Why would you want to renew your vows on a second honeymoon? That’s what a lot of husband’s ask in jest, while their wives give them “the look”. But seriously, renewing your vows provides you the formal opportunity to reaffirm the vows you made when you were first married. It also sets a wonderful example for your children and grandchildren. Combine your vow renewal with a romantic vacation and you get the ultimate second honeymoon.
Vow renewal &romantic vacation; the ultimate second honeymoon.
Many couples invite their children, family and friends to come along on their vow renewal and second honeymoon. This is sure to be a meaningful, touching and revitalizing event for everyone. Many second honeymooners find that their vow renewal ceremony naturally stimulates a time for them to pause and reflect on where they have been and where they are going in their lives together.
Combining your vow renewal with a second honeymoon allows you bring that excitement of your first days together as man and wife back into your marriage. And, perhaps you couldn’t afford a lavish honeymoon when you were first married and now you can take that dream honeymoon, since you are now more financially settled.
Your vow renewal ceremony can be as creative and personal as you want it to be; from very formal to casual and fun. Since vow renewal ceremonies are not official, they can be easily arranged and there are far greater options. They are usually conducted by clergy, but a judge or ship’s captain could officiate also. Your ceremony can be conducted in a chapel or a banquet facility, on a beach, yacht or cruise ship or anywhere else you might desire.
Discuss your vision of your ceremony that reflects who you are. The careful planning of a travel professional who specializes in honeymoons and destination weddings can be invaluable in recommending options that match your vision and then implementing your desires. They make the planning process very easy for you and those traveling with you; eliminating the stress of coordinating a group vacation.
There are no rules about when you should renew your vows, so there are no limits. Some of the most popular times for planning a vow renewal ceremony and second (or third or fourth) honeymoon are:
- Milestone anniversaries, from as few as 5 years of marriage to 50 years or more.
- After a particularly difficult challenge in your lives, such as overcoming a serious illness or a period of estrangement.
- Whenever it “feels right” to reaffirm the love that has matured and deepened with the passing of years.
Tips when planning your vow renewal ceremony and second honeymoon:
- Involve the children in both the trip planning and the ceremony.
- Ask the hotel to re-create your original bouquet or wedding cake.
- Return to your original honeymoon destination and stay at the same hotel (if the standards still meet your expectations).
- Arrange for the hotel to display specially framed photographs of your first wedding during your reception for your guests to take as favors.
- See if your destination can adapt a traditional wedding ceremony to create a unique and memorable renewal of vows, incorporating your creative desires and ideas.
Choosing to combine your vow renewal with a second honeymoon can create memories that last a lifetime; not just your lifetime, but the lifetimes of the generations your original wedding vows made possible.
I’m Sheila Cannon at Carefree Romantic Vacations and I specialize in romantic vacations for couples, which include vow renewals with your family and friends present. Contact me today at 800-733-7471 and share your vision.
