Why renew your vows?
As you approach those mid-life years, perhaps, you may feel the urge to renew your marriage vows. There can be many excellent reasons to do so. Here a few examples:
- You may simply want publicly to reaffirm the commitment you both made to each other
- You may want to celebrate a “big” wedding anniversary
- You may want to share the celebrations with children or even friends that may not have been acquaintances when you married
- You may not have had the wedding you really wanted (not enough cash, parental pressure, etc.)
- Your marriage may have been under considerable pressure (illness, finances, infidelity, etc.) and you want to proclaim your new solidity
How should you do it?
Of course, you can choose to celebrate formally and in style, or you may prefer a quiet ceremony with a few close friends and family.
One of the bonuses of such an event is that, if you wish to, you can write your own vows. (Advice on doing so can be found at: https://vowsthatwow.co.uk/?p=507 and https://vowsthatwow.co.uk/?p=519 .)
Another beauty of this ceremony is that there are no real limits as to how you choose to mark the occasion. The venue can be your home or a stately mansion or the seaside; you may want to have a theme such as a Paris wedding – it’s up to you.
A Vow Renewal Won’t Save Your Marriage!
When you plan your vow renewal, there may still be stress and strain (less than for your wedding, most likely, but still to be reckoned with). If your marriage is rocky, that is more likely to put extra pressure on it!
A vow renewal will not necessarily wipe the slate clean, if either of you has been having an affair, nor will it guarantee a better relationship (although if you’ve really been thinking about your vows, the chances are that it will help). You will still need to change your behaviour and be committed to each other.
Conclusion
It should probably be stated that a vow renewal has no legal significance. It is, however, a lovely ceremony, a chance to acknowledge your partner publicly and a warm and beautiful occasion that everybody can enjoy. Small wonder that vow renewals are gaining in popularity.
Michael Gordon can help prepare and conduct a tailor-made civil ceremony in or around London or, indeed, in Europe.