Vow Renewal Save the Date Etiquette

Whether you're honoring your growth as a married couple, reawakening romantic feelings, or reaffirming promises you made to each other on your wedding day, vow renewals are a beautiful way to celebrate your commitment to your partner.

Though vow renewal ceremonies are absent of the pesky first-time jitters of your original wedding, they still require plenty of planning. This includes the vow renewal Save the Date.

Reading this guide will help you create charming announcements and master the art of vow renewal Save the Dates. In this guide, you'll learn:

• The Etiquette of the Vow Renewal Save the Date
• How to Craft Your One-of-a-Kind Save the Dates
• Vow Renewal Celebration Ideas
• How to Rewrite your Vows
• Reasons to Renew your Vows

So, straighten your diamond ring and iron your attire; it's time to walk down that aisle once again.

Proper Etiquette: Vow Renewal Save the Date

Save the dates are a necessary courtesy for your guests of honor, especially in the age of destination celebrations and days-long festivities. It's a way to inform your favorite people of your special day as well as show them that their presence at the ceremony would mean a lot to you and your partner.

Your wedding vow renewal Save the Dates will serve the following purpose:

• Alert your guests of honor of the upcoming celebration so they can, quite literally, Save the Date.

• Direct guests to your wedding website to learn more details about the nuptials and find your gift registry.

• Grant your guests enough time to book plane tickets, reserve hotels, and arrange for a pet or house sitter, if necessary.

• Present a special keepsake for guests, as well as for you and your SO.

When to Send the Save the Date

After creating your guest list, it's important to follow vow renewal Save the Date etiquette and send them roughly six months before the ceremony to ensure your guests have enough time to prepare for the celebration. That will provide plenty of time to book travel arrangements, request days off work, or find that perfect outfit for your celebration.

The Smaller Details

When it comes to Save the Date etiquette, be sure to consider the following elements to ensure your guests have everything they need to start preparing for your celebration:

• Names – Make sure you address each of your welcomed loved ones by name. This will help avoid confusion and mitigate the risk of any assumed plus-ones. Doing so also provides families with children the opportunity to arrange for childcare if you choose to host a more intimate and scaled-down renewal ceremony.

• Additional details about the celebration – It's okay if you don't have every detail of your vow renewal celebration figured out. Your vow renewal Save the Date should simply share your celebration's general gist: the date and location of your vow renewal, as well as you and your partner's names. But, you can always add more details, of course. That's the uniqueness of vow renewals—you can make it your own.

• Website – These days, wedding guests have come to expect websites for a couple’s special day—the same goes for vow renewal celebrations. While you may not have had a website for your wedding, you should definitely consider building a vow renewal website and include the website address on your Save the Date. Zola offers free custom websites for your vow renewal celebration. With easy-to-use tools and gorgeous website templates (and with Save the Dates to match), your guests will be well informed and your vow renewal style will be undeniable.

• RSVPs – If you're wondering whether to include a way for guests to RSVP on your vow renewal Save the Date, the answer is—maybe. While it may take a bit off your plate, this strategy also has the potential to backfire if guests stumble upon other commitments within the six-month interval.

A Change in Time, A Change of Card: Change the Date Cards

On the off chance that you need to postpone your vow renewal ceremony due to weather, travel, or unseen circumstance, there's a handy tool called the Change the Date—a helpful and expeditious version of the Save the Date.

In these unforeseeable moments, it's essential to immediately inform your guests of any changes. And Zola can help.

• Guest List Manager – Instead of relying on a mass-text to alert your vow renewal guests of a change of date, keep things simple with Zola’s Guest List Manager. Not only does this handy tool allow you to keep track of RSVPs, food choices, and addresses for thank you notes, but it also allows you to reach out to your guests all at once through its messaging platform.

• Change the Date Cards – Our selection of tasteful Change the Date cards allows couples to keep to vow renewal etiquette while still expressing their own unique style.

Create Your Vow Renewal Save the Date

Now that you've determined your guest list and general outline, it's time to craft your vow renewal Save the Date.

Wording

Your vow renewal Save the Date should be short and sweet, but don't be afraid to be bold, too. Craft a Save the Date that speaks to you and your partner’s style of you and your partner. But be sure to keep the wording simple and informative: let your guests know when, where, and who. In terms of style and tone, there are a few different themes to adopt:

• Formal – Begin your announcement with a broad declaration of your vow renewal: Sangeet and Chuppah are renewing their vows at Paris' beloved Love Lock Bridge on

• February 14, 2025

• Traditional – Go with a classic: Please Save the Date to celebrate the persisting love of Dr. and Mr. Johnson at their vow renewal on February 14, 2025, at the Empire State Building.

• Casual – Imbue an essence of casual coolness: Come celebrate! Kristy and Diana are saying, "I do"—again! Swing by the Golden Stables Country Club on February 14, 2025.

• Inventive – Send a Save the Date that's truly out of the box: Roses are red, violets are blue, Will and Jada are in love, come celebrate anew! Join us next V-Day at the local skate rink.

No matter your tone or style, make these Save the Dates your own!

Styling and Design

When it comes to the style and design of your vow renewal Save the Date, the options are limitless. Think carefully about what you want to share with your guests and what patterns, designs, and other aesthetic elements you want to incorporate.

Here are a few Save the Date design ideas from to get you started:

• Floral and botanical designs – A flowered Save the Date is a whimsical reprisal of romance and the optimal choice for vow renewals seeped in the summer- or spring-time sun.

• Rustic and vintage designs – The simplicity of these designs apprise casual elegance, notifying your guests that they're bound to have a bit of down-to-earth fun.

• Romantic – Stick with the classics with an enchanting and dreamy design that showcases your deep devotion.

• Modern Minimalist – Keep it simple and sweet. Typically embellished with bold typeface, modern minimalist designs are straight to the point and aesthetically pleasing.

• Bohemian – Show your guests that you're one of the cool couples with intricate designs and illustrations that say, "We're in love!" in an artsy way.

Sourcing

Zola offers a wide selection of Save the Dates in a variety of styles from botanical and bohemian to classic and modern. You and your partner can craft customized prints that truly represent the love and life you’ve built together.

Vow Renewal Celebration Ideas

Before sending out your vow renewal Save the Date to family and friends, it may be important for you to establish a theme for your upcoming vow renewal ceremony to create a cohesive and well-developed concept that weaves throughout your celebration.

When planning your vow renewal ceremony, consider:

• Anniversary traditions
• Wedding traditions
• A fun or meaningful location
• A family or cultural tradition
• The size and desired level of intimacy
• A significant loved one to officiate

Anniversary Celebration

If you and your SO love the simple beauty of tradition, consider renewing your vows on a special wedding anniversary. You can use traditional anniversary celebration elements to inform your Save the Date design and decor. For example, the flower of the tenth anniversary is the daffodil!

You can also incorporate elements of your wedding day throughout the ceremony—whether it's a particular arrangement of flowers or a first-dance song. If your original "I do" is the focus, consider including a photo from your wedding day into your Save the Day.

Bringing Back Wedding Favorites

You've certainly heard the phrase, "Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue." Consider reviving this favorite wedding tradition in your vow renewal and your Save the Date. Decorate your vow renewal ceremony with the old, new, borrowed, and blue of you and your partner's own enduring marriage, and offer a sneak preview on these elements on your vow renewal Save the Date, too.

Location

Maybe your vow renewal is an opportunity for a vacation with family and friends, or maybe it's situated in your hometown. Either way, where you choose to celebrate your vow renewal can provide inspiration for your Save the Date.

If you’re looking forward to a vow renewal right on the shores of Greek Isle, you should take a look at beach-themed Save the Dates. If you’re celebrating in an antique farmhouse, a rustic Save the Date will say it all.

Not sure of what location to choose yet? Here are some ideas to spark your imagination:

• Spiritual Sites – Consider incorporating a certain principle or ritual into your own celebration if spirituality is particularly important to you and your partner. This could be as simple as hosting your vow renewals at a spiritual center of your choice or incorporating a spiritual ritual that’s meaningful to you both.

• The Monte-Carlo – There are few places as romantic as Monte-Carlo, a principality bustling with color, in every sense of the word. The Hotel Metropole Monte-Carlo offers a unique vow renewal experience, in which couples dive underwater to conduct their ceremonies. While vows may have to be shared on dry land, it's an aquatic experience of a lifetime.

• Nature-Filled Resort – Consider a mountain resort that hosts a unique vow renewal celebration in which personalized malas are crafted and cleansed creek-side. The ritual provides a space for couples to deepen their connection and uncover each other's love-based intentions.

Wherever you choose to say “I do” (again), you can find themed Save the Dates perfect for a destination celebration with Zola’s selection of Beach and Destination Save the Dates.

Rewriting Your Vows

Once you've identified your date, location, and Save the Date, it's finally time to put the pen to paper and express why you love your SO so very much. As your drafting your vows, be sure to include the following elements in your speech:

• Reinstating past promises
• Adding a personal touch
• Remembering a meaningful memory
• Committing to future promises
• Confirming your love

Reinstate Past Promises

Take a look back through your old vows (or maybe rewatch the video version of it). What did you promise to your partner back then? Acknowledge and reiterate those promises, their importance in your life today, and how they shaped your marriage.

A Personal Touch

Was there a particularly funny joke you included in your original wedding vows? Did it become an inside joke that’s persisted throughout the years? Or, was there a particularly memorable moment from your wedding day that you and your partner still giggle about? Include it! Sprinkle your modernized vows with particularly intimate or special elements that hold significant meaning for you, your SO, and your marriage.

A Meaningful Memory

Take a moment to think about the memories you’ve shared with your partner that have helped define your partnership—the good, the bad, and the in-between. You can touch briefly on the defining moments of your marriage and how they’ve brought you closer. As always, speak about the moments with authenticity.

Future Promises

Develop a list of two or three promises you plan to make to your partner in the years moving forward. This, again, should be personal to you and your journey as a couple.

But also, don't be afraid to get silly with it. Promise to always brush your teeth immediately after you wake up to avoid your infamous morning breath, or tease your partner with a promise to always order an extra side of fries so you’ll always have enough to share.

Loud in Love

Lastly, tell your partner that you love them. While your vow renewal in and of itself is an act of love, be sure to say the words and seal the deal.

Vow Renewal Pro Tip: Don't wait until the last minute to write your vows. Take the time you need to share your true feelings. Also, embrace sentimentality, but don't stress if you can't include everything.

Reasons to Renew Your Vows

Vow renewals are becoming more and more popular as couples reach milestone anniversaries. There are many reasons why couples embark on a second vow:

• To commemorate the length of a marriage
• To add more romance to a marriage and rekindle romantic feelings
• To embark on a fresh marital start
• To celebrate their love amongst family and friends

No matter the reason, it can be argued vow renewals are often more personal than the first promises. The two of you have already been through sickness and health, through thick and thin, and you still want to be there for each other for the rest of your lives. That’s always something to celebrate.

Customize your vow renewal Save the Date today with specialized designs, fonts, colors, and personalized photos at Zola.