Vow Renewals?

[Darin's Girl]

Is there such a thing as renwing your vows too soon? This year DH and I will celebrate our 3rd anniversary. The last 2 1/2 years have been really tough for us (DH got really sick) and we've been through an awful lot.

My dream would be to throw a big party and not tell anyone what we are doing until they were at the party, then escape to change and then renew our vows in front of our family and friends. Is that lame?

If you renewed your vows did you use the same vows you originally said or did you write new ones?

[Mrs.B716]

I'm glad you started this because I have the same question!!! I haven't been married a year yet but I am a planner!!!

Since our wedding turned out to be for everyone except for us and **certain** people made it an absolute nightmare for us it would be nice to do a renewal just for us. BUt my thoughts were "WHEN??"

[MSH]

My hubby and I have been planning to do a renewal on our 5 year anniversary. I know some people view it as your relationship is in trouble if you feel the need to renew your wows after just a few year (as in 25 or less) but I think it is a beautiful celebration of the love two people share and could be done at any time.

[allyray231]

We renewed our vows at our one year! We did it because we went to Vegas and we thought it would be nice to do it just the two of us. It was fun.

[lawyergirl25]

We plan to renew on our 5th, just the two of us on a Caribbean beach somewhere - the way our wedding *should* have been! We may throw a big party and renew our vows for a milestone anniversary, but that's down the road a bit.

I agree that in my circle, people assume that those renewing after only a few years have relationship problems. But I don't know why on earth that should stop you. People will have opinions about anything. If you want to do it, go for it.

[BTB]

Personally, I'm not a big fan of vow renewal (is there an option not to renew?) especially when done publicly. If it's for the two of you, that's one thing, and then you don't have to worry about what fuddy-duddies like me think. :) But honestly yes, if I saw a couple renewing vows early on in the marriage - early as in, definitely if prior to 10 years, and probably if prior to 20 - I'd think they'd separated or nearly separated due to infidelity or some other major issue and were now truly recommiting themselves when continued commitment was not a foregone conclusion. But then I'd go and think of other things - it's not like I'd dwell on it, or care that much. :)

[Blewbary]

My DH and I have talked about doing a vow renewal for our 10 year anniversary. That's the year that our anniversary date falls back on the original day we got married. I think it would be fun to have it on a beach in Hawaii (or some other warm place) with just us and our wedding party (and their families if they come along). We had such a big wedding that I think it might be nice just to do something small and have fun with it.

[KarenS]

Personally, I'm not a big fan of vow renewal (is there an option not to renew?) especially when done publicly. If it's for the two of you, that's one thing, and then you don't have to worry about what fuddy-duddies like me think. But honestly yes, if I saw a couple renewing vows early on in the marriage - early as in, definitely if prior to 10 years, and probably if prior to 20 - I'd think they'd separated or nearly separated due to infidelity or some other major issueDitto. I also am not a big fan of re-doing a wedding for a renewal. I kind of feel like "one wedding per couple" is the limit. :)

Karen

[jnshanna]

Anytime I hear of a couple renewing their vows I'm really happy for them because IMO it's so special to commit yourselves to eachother again. I find it very touching. But I'm a bit of a sap too. ;)

We renewed our vows on our 7th anniversary. Kind of a funny year to do it but DH really wanted to (and actually made all the arrangements and then surprised me with it!) because we were married as teenagers and couldn't afford much the first time around. So we had an intimate (with family and a few friends) renewal at Disneyland. It was an experience I'll never forget and I'm really happy we did it. We used our original vows and we are now in our 11th year of marriage.

[Darin's Girl]

Thanks for your input Ladies! I don't know if we actually will renew our vows any time soon- it was just a thought.

If we do it might be nice to have just the 2 of us. I love the Hawaii idea and the Disneyland idea!

I was just thinking since DH got so sick (I almost lost him) and we have really tested the "in sickness and in health" it might be nice to reconfirm our love for each other.

[megs7384]

I think it is really nice symbolism that the two of you have come out of what was surely a very difficult and trying time for both of you and you want to renew your vows.

Here's an analogy that your post made me think of: In my church (Episcopal) we have the option of reaffirming our baptismal vows in a special service. The priests generally don't encourage it if they perceive that the people are just doing it for the heck of it, but if they've been out of the church for a while or they've gone through something really difficult then I think it is a lovely and fitting thing to want to do.

All that is to say: Go for it. I love the surprise idea too!

[Lisa]

I was just thinking since DH got so sick (I almost lost him) and we have really tested the "in sickness and in health" it might be nice to reconfirm our love for each other.
Okay I know I'm answering really late...but
I think that is a great idea!!! My DH and I lost our daughter in July and since then I have been thinking about us renewing our vows. I know my situation is different than yours but I can so see why you want to do this, you made it through a tough time Together, it makes it so special. I think I love him more today than I did back then. I say GO FOR IT!!!

[angelcookie2002]

DH and I renew our vows every year, just the two of us. We do them just to celebrate our love and life together. I know they are not for everyone and some people get VERY opinionated about them. But we do them just for us and could care less what other people think.
The right time to do a vow renewal is when it is right to you and your DH. The best part about vow renewals is there doesn't have to be alot of stress and drama like with weddings.

[isign]

DH and I renew our vows every year, just the two of us.

I think that's really sweet and a great idea. We plan on going back to where we went on our honeymoon and renew ours for our 5th anniversary. We want it just the 2 of us. Baby can stay with the grandparents :)

[BlackMagicRose]

My DH have a different situation. We had a small wedding here, in Austria last year. None of my family back in the US was able to attend. While we had a nice small wedding here, I missed my family and really want them to be a part of another wedding. Plus, this wedding was lacking a lot of things we really wanted because we did not have the money. I am really hoping we can have a second wedding next year. It would not really be to "renew" our vows. It would just be a second celebration in which my family can attend and we can do it the right way :)

[Mrs. M.]

We renewed our vows at our 2 year anniversary. Well, we were going to Vegas, and thought it would be nice to renew our vows. So we did it at one of those Vegas chapels. We didn't have any guests and it was really just a fun and romantic thing for just the both of us.