Wedding Vow Renewal Ideas

How to renew your wedding vows in a personal way

Also see renewal vow samples, and wedding ceremony ideas

Renewing your wedding vows is a wonderful way to celebrate and reaffirm the love you have for your partner.  When you renew wedding vows, you tell your spouse that you still feel the same strong love for them that you felt when you exchanged vows for the first time. 

Wedding vow renewals are becoming more and more popular these days with couples of all ages.  Check out our vow renewal ideas and get your questions answered about tying the knot for a second time with the same bride and groom.

Ideas for Your Wedding Vow Renewal

Since your vow renewal can be anything you want it to be, you can go unconventional or traditional.  Here are some ideas to make your vow renewal special.

Have a Retro Themed Vow Renewal

Depending on when you got married, there may have been a few centuries between your original wedding date and the date for the renewal of your vows.  To make your wedding celebration extra fun, do a retro theme.  Whether you got married in the 50’s, 60’s, 70’s, 80’s or 90’s, you can use the timeframe to give personality to your wedding vow renewal.  The happy couple can be dressed in clothes from the time period, the décor, music, transportation, food and drinks can also be retro themed.  Ask guests to play along by also wearing period clothing.
 

Involve Your Family

Because you are completely acquainted with your in-laws by now and you may also have children at this point, your wedding vow renewal is the perfect time to get the whole family together and involve them in the ceremony.  There are numerous ways to make family members a part of your vow renewal.  You can ask them to do readings or even recite special family vows with you. 

Another way to bring family into the event is to feature your original wedding photos and family photos at the wedding reception.   You can set the photos up at a table for viewing or create a slideshow that will play throughout the event.  Family and friends will enjoy looking at the photos and it will add a very personal touch.  If you’re still at a loss as to how to involve the family in your wedding, ask your officiate for some suggestions.
 

Do a Destination Vow Renewal

To make the occasion a little more adventurous, do it at a far flung destination.  Because wedding vow renewals are typically more intimate than traditional weddings, the guest lists are smaller and it’s easier to whisk guests away to a location other than your home town.  Also, since most vow renewals take place during wedding anniversaries, you can combine the destination wedding with an anniversary trip.  You can renew your vows in any number of destinations, the Caribbean, Hawaii, Las Vegas or even Europe.  Let your personal style and budget be your guide.  

However you celebrate your renewal of vows, be sure to have fun and make it personal.  The reception portion of the wedding can be as casual as a backyard barbeque or as formal as a reception at a luxurious banquet hall.  Just get together lots of friends, family, good music, food and cake and you’ll be on your way.
 

What Else You Need To Know About Wedding Vow Renewals

When to Renew Your Wedding Vows

You can hold your vow renewal whenever you’d like, but most vow renewals take place on the couple’s anniversary date.  That way, you only have one anniversary date to remember for the future.  Vow renewals are definitely more popular for couples that have been married many years, but they are also appropriate for couples who never held a large wedding at the original time of their marriage. 

Most vow renewals take place during special anniversaries like a couple’s 10^th, 25^th or 50^th anniversary.  Another significant time for vow renewals can be when a couple has come through a challenging time in their relationship, these couples want to celebrate that they’re still together through the good times and bad.
 

Registering for Gifts

So, you are technically getting married when you renew your vows, does that mean that you get to receive wedding gifts all over again?  In short, the answer is no.  While guests can bring gifts to the wedding if they decide to on their own accord, you shouldn’t give any indication that guests are expected to bring gifts.  Also, it isn’t appropriate for you to register for gifts or have a wedding shower for your vow renewal.  If the vow renewal is part of a large anniversary celebration, some guests will bring gifts to commemorate your anniversary. 
 

Vow Renewals are for All Couples

Although vow renewals are a very popular way to celebrate a milestone wedding anniversary, these days vow renewals aren’t just for 50^th anniversary couples.  There is a big trend for couples who originally married in civil ceremonies to renew their vows in a large traditional wedding.  Many couples that opted for a small wedding or elopement due to monetary reasons are using vow renewals as a way to have a complete wedding experience even after they’ve been married for a few years.  Now that they are older and are making a little more money, these couples can go all out and have the wedding that they’ve always wanted.


What to Wear

For your vow renewal, you should wear whatever fits the occasion and makes you feel comfortable.  Many brides choose to wear their original bridal gown or a newly purchased wedding dress.  Though white on a wedding dress once symbolized purity, it is still very appropriate to wear a white gown for vow renewals.  If the occasion is a more casual affair, a pale colored suit or informal dress is a good way to go. 
 

Rings for Vow Renewals

Since your vow renewal will likely involve exchanging rings, should you get a new wedding ring or should you use your original wedding jewelry.  This is completely up to you as there are no standards to go by.  It is acceptable for you to use your original wedding rings in the ceremony, or if you feel like it’s time for an upgrade, a vow renewal at your anniversary is the perfect time.