Renwing Your Vows
By: Terry Coyier
Weddings are usually such a hectic time that we don’t think about anything else. Dresses, cakes, tuxes, flowers, licenses, locations, bridal participants, invitations and wedding registries occupy our thoughts every waking moment and sometimes even in our dreams. There are traditions to think about, too. Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue and a six-pence in your shoe may also be something you include in your line up of wedding thoughts. On top of that, you may have religious or cultural traditions to incorporate into your ceremony. It can all be very overwhelming, especially the first time! I’m not referring to the divorce rate and second marriages; I’m talking about repeating the ceremony with your spouse.
Renewing or reaffirming your vows can become a tradition that you can carry out on an incremental basis. Some chose every five or ten years, but I heard of one couple who chose to do it every year! Not only did they renew their vows every year, they did it in a different state each time. For their fiftieth anniversary they went to Hawaii, a special trip, indeed. Their story touched my heart and made me wonder if that kept their marriage fresh and new.
Repeating a wedding ceremony is often used to strengthen a marriage, although you don’t have to have a troubled marriage to do it. Renewing your vows brings back happy memories and confirms your commitment to each other. It also gives you a wonderful reason to throw a party or, as in the case with the couple I spoke of, a reason to take a trip!
Renewing your vows can be as simple or elaborate as you want to make it. It can be a personal tradition that simply happens between you and your spouse or it can involve family and friends. Some people could not afford an expensive ceremony when first married so they may choose to go all out with a renewal ceremony. Others may chose to keep it informal simply because of the stress and expense involved with planning a large wedding.
The one thing to remember is to make it heartfelt. It’s meant to reinforce your original vows, though writing new ones of your own can be a nice tradition to start, especially if you have children and would like to include them in the ceremony. Whatever way you chose, it’s entirely up to you, so have fun with it.
This article has been submitted in affiliation with http://www.Prye.Com/ which is a site for Wedding Invitations.
Terry J. Coyier is a 37-year-old college student studying for an Associates of Applied Sciences degree. She is also a freelance writer who writes on a variety of topics. She lives with her son in the Dallas/Ft. Worth Metroplex.