Every bride remembers her wedding day with a sense of wistful romance. She remembers the grandeur of the event. How gorgeous she felt in her wedding dress. That bittersweet sensation of being given away to the man who will shortly become her husband and seeing the look on his face when he sees her in her dress for the first time. She remembers the emotion of the speeches, the sheer romance of the first dance and the wonderful sense of togetherness and celebration she felt with her family and friends. If only she could do it all again.

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Well, why shouldn’t she?

There are many reasons why couples renew their wedding vows. Perhaps their wedding day couldn’t be all that they wished it was due to circumstances beyond their control like logistics or budget. They may have recently come through a serious challenge in their marriage and see this as an opportunity to symbolise how they’ve come through it stronger and more in love than ever… Or they may simply decide that they want to do something special to celebrate their love in front of all their friends and family.  

 

Whatever your reasons, here are some ways to make sure that you do it in style…

 

Give your wedding and engagement rings some TLC

 

Diamonds are a girl’s best friend but while they may be near impervious, they still need a little love every now and then. Just like us, our wedding and engagement rings may not be what they once were. They may have picked up a few scratches and battle scars over the years of wear while working or driving. Their luster fades and they don’t dazzle as once they did. Prior to the ceremony treat them to a polish or maybe even some rhodium plating. This way they’ll be just as dazzling and beautiful as the day you were married… Just like you!

 

Get someone meaningful to officiate

 

Unlike your marriage vows, the renewal is not legally binding and as such you don’t need to have an ordained officiant to perform the ceremony. It can be virtually anyone, although t behoves the occasion to have it be someone in authority. It could be your local clergy person, a parent or even your kids.

 

Dress for the occasion

 

The beauty of a renewal ceremony is that you’re free of all the expectations that accompany a wedding ceremony. You’re under far less pressure to consider how it should be and make it how you want it to be. Thus, you should dress in something that you feel is perfect for you where you are now in your life. If you want to climb back into your old wedding dress you absolutely can, but if you want to wear something that reflects the new you, this is equally fine.

 

Involve the kids

You may have picked up some little people on your life’s journey since the wedding day and this is a wonderful opportunity to get them involved. Matching dresses for daughters and matching suits for sons are a cute addition to a ceremony and making them integral to your big day will help to highlight the evolution of your married life together.