The first time you exchanged vows you were probably young, nervous, excited & not totally present, all at the same time. Renewing your wedding vows is a meaningful, touching, revivifying ceremony for you & your children, family & friends. As a married couple, it is good to take the time to pause & reflect on where you have been & where you are going.
It is also a wonderful example to set for your children & grandchildren. Can you imagine a more beautiful scene than children watching their parents joining hands & hearts as they reaffirm the magnitude & strength of their enduring love? Some folks like to include the kids in the ceremony, to make it a true family event.
I often say at these ceremonies: “True love does not wither or die. It merely ripens.”
Afterwards many couples comment as to how surprisingly romantic it all felt!
Wedding vow renewal ceremonies can be as creative & personal as you want them to be.
Let the cover of your invitation feature your grandchild’s favorite drawing of Grandma & Pop, or even your first wedding portrait. Play your original wedding video at your reception. Buy new wedding bands for the occasion & have them specially engraved. Your ceremony should be less formal than a wedding – more casual & fun. It can completely reflect the two of you.
Significant anniversaries are especially appropriate times for renewing your commitment &love. I have conducted vow renewals for couples who have been married for as little as 1 year, 10 years & on – as much as 50 years.
Some couples choose to renew their vows after a particularly difficult crisis in their lives, say for example, the overcoming of a serious illness or a period of estrangement. They want to make it new again! Others simply want to reaffirm the tremendous love that has matured & deepened with the passing of years. But the vow renewal is not wedding or wedding do-over so don’t de-value the day you & your spouse were first joined in marriage. That was a special day no matter where or how it took place.
The renewal of vows ceremony can be conducted in churches, chapels, temples, banquet facilities, on yachts, out of doors or in the privacy of a couple’s home – with a room full of guests or in an intimate setting with just the couple. Consider reaffirming your vows in some far off, exotic destination! It’s up to you!
For more info. contact ~Hazel Archer Ginsberg at ReverseRitual@gmail.com