Vow Renewal Ceremony

What is a vow renewal ceremony? And, is that something you could be interested in?

Most of us, even if far removed from thinking about our own weddings, probably have some idea of how memorable wedding ceremonies can be. We’ve seen them in movies and in pictures and have likely attended a few beautiful ones ourselves. Even if we consider ourselves to be non-emotional or “the types who never cry”, it can still sometimes be impossible to not feel moved when watching those moments in weddings when a couple unites and says a few heartfelt words to each other.

While many people do get a chance to live out their dream weddings that they may have had in mind since childhood, there are still just as many other couples who never do get a chance to create special ceremonies when they wed. For many of these people, perhaps a large ceremony was not in their budget. Or, they needed to get married for personal reasons by a certain date and did not want to take the time to plan something that would be hard to orchestrate. And, still others may have gotten married in different countries where having a big wedding wasn’t part of their home tradition—but, now that they are in the US, where it is fashionable to have romantic and beautiful weddings, they decide they want one, too.

For these people who may feel like they missed out on creating the perfect event to commemorate the start of their lives together, a vow renewal ceremony might be a great idea. They can have the same types of romantic ceremonies that many couples choose to have when they first begin their lives together—only, at later dates.

There are also many couples out there who just LOVE to celebrate—and, they decide to do wedding vow renewal ceremonies in order to give tribute to those joyous times they’ve already spent together. Some of these couples, too, may see vow renewal ceremonies as good ways to ignite certain passions or rekindle feelings that they fear may have dwindled over time.

For many couples who have been together a long time, doing it is further a great way to commemorate an anniversary: to show that what was important when that couple first married is still just as relevant five, ten, or even fifty years down the line. 

But some people still might be wondering: what exactly is the difference between a traditional wedding ceremony and a vow renewal one? If that is perhaps you, then - don’t worry, we have all the information you might need covered here.

Wedding Ceremony vs Vow Renewal Ceremony

The biggest difference between an actual wedding ceremony and a vow renewal one is that the first kind is actually an event in which legal documents are processed; and, the second, one is more a symbolic affair in which no certificate (except maybe a symbolical) is provided. In other words, when a couple has a wedding ceremony, they usually do so in order to gain status as a legal couple. But it is also usually a joyous event and most couples see wedding ceremonies as a way to join together not only in a civil sense but also a spiritual one.

However, with a vow renewal ceremony, since those couples who request them will already be married, the affair is more ritualistic in nature. But in terms of the logistics of how both ceremonies are done, it can actually be quite similar to a traditional marriage ceremony. 

When we, for example, as professional wedding planners, construct vow renewal ceremonies for customers we do our best to create ceremonies that will be right for those couples. When you book a vow renewal elopement package with us, one of our professional officiants will use details you provide to create a custom ceremony script that will describe some of the more important life moments that you and your partner may have shared together. Such a script, in contrast to those ones done for a couple’s initial wedding, in which an officiant might focus more on the path that may have brought a particular couple together, might then focus more on describing what things the two partners may have learned or gained from each other over the course of their relationship.

The officiant just as at a traditional wedding ceremony, will give some inspirational readings; and, of course, will leave space for a couple to say some special words to each other. At this time, a couple may choose to read vows to each other that they might have written independently, or, perhaps ones that they wrote in concert with their designated officiant. After these vows are read, a couple may then choose to do an exchange of rings, bracelets, or other cherished items—to commemorate the continuation of their lives together.

Vow Renewal Ceremony Perks

Please keep in mind that with the elopement packages we offer, a couple can enjoy the same “perks” as included in all our traditional wedding packages. For example, you can choose your location for where you want to have your event - and, we can even help you decorate that special place with rose petals or maybe some other relic you have in mind. We can provide music for you if desired; or, you can bring in musicians of your choosing if you think some accompanying sound will help. What’s more, with some of our packages, we even include services like hair and makeup, and we are always happy to recommend added options like car services to make your day better.

Many of our packages also come with photo services: so you will be able to take home professional images and videos from your all important event!

Some locations we love include: Wagner Cove, Bow Bridge, Cop Cot, or Bethesda Terrace in Central Park; 630 Loft and Gardens in Midtown Manhattan; and, the waterfront at Brooklyn Bridge Park. But we also do many beautiful ceremonies in private residences; in common areas of buildings such as rooftops, recreation rooms, and courtyards; and, even on Zoom. 

Keep in mind, too: you can invite select guests to your event or just make it an intimate affair with only you and your partner present. Additionally, you can even book a package that offers a livestream service so you can share it with family and friends from all over the world as it happens.

When to Renew Your Vows

Now, one question many people ask is this: when might be the best time for a couple to renew their wedding vows? And, what we always say is this: it really depends on the couple’s particular desires. Many couples love celebrating their anniversaries in memorable ways, so are happy to choose a vow renewal ceremony as an option for marking a particular anniversary event. Other couples choose to do these ceremonies at times unrelated to when their anniversaries might take place - because perhaps they want to reserve a particular venue that has a limited availability, or when particular family members might be in town. 

The most popular anniversaries for having a vow renewal on are the fifth, tenth, fifteenth, twentieth and twenty-fifth ones. But, truthfully, any year of marriage can be commemorated through it. Some particular anniversaries also have special symbols associated with them, as discussed below, that can be useful if one is looking to come up with a particular theme idea for an event.

Another nice option about vow renewal ceremonies is the family that may not have been around when a couple first joined in union may now be able to take part in this event. For a couple who now has kids, for example, but didn’t when they first united - asking the children to join in the ceremony can add an extra level of meaning to an event.

Remember: whatever your reasons might be for renewing your marriage vows, doing so can be a great way of enjoying special moments with your partner that you will then have to look back on in the future. It can further be a way of pampering yourself, reliving the feelings you may have once had when a bride or bridegroom, or, simply as a means to strengthen your alliance with your partner.

Wedding Anniversary Symbols & Ideas

We recommend couples who may still be in the planning stages in regards to their events to think about them like anniversary events. Did you know, for example, that the symbol for twenty-five years of marriage is silver, or that fifty years is celebrated with gold? For many that is common knowledge but guess what: many other anniversary dates also have special symbols connected with them, too!

There are many reference tables that you can look up on the internet that will give you a complete guide as to what symbols have historically been associated with what anniversary events. These symbols can even be used as guides to help couples decide what types of gifts might be appropriate to exchange on those dates. But if you’re planning to have your ceremony dedicated to your special anniversary, why not incorporate your anniversary symbol into a theme to mark your celebration? Then, you can also do a symbolic gift exchange as part of that event.

For example, if you did it for a first-year anniversary event, then you and your partner could then exchange cards or notes at your event as paper is the symbol for that one; for a second-year event, then you might exchange special clothing items or scarves or handkerchiefs as cotton is the symbol there; and, for a third, perhaps wallets, gloves, or other hand-made keepsakes could be given as leather is the symbol for this event.

The anniversary list of symbols is a fairly exhaustive one and includes all kinds of things. Pottery, for instance, can be used to commemorate a ninth-year anniversary, silk a twelfth one, coral a thirty-fifth one, and, for a forty-fifth-year anniversary what gets exchanged is my favorite of all gemstones: sapphires!

So, if you are perhaps stuck for planning ideas for your vow renewal ceremony or want to find a creative way to commemorate your event, looking up these traditional symbols might help guide you. Just, imagine, for instance, doing it for a thirty-fifth anniversary on a beach and exchanging coral bracelets! See, there are lots of ways that thinking about these symbols may trigger ideas for you that you otherwise would not have come up with! 

How to Best Enjoy Your Vow Renewal Ceremony

Of course, the best way to enjoy your ceremony is to plan an event that best suits you! Unlike with an initial wedding, which for many marks a formative event in life (and, in some cultures even the entrance into adulthood and a separation from one’s childhood home) - it can be a much more relaxed affair - as, by this time, you and your partner should know what to expect from each other. You will, thus, have nothing to lose on the day of your event and will likely be able to approach it without the type of wedding day jitters that a lot of young bride and bride grooms typically have.

This means your ceremony doesn’t necessarily have to be so much a serious event as a light-hearted and fun one!

While you might decide to go a traditional route with your ceremony and do your event at a romantic secluded spot, like by a lake or bridge, in Central Park, you might also choose to do it in some place that is fun or exciting or that has special meaning for you and your partner. For example, you might want to do your ceremony at a zoo if you love animals, at Coney Island if you love amusement parks, or, even in Times Square if you and your partner feel that what unites you is a shared love of this beautiful city: Manhattan!

Hopefully, we at Perfect Wedding NYC can also do our best to guide you on what types of packages might be best for you when you renew your vows. Would you like to choose a package that offers officiant services only? Or, would you like to do one that includes both officiant services and services for photography and video work? Or, do you want a more comprehensive package in which we provide a ceremony, photo and video work, personal floral pieces, and make-up and hairstyling services? Whatever package you pick is up to you! But, no matter what service options you select, we will be there to guide you on your journey for creating a memorable wedding event.

This is because at Perfect Wedding NYC we are true admirers of romance in any form! While we love seeing young newlyweds join in wedded bliss, we are oftentimes even more awestruck by those older couples we meet who have been together for years - and, yet despite the time, still delight in each other’s company!

Whatever your special needs are for creating the perfect vow renewal elopement ceremony event, just remember, we are here to make it happen for you!