Simple Vow Renewal - Ideas Needed

Re: Simple Vow Renewal - Ideas Needed

• OliveOilsMom member

  

  August 2014

  tshaeanne20 said:

  Hello! I am working on planning a SMALL and SIMPLE celebration for my best friends in honor of their marriage of almost 10 years. They were married in a rush as he was entering the military and they never got to have the ceremony everyone deserves. She had talked about doing a big vow renewal ceremony for their 10th anniversary, but has recently decided they'd rather take a trip to the beach with the closest friends and family (a group of approximately 10). We still want to give them that celebration they didn't get, they know we'll be doing something for them just won't know the details and they are fine with that! They are very simple people, but I also know she'd love that fancy feeling for just a night! I am having the hardest time finding sample ceremonies for something as simple as I am thinking. I am looking for suggestions, ideas, experiences other readers have had! Let me tell you what I DO have in mind, and then PLEASE hit me with your most awesome ideas!!! We'll be on the beach, evening time...she does have a simple cream lace dress, knee length with a large keyhole cutout (SO pretty!) - he is a very casual guy so we'll try to get him in khakis or linen pants and a cream button down or something. There will be no bridesmaids/groomsmen - want the focus on them! They do have an 11 year old son and 8 year old daughter, and would love to somehow incorporate them or just have them standing with mom and dad! We won't have an "officiant" per say, but I will be doing some kind of ceremony/reading (THIS is where I need advice!!) as I have been friends with both for my whole life - I can't wait to honor them and celebrate them and speak of how special their love is, how inspiring they are as husband and wife! And they do plan to write something up for each other as well!! I have a ton of mason jars and thought about doing votive candles in them and setting them around us... Please give any advice you have!! I am looking at this as more of a celebration of their marriage, of them...not SO much a vow renewal but I guess it's all kind of the same!?

  Why aren't the H&W planning this ceremony?  If they truly want it, they should plan it IMO.  While I get you want to do something nice for your friends, this is a very personal event that should be planned by them.  If you and your friends want to do something nice, then plan a dinner out a nice restaurant and give a toast to the couple.

  

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• tshaeanne20 member

  

  August 2014

  I get what you are saying, we have discussed it with them and this is what THEY want. I am an amateur party planner, definitely the planner of the group and they fully trust in what we are doing. They have told us what they want (the friends and family there, simple "ceremony", and a night of celebrating with all of us) (they'll also get lots of "honeymoon" time on the trip as we plan on keeping the kiddos for them)!
  
  Many people have "wedding planners" that they give their hopes, ideas, and dreams to...I don't see this as any different.

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• Jells2dot0 mod

  

  August 2014

  If they are standing up and exchanging word they wrote, then it is technically a vow renewal. The only time it would not be is if you just had a party in honor of them.

  
  

  I had a VERY simple wedding on a beach. We did not have any guests, though. We had an area set up on the beach where we had a good view of the island to exchange our vows. We wrote very simple vows and the ceremony was only 10 minutes. Our ceremony could definitely be tweaked for a vow renewal. You just chance the words marriage to celebration of marriage or renewing of vows. This would be the case with almost any non-religious ceremony out there!

  
  

  Instead of a reception, we had a lovely private dinner. You could do the same, or have a larger reception-type event. The possibilities are really endless. The proper etiquette is just to not have it be like a wedding. Your plans thus far don't point in that direction, so you're good!

  
  

  Check out this link and the posts on it!

  
  

  http://www.idotaketwo.com/blog/renewing-wedding-vows/
  

  
  

  
  

   

  

  
  
  
  

  
  
  
  

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• NoneForUs member

  

  September 2014

  We are renewing our vows with the same ceremony we used when we married, with some of the words omitted.

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• laura2014 member

  

  October 2014

  I think that what you want to do for your friends is very nice. I think that this is something like a vow renewal. You all can gather on the beach, the kids can walk mom out. You can say some nice words about the couple and what they mean to you. If others want to speak you could allow that. Let the couple speak to each other, and then you all can have a beach dinner or go elsewhere. I think the candles in mason jars would be nice.

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