While the summer might be wedding season for many people, you can renew your marriage vows anytime of the year. Be it your wedding anniversary, a special birthday, or some other important milestone in your lives together, a “Renewal of Vows” ceremony is a touching way to express your love and invite your family and closest friends to celebrate with you.
Couples who’ve been married for five or fifty years (or any other period, for that matter) can, with a qualified officiant, arrange for a highly personalized Renewal of Vows ceremony. Children will often surprise their parents with a Renewal of Vows ceremony, inviting dear friends and family to participate. Imagine turning a backyard party or beach cabana happy hour into a celebration of life together! And as the renewal ceremony isn’t a legal or halakhic (pertaining to Jewish law) event, the possibilities are endless with respect to creating a cozy, customized, fun and meaningful celebration.
Believe it or not, you can even purchase a beautiful Ketubah—“Jewish wedding contract,” to mark the event and hang on your wall as a work of personalized art. A number of artists and calligraphers offer anniversary and other special occasion “Ketubot” (plural of Ketubah) suitable for a Renewal of Vows ceremony. You and your family have probably collected a number of meaningful family heirlooms, some of which could also figure prominently in the ceremony, making it all the more meaningful.
Over the years, I’ve officiated at Renewal of Vows ceremonies including events that took place poolside on a summer night, in homes by a warming hearth with the family dog nearby, and also in a hotel suite with friends and family present. Your imagination and our careful planning are certain to create a wonderful and memorable celebration!
Mazal tov!