage “tests,” such as a lengthy illness, long-distance military deployment, or other trial, and it’s about darn time you celebrated your love and ongoing commitment.
Enjoy a Much More Relaxed Event
Since a vow renewal doesn’t require recognition by religious or civil authorities, there’s endless options regarding who can marry you and where to have the event. Ask your oldest child or close friend to officiate, as you don’t need anyone to sign off on a marriage license. Do it on a desolate tropical island or other remote location if desired, because the country’s rules on visitor weddings won’t apply.
Forget the Stress of Planning a Wedding–A Vow Renewal Event is Hassle-Free
You can forgo the bachelor or bachelorette parties this time, since you haven’t been single for awhile! And you don’t need to deal with a gift registry either, as registries are for first-timers who need home-building basics, such as knife sets and dog doors. You already have those things, so you’re good. Since nothing is official about a vow renewal, you won’t have to concern yourself with witnesses, either.
Let Someone Else Host!
Obviously you and your fiancé hosted your first wedding, so why not have a close friend or an adult child host the celebration? Discuss nifty location options with your host, as you don’t need to have the ceremony in a church or other place of worship. The host may come up with ideas you never would have thought of on your own!
Skip Some Rituals, But Keep a Few Others
When Colin Cowie recently planned the vow renewal ceremony for celebrity actress Holly Robinson Peete and former NFL quarterback Rodney Peete, he combined traditions from their first wedding with brand-new touches, such as involving their four children in the ceremony.
Skip rituals that really only work the first time, such as the tossing of the bouquet or the best man’s hunt for the garter on a poor bridesmaid. However, continuing the tradition of the married couple’s first dance, especially to the music used the first time around, is a lovely, tear-jerking touch.
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