I do again! Vow renewals growing in popularity
NEW YORK — When Letty Abraham of Sylvan Lake, Mich., married her husband, Mark, almost 22 years ago, she was determined not to make a fuss.
It was her second marriage and she didn't want to go overboard.
“I had a big wedding the first time ... My second wedding I was over that, and I wanted it more small and intimate. We got married in Las Vegas. We had family and friends there but it wasn't a really big deal,” she said.
Still, it was important to the couple to make their union special, so they made a plan early on to renew their vows.
Fast forward 10 years, and they were saying “I still do” on a trip to Maui, Hawaii. At that ceremony, Abraham let herself cry. She and her husband were so happy with their second wedding to each other that they decided to do it again at the 15-year mark as well.
“We'll probably do it again at 25,” she laughed.
Recommitting to a relationship through vow renewals is becoming more popular, said Susan Southerland, president of Just Marry! wedding planners in Orlando, Fla.
“In the last three to five years they've become extremely popular. We've always done one or two throughout the year, but all of a sudden it's become a huge request.”
For one thing, it's a great way to reconnect.
Kathryn Quinn of East Lansing, Mich., is approaching her 11-year anniversary. She and her husband recently renewed their vows on a trip to the Virgin Islands.
They traveled with three other couples and all four renewed their vows on the beach on Valentine's Day.
“I'm so glad we did it,” she said. “This was our first trip away from our children. It was at a beautiful location. The vow renewal was meaningful, and gave us a chance away from our daily life to really celebrate our time together and be grateful for our relationship.”
Anja Winikka, editor of the wedding website TheKnot.com, believes one reason for the spike of interest in vow renewals is that some celebrity couples have done it.
Tori Spelling and Dean McDermott filmed their vow renewal for their reality TV show. Holly Robinson Peete tweeted photos after she and former NFL quarterback Rodney Peete recently celebrated their 17-year anniversary by renewing their vows on top of the Empire State Building in New York.
Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon are the most consistent; they renew their vows every year.
“You hear about it, and just like any trends in the wedding industry and in decor and fashion, celebrities certainly do influence us in that way,” says Winikka.
Southerland says she recently helped a couple who renew their vows every year. “It's always a surprise, and the husband plans it,” she said.
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