DOUBLE YOUR FUN
Kelly Dooley has been married to her husband for 10 years this May. “We got married on his mom’s porch with just his immediate family present,” says Dooley of her original wedding. “We only have a small roll of film from that day.”
For their 10th anniversary, the Dooleys are celebrating a vow renewal ceremony at Shades of Green Military Resort in Disney World. “All of these years we have wanted to have my family and our friends be a part of everything, and have the pictures to share like you see on everyone else’s walls and table tops,” says Dooley.
Like the Dooleys, many couples choose to have their renewal ceremony at a location that is also appropriate for a belated honeymoon. While Dooley admits that her renewal ceremony isn’t being held at an inexpensive venue, you can find great deals for destination events.
“One of the biggest trends right now is to combine the wedding vow renewal event and second honeymoon at a bed-and-breakfast,” says Sharon Naylor, former Army spouse and author of ‘Renewing Your Wedding Vows: A Complete Planning Guide to Saying ‘I Still Do.'” “Some (bed and breakfasts) are quaint, some are modern, some are located in tourist towns,” says Naylor. “And you can often find really cool free things to do around the area.”
Use BNBFinder.com to find bed and breakfasts in the United States and overseas.
PARTY WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY
Kathy Crafton and her husband eloped on the night before he was deployed to
Afghanistan. Five years later, the couple invited 150 guests to a vow renewal to celebrate the wedding ceremony they never had. “It was at a local country club that specialized in weddings,” says Crafton. “By using their services, doing most of the small stuff by myself, and getting supplies from thrift shops or eBay, we were able to have a very nice wedding for under $3,000.”
Another way to save money on a big function is to consider when you will have the event. “It doesn’t have to be on your anniversary,” says Naylor. “You can pick whatever day you like. Weeknight rates at hotels (and other event facilities) can be much cheaper than the weekend rates.”
Naylor also recommends considering the season: “Based on the region where
you live, winter is often a cheaper time to plan an event.”
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