The Main Event by Memory Makers Event Planning, LLC

I am working with a couple from California, married for eight years, who have set a goal to renew their wedding vows in all 50 states. So far, they have renewed their vows at Niagara Falls, NY; the Space Needle in Seattle, the Oregon coast, on a cruise ship in CA, on the beach in Hawaii, at the Alamo in TX, the Grand Canyon, and on the Strip in Reno. Now, it is time for a ceremony in Idaho. The groom would like to have the ceremony in a hot air balloon, if possible, so we are working out the details. In the process of planning their event, I learned that an annual vow renewal in various states is actually quite common. Certificates are available to comemorate the event and, for couples who collect them, getting the certificate is almost as important as the ceremony. Because the couple is already married, the ceremony is symbolic, not legal, so anyone can perform it. We haven't decided whether to ask the balloonist to perform the...

In the last few years a number of couples married quickly, perhaps because of military deployment. Now, they want to have a vow renewal ceremony to celebrate with family and friends or they want to solemnize their vows in their church. Older couples may choose to renew their vows on or near their anniversary or at another special time when family can be together. Planning a vow renewal ceremony is not the same as planning a wedding and that can create confusion, particularly for younger couples planning a church ceremony. Though some aspects are similar - repeating vows and a reception to follow - most aspects are somewhat different. Vow renewal ceremonies are usually more casual than weddings and often are attended by fewer guests than a typical wedding. The couple, not their parents, usually pays for the event. Depending on the situation and budget, the ceremony might occur in a church or it might occur at a family picnic, a park, or any setting of the couple's c...