Now is a GREAT time to plan to renew your vows whether you’ve been married a few years or decades, and you can plan to do it however you want to with any group of witnesses you want to. The budget can be large or small. You can have the full blown wedding you never had before, a recreation of the glorious day, or the get-away wedding you truly wanted the first time!
Renewal at Sea
If they issued you a wedding certificate with the longitude and latitude of your spot, you can plan to do it all over again in the exact same spot at sea. This may not be unique to the Keys yachts, so if you were married on the boat in the Atlantic or Chesapeake Bay, check in on this feature. It is pretty awesome.
It’s Not Legal…
It’s not legal or illegal, so don’t sweat having an official document or an officiate (unless you want the officiate you had previously). Couples have conducted it themselves, after all this is charted water, or they’ve had a friend or love one preside over the ceremony.
Keep It Intimate If You Wish
For all sorts of good reasons, you can narrow your guest list down to those intimate few, including new children. Or you can have the dozens of new people in your life for a great gathering. Big or small, vow renewals have had it all.
Dress It Up or Dress It Down
Everything is acceptable from wearing the wedding gown and tuxedo from the original “I Do” day to wearing a sundress and shorts on the beach.
Themes to Dream
If you had a beach wedding, do it again. If you want to do it in the barn, go for it. Want to go to the islands? Yes. Want it to be done in a different decade or style? Far out, man. Disco to Renaissance, themes are all open.
No Wedding Registry Required
Along with no officiate, there isn’t a wedding registry unless truly desired or necessitated. Think of going for a charity or donation drive for your special day. This will work best if you have a large guest list. For small, intimate gathers, presence not presents.
Keep It Real
Send minted invitations. Carry a bouquet. Exchange vows. Pick a beautiful venue. Have your three tier cake! Toast with champagne! You deserve it.
There are hundreds of good reasons to have a vow renewal ceremony, but the number one reason I believe is to acknowledge that you have accomplished something momentous in your personal life. Marriage is commitment and hard work. Marriage is life altering. Vow renewals at the least should be an acknowledgement of your accomplishment.
Virginia Bride Magazine features the best Virginia Weddings and Virginia Bridal Shows. Find it all in one place. Check our blog posts regularly for the latest show information.
