You may have spent months planning your wedding and now feel the emptiness of those who already want to find something new to celebrate. Maybe you had a simple wedding and decided to do something different to celebrate one year of marriage. Or, after 5, 10, or even 25 years together, after many laughs and challenges, you thought it was time to plan something special. There are many possibilities that may have brought you here… and they can all be summarized in one thing in common: the wedding vow renewal is the celebration of your love story! And your story is worth remembering many times :)
What is renewal of wedding vows
Much like the idea of an elopement (a trend worldwide in the last years), the renewal of vows is a moment for the couple that can be planned just for you two. But it can also include family and friends. The difference between vow renewal and elopement is that vow renewal is something done after marriage, to reaffirm the union that has already been celebrated, while elopement is a kind of wedding celebration. To continue celebrating love even after the moment of the wedding is a very special way to keep the flame burning, to remember the good times you have lived together, and to reinforce that excitement that ends up being left out of daily life. For those who didn’t have the chance to have a wedding party the way they dreamed, the renewal of vows is an opportunity to do something different than what was done!There is no specific reason to decide to renew wedding vows. The truth is that any reason is enough to celebrate love and reaffirm the commitment that has already been made!
Some couples choose to take advantage of a trip together to plan this moment, others invite friends and family who were part of the story to share another moment. It can happen in the church, on the beach, in the mountains, in the countryside. Having a moment alone is an option, but you can also choose to have a person around to say a few words: a pastor, a friend, a relative… Do you want to have lunch or dinner later? Wear a short or long dress; white, blue or red? Don’t feel obliged to do something specific, this moment is about you, so nothing more natural than deciding freely the best way to celebrate! Something that suits your style.
Anyway, the important thing is that you will have a moment to look at each other in the eyes and remember your history. And at that moment, share words of love… Planned or not, the vows are essential to remember what you have experienced so far, the overcommed difficulties, and all the things that made your love grow and mature.
When to renew your vows
You can already imagine that there is no rule, day, or right time to renew the vows, right? Although it is more common for couples who have been together for a long time to choose to do so, the number of people who decide to do it with one or five years of marriage has grown a lot. The ease we have to travel nowadays, together with the fact that young couples usually share dreams of getting to know different places, make vow renewals happen at any time of the marriage, and often include a different place than the one they live in.
It is also common for couples who did not have the party they dreamed to renew their vows on their one-year anniversary. At that moment, worries about finding an apartment and furnishing it from scratch have already gone from their peak, and there is room (and money too) to invest in other dreams. And why not dream of ways to remember your history and strengthen this union?
This celebration doesn’t have to happen on the same day. It can be on a remarkable date (like the one you met or got engaged for instance) or even on the date you are finally able to make a trip together. It is not always possible to choose a date with meaning, but why not create a new special date? After all, the renewal of vows is already a reason to celebrate by itself!
The ideal location for renewing wedding vows
The best place to renew your wedding vows will depend on your taste and how you prefer to celebrate this moment. If the idea is to do something just between you two, traveling is a great option. This idea allows you to do something very intimate and exclusive, and ends up working as a great excuse to have another honeymoon! It is possible to have a symbolic ceremony of renewal of vows anywhere in the world, be it in church or in hotels.
If you are looking for something different, why not do the renewal of vows in a castle or with your feet on the sand of a paradise beach? At the foot of a mountain full of snow, in the charming fields of Tuscany, or right in the middle of a forest. Have you ever thought of renewing your vows in that place you always talked about getting to know together? I love the idea of joining a journey with that moment of reaffirming the commitment that has been made… It is an opportunity to do something different and still ensure that the celebration lasts more than a day. So, don’t forget to hire a photographer to record this moment. After all, you will want to share with everyone how wonderful this experience was!
The most popular destinations for the renewal of vows are in Europe and the Caribbean, as well as South Africa and Thailand. After living in Germany for a while, I can say that there are as many wonderful places here in Europe that will make your dreams a reality! You can find perfect locations in places like Tuscany, Santorini or Paris. Or be creative and find a place that few people know, and that makes your heart beat faster. After many years working as a photographer, I believe it’s better to find a place that has to do with your dreams and your personality than to follow in other people’s footsteps. I believe it is always possible to create something unique for each couple! If you want to know more about wedding vows renewal photography, just click here and send me a message :)
What to wear for vow renewal
As with marriage, the dress for the renewal of vows has to match the person. But still, I have some tips. For the renewal, you usually don’t wear a veil or princess dress. The choice for simple and elegant dresses or boho style is the most common. I’ve seen women who chose short dresses or even chose to wear a white jumpsuit, and they look simply wonderful! Clearer shades like nude, off-white, and white are more recommended, but it is possible to find other colors that match what you are planning. For the photos, the colors of clothes are something that makes a lot of difference and can make the images wonderful or extremely polluted or loaded. So talk to your photographer before deciding what to wear.
You must also remember that the clothes must match the place you have chosen to reaffirm your commitment. If the option is to celebrate on a beach, light fabrics will be more suitable! On the other hand, if you decide on mountains or places with snow, be prepared for the cold and wind. As the occasion is less formal than a wedding, you can combine whatever you’re wearing with a jeans jacket if you want. But it’s no use looking on Pinterest for styles that don’t suit you. For example, if the stripped style or wearing a hat is not something you usually wear it is better to choose something else. After all, you want to be comfortable so you can enjoy this moment in the most intense and true way possible!
For man, everything seems to be simpler, right? But still, the same precautions above should be remembered. It is not common to wear a suit and tie. Often just a light-colored social shirt is enough to make you beautiful, elegant, and comfortable. Avoiding shirts with prints is a good rule to follow in most cases.
The wedding vows renewal ceremony
The ceremony of this moment is something very special. After all, as the name itself says, it is time to renew the vows for your love. This includes preparing something to be said while you symbolically exchange alliances. The wedding day is over and so are the first moments of married life. For most mortals, this means moments of joy and gratitude, but also moments when one wanted to kick the other (at least a little bit). Unlike on your wedding day, you now share the experience of living together under a strong commitment to togetherness.
The many shared experiences will give you a heart full of feelings. And above all of them will be a mature love and greater than you could ever imagine. Sharing that feeling and reaffirming the desire to be together is what makes this moment so incredible. Forget the place, the dress, or even who will be present. Your love is what has guided you here… and that must be the focus of it all. Only then the rest is worth it!
What to do next
After the most beautiful moment of all is time to celebrate! Whether with a party, a lunch, a dinner, a trip… It is always worth thinking of a way to extend the celebration a little further. You can dance together, see the photos of your wedding or even prepare an album with photos of moments shared during your life together.
A great idea is to take new pictures of the two of you, especially if you have chosen to travel for the vowel renewal. I love to be part of this choice because I believe that the photos are not only used to record moments, but also to create experiences. Allow you to look at each other, feel the affection grow, and forget the time go by… And then remember every detail of this day as if you were living it all over again!
Want more tips on planning and photos of your wedding vows renewal? Write me a message and let’s dream together!