| I love a good party and a vow renewal is always a good party. You may ask, why do it again? I think all committed couples that survive the wear-and-tear of a partnership deserve a heartfelt party more so than ever.
There are four good reasons for a do-over:
- You want to commemorate a milestone anniversary in a big way. (In my book, any time there is a zero or a five in a number it's a good time to celebrate!)
- Your original wedding wasn’t as dreamy as you wanted (whether due to a mishap like a hurricane, you were young and it was your parents’ to-do or you didn’t have the ability to spend then that you have now).
- You eloped the first time and now you want to gather your friends and family.
- You’ve survived some tests to your marriage—from sickness to a long-distance military deployment to just rediscovering each other—and it’s time to re-affirm your love.
Renewing your vows presents a great opportunity to listen to your spouse, reflect on where you’ve been and prepare to keep growing together for the future.
I’ve found that vow renewals can get much more emotional than your original ceremony. The second time around, each individual really understands the meaning behind the words being said coupled with the weight of history and experience of their lives together. It’s a cocktail of memories and emotion—and can be very powerful.
Make your updated vows personal and recite them either in front of your family and friends or your children. Engage your kids if it feels right. Harken back to your original promises, while adding in updates that could only come from time and experience.
You can make the renewal as big or small as you want. You can decide if you want to dress like a bride and carry a bouquet, or not. Either way you will be making a joint statement to all you know saying you are committed to being together forever.
As always...more to come!
Photo Credit: Corbin Gurkin |
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