People often choose to renew their wedding vows on anniversaries or other special occasions. It does not have to be a costly event. You can do this on your own with just the two of you or involve loved ones in the ceremony, whichever feels right for you.
Here are some ideas for making your renewal meaningful and memorable:
Hold a private ceremony.
Now you’re a seasoned wedding planner! It’s time to think about what kind of ceremony would be right for you. You could have a small ceremony at home with just your closest family and friends, or maybe something more public like on the beach or in a park. Some couples choose to renew their vows in an idyllic garden setting where they can take in nature while they celebrate their love together.
Whatever venue or theme suits your fancy, remember that this is all about celebrating what makes your relationship special and unique–so don’t let anyone else tell you how things should go!
Release butterflies.
- Release butterflies at the end of your ceremony.
- Use a net to catch and release them into the wild (butterflies are not naturally able to fly far enough away from their home area).
- Visit a butterfly farm, where you can purchase large quantities of butterflies for this purpose.
Have a symbolic ceremony.
One of the most meaningful ways to renew your vows is through a symbolic ceremony. This can be more meaningful than a traditional wedding because it’s more personal, and will allow you to reflect on your relationship together.
If you’re thinking about having a symbolic ceremony, here are some tips:
- Choose something that represents who you are as individuals and as a couple. It could be anything from an object or location (like your first date spot) or an activity (like going rock climbing).
- Make sure it fits with the theme of your day–if it doesn’t seem like it fits in with everything else going on, then maybe don’t do it!
Involve the children.
If you have them, out them to work! One of the most memorable ways to involve your kids in your renewal ceremony is by having them write vows for their parents. This can be done in a number of ways, such as having each child write one or more paragraphs about their parents and then read them aloud during the ceremony. It’s also possible for each child to draw a picture representing something they love about their parent(s), which would be displayed as part of an art display at the reception site or on tables around town leading up to the event. Another idea is for children who are old enough (and have been invited) to participate in planning some aspects of festivities leading up to this day–like creating decorations or helping with food preparation–so that they feel like part of what’s happening!
Include family in the ceremony and festivities.
If you are planning a renewal ceremony that includes immediate family members, make sure they feel included in the ceremony and festivities. If your parents or siblings are available to be part of a posse or provide readings during the service, consider including them! It will mean so much to them–and will give them an opportunity to feel like they’re contributing in some way.
Prepare you renewal Vows
The most important part of a vow renewal ceremony is the vows themselves. You can write your own, but if you’re looking for inspiration, here are some ideas:
- Make them personal and meaningful. Don’t just say “I promise”–write in something specific to the two of you that will make the moment memorable for both of you. For example, if one partner has been diagnosed with a chronic illness and has faced challenges together as a couple but also individually, they could say something like “I promise to love and support my partner through sickness as well as health.” Or maybe there’s something else in their life right now that’s making them feel especially thankful or grateful; this would be an excellent opportunity to include those sentiments in their vows!
- Be ready for anything! We’ve seen some pretty funny moments during our ceremonies; one couple even had their dog run out onto stage during their vows (and then promptly pee on it). If this happens at yours too…well…we’ll hope all goes well!
Have a party and play games with family or friends.
Games are a great way to bring people together. They can also be used to reinforce the theme of the ceremony and help bring a sense of fun. Games are an excellent way to break the ice with new guests, especially if you have invited some who may not know each other well or at all.
Themes: simple and easy-to-create themes such as “red” or “green” for Christmas; team colors for sports fans; or even just “tacky hats.” You can make your own game cards using construction paper and markers, or buy them from craft stores like Michaels (they usually have them in stock).
If you’re having people over for dinner beforehand, consider doing something similar where everyone brings an ingredient needed for dinner–like pizza toppings! Then let everyone try their hand at making their own personal pizzas while they play some games together before heading into town later on.
Share your vows and recommit yourself to your partner in front of family or friends during the party.
Your vows are the most important part of your renewal ceremony. You can write them in advance, or on the day of your party. If you choose to write them together, it’s nice to have a place where everyone can see them as they are read aloud by one or both partners (a chalkboard works well). You can also choose to share them individually with each guest as they arrive at the party so that they know what is going on when it comes time for sharing your new promises with everyone else in attendance.
More Ideas to renew your Vows.
- Write a poem or song for your partner.
- Write a letter of love to your partner.
- Write a story about your relationship; include memories, adventures, and challenges you’ve faced together in the past year since you married. If possible, include this with the other ideas on this list as well as make it into its own separate piece of art that you can hang up in your home as part of an ongoing art project perhaps.
- Create an illustrated list of things you love about each other, such as “I love how funny he is” or “I admire how hardworking she is.” This could also be done digitally by creating an iTunes playlist titled with each person’s name!
There are many ways to renew your vows, although some are more meaningful than others
Renewing your vows is a great way to celebrate the love you share with your partner and make it official, but there are many ways to do so. You can choose from a variety of options that range from simple and personal to elaborate and extravagant. Whatever style you choose, however, keep in mind that the most important thing about renewing your vows is that it be meaningful for both of you–so don’t overthink it!
If you’re looking for an idea that’s both unique and easy on the budget, consider doing something simple like writing letters expressing how much each other means to each other or sharing favourite memories together as part of your ceremony (or even after). Or just have fun doing something silly like dressing up like characters from one of your favourite shows or movies together–the sillier the better!
Final Thoughts
We hope that you have found some inspiration for renewing your vows in this article. If you are looking for something more traditional, we recommend holding a small ceremony with family and friends at home or in a church. If you want something more casual, then consider having a party where everyone can share their vows with each other while drinking champagne or eating cake! Whatever route takes your fancy, remember that it’s the sentiment behind the words that matters most – so go ahead and do what feels right for both of you
