6 Easy Steps for Planning a Vow Renewal Ceremony

How to Plan a Vow Renewal Ceremony in 6 Steps

Vow renewal ceremonies have become a popular way for couples who have enjoyed many years of marriage together to reaffirm their commitment to one another and to celebrate their successful union with friends and family. A vow renewal ceremony can also strengthen your bond, whether your marriage has been filled with happiness or you’ve been through challenging times together. Just like your wedding, your vow renewal ceremony requires planning.

Decide Who is Hosting

Many couples host their renewal themselves, while the children of other couples want to be the hosts. Clearly, this depends on the age and financial situation of your children.

Select a Theme and Style

Deciding what kind of vow renewal you want is one of the most critical steps in planning your ceremony. It’s entirely up to you to determine if you want a formal or casual vow renewal, or even if you’re going to recreate your wedding. Many couples also opt to pick a theme to make decisions about the venue, decor, attire, and food easier. Once you have made your decision about formality, you’ll want to let guests know by including the dress code on your invitations.

Picking a Date

Unless you’re planning on an intimate vow renewal for two, you’ll want to make sure that your important guests, like your parents, siblings, and close friends, are available on the date you choose for the vow renewal ceremony. It’s best not to pick a mid-week date as this tends to make attending difficult for friends and family who work. Many couples opt for a date that is meaningful for them, for example, their anniversary or engagement date. Keep in mind that having your vow renewal on the exact date of one of these events limits the years in which you can have your vow renewal, so you might want to be flexible.

Choosing the Venue

Although places of worship are common locations for vow renewal ceremonies, you have almost endless options. You can renew your vows pretty much anywhere – in a garden, on a beach, in your backyard, at the park, at a resort, or even on a cruise. Feel free to get creative when selecting your venue.

Attire and Rings

You can wear virtually anything you like for your vow renewal ceremony. There are no hard rules when it comes to choosing your outfits. As long as you and your spouse are comfortable, and the ceremony will be a success. The vow renewal ceremony is also a great time to upgrade or replace your wedding rings. Over the years, you’ve probably become far more financially secure, so this is the perfect time to get the rings you’ve always dreamed of having.

The Officiant and Vows

You can choose anyone you would like as an officiant since a vow renewal is not a legally binding ceremony (like a wedding). Popular officiant options include a member of the clergy, a judge, one of your children, a friend or relative, and a member of your original wedding party. You can write the entire ceremony and your vows from scratch, customize a template, or go with a traditional one.