Intentional Lovers: 5 Reasons to Renew Your Vows
Vow renewal (n.): commemorating your love, revisiting the promises you made when you got married. It’s hard to define a vow renewal beyond this, because it can literally be whatever, wherever and however you want. There’s not even a rule about how often you can do it. Heck, why not make it an annual thing? I think sometimes it’s seen as this formal thing you do when you’re older or if you’ve been through a separation – which you absolutely can, but there are so many other reasons you might renew your vows, such as:
1. YOU’VE HIT A MILESTONE YOU WANT TO CELEBRATE
A significant anniversary is probably one of the first reasons you might think of having a vow renewal. Whether it’s one month, one year, two years, five years, ten years – every stage is worth celebrating. Hey, we celebrate our wedding monthiversaries! Perhaps it’s something other than a time-based marker you want to commemorate – maybe you’ve finally finished your degree(s), maybe you’ve become parents, maybe you’ve beat an illness, maybe you’ve moved to a new country, maybe your kids have all left home, or maybe you’ve overcome a particularly difficult challenge together. Which brings us to the next reason:
2. YOU WANT TO RECONNECT WITH YOUR LOVER
Marriage is beautiful, but life is hard. You’ve probably climbed your fair share of mountains individually and together, and while it’s through struggles that we grow stronger, that can put strain on even the closest relationships. Renewing your vows can be a perfect way to invest into your marriage, to celebrate what you’ve overcome together, and to add more emotional currency in your relationship bank account to draw on to help you through whatever may come.
3. YOU DIDN’T HAVE THE WEDDING YOU DREAMED OF
Maybe you didn’t have the budget for your dream photographer or dress. Maybe you were too influenced by others’ opinions and weren’t able to tune into your own heart. I remember walking into our reception venue the night before we got married and bursting into tears because nothing about our wedding really felt like us. We honestly wish we eloped somewhere beautiful in nature, with hand-written vows, a flowy dress and flowers in my hair. Even though a vow renewal isn’t a second wedding, you can celebrate it however you like.
A vow renewal is the perfect opportunity to plan your experience exactly the way you two want, without the pressure of others’ expectations. There are literally no rules when it comes to a vow renewal. Wanna hike up a mountain? Lessgo. Wanna jump in the ocean? We’ll have the towels ready for you. Wanna wear a gold sparkly dress? Yaasss. Wanna plan an epic multi-day adventure? Why the heck not!
4. YOU WANT TO BE MORE INTENTIONAL WITH YOUR PROMISES TO EACH OTHER
You’re not the same people you were when you first got married, and it’s likely your love has grown in ways you never imagined. You probably know each other and yourselves on a much deeper level. Maybe you’re like us and you never even wrote personalised vows: now’s your chance to express your adoration and make intentional promises that really speak to your lover’s soul.
5. YOU WANT YOUR LITTLE ONES TO BE THERE WITH YOU
Maybe your family has expanded over time along with your love and you want your children to witness and be part of your promises to each other, especially if they weren’t born yet when you first said, “I do.”
I’m sure there are plenty of other reasons that people in love decide to renew their vows, but these are the reasons that inspired us to start planning our own (unfortunately, currently on hold due to travel restrictions) - especially #3 and #4! Which ones resonate with you? Let us know in the comments!
