More and more married couples are choosing to
renew their wedding vows either in small, intimate, family-only celebrations
at home, or as bigger-than-the-original-wedding extravaganzas in a ballroom.
Some couples renew their vows while on vacation with their families, exchanging
loving words by a Hawaiian waterfall, and some head to the beach or the
mountains to renew their vows in their favorite place. Regardless of the style
and location of today's celebrations, the reasons for reaffirming
marriage vows are many:
- The couple is celebrating a 'big' anniversary
their 10th, 20th, 25th or 50th and for some couples, a 'big' anniversary is
their 7th! Since they dated for 3 years prior to marrying, it's technically
their 10th year together.
- The couple didn't get the wedding of their dreams
the first time around. Maybe their parents were paying and wanted everything
their way. Maybe their families didn't have a lot of money back then. Maybe they
chose a smaller wedding since that was their wish at the time. Maybe the wedding
was so big and so overblown that they got lost in the circus
atmosphere. Now, they get a Do-Over. They get to do it their way.
- The couple has recently gone through a tough
time, such as a separation or the illness of a partner. They've spent years
healing their relationship, and now they want to refresh their wedding vows as a
way to say thank you to one another and start anew.
- The couple had their original wedding plans
changed due to a military deployment or a family emergency. They had to cancel
their big wedding plans to 'rush' their wedding day. Now, they get to do it
right.
- The couple wishes to include their kids in the
ceremony. It's a high priority to have the kids present, and even to renew vows
with the kids as part of the ceremony.
- The couple finds it important to always show one
another gratitude and love, so they've made it a regular event in their
relationship to renew their vows on every anniversary, or every 5th
anniversary.
- The couple just went through the wedding planning
process for one of their children (or several of their children), and they want
the same kind of celebration for themselves! Maybe the bride and groom paid for
and planned their own wedding, so the parents missed out on being involved. Or,
the parents started to get too involved in the wedding plans, then stepped back
before upsetting the overwhelmed bride and groom. It's a big trend for wedding
couples' parents to renew their vows shortly after the wedding.
- The couple's religious beliefs have changed since
their first wedding, and they wish to re-do their wedding ceremony and renew
their vows with their newly embraced belief system and faith included.
- One partner wishes to surprise the other with a
vow renewal celebration as an anniversary gift. It's a surprise party/vow
renewal that thrills the partner. The kids may also wish to throw a planned or
surprise wedding vow renewal celebration for their parents.
- Couples find that wedding vow renewal
celebrations show the younger generations what a successful marriage looks like:
the dedication, the affection, overcoming challenges, showing appreciation. In
our world of quickie celebrity divorces, a long-lasting union is a great lesson
for kids and grandchildren. Plus, it is a happy occasion for a family gathering.
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