Ideas for Celebration of Marriage

I think the restate vows would be ok but idk about the video... I think I'd be like "uhhh?"

I'm also confused as to why his status in the military makes it so you have to elope now and celebrate later.

I love the restate the vows portion and if you'd want to show the video, I'd have it playing in the background while other events take place (i.e dinner, reception, etc.). But overall, I think a fun reception would be a nice way to celebrate.

Eh. I don't think either is necessary. My thought, as a guest, would be "They already said their vows - why are they doing it again." You could play the video, but I might not focus on it.

Just have a good party!

I would skip saying vows and show the video. Your family will probably enjoy seeing the day you actually said your vows.

At some venues that I toured, they had big screen that would loop pictures or video. Could you do something like that? As I guest, I would like to see it, but it isn't the focal point.

Thanks for the input guys. I wasn't sure about the whole part about saying our vows again (we are writing our own so I didn't know if people would want to hear that). If you think as a guest it would be a bore given our status already, I don't have a problem cutting it.

@Eleanor, I apologize for not explaining it in detail, I've explained it a few times on here and didn't want to sound super redundant. It's a situation many military couples end up in, and while it isn't the most convenient, it's what we need to do. We are currently long distance and he is unable to take leave, so it would be more financially responsible to elope and celebrate later than try to fund plane tickets/hotels/ and a big wedding for our families where he is currently stationed.

Maybe have the video play during a cocktail hour as guests mingle?

I don't have any advice, I just want to add that I think the phrase "cerephony" is hilarious...

One of my customers told me recently that they got married at the local Starbucks with an officiant, at a table, just before he deployed to Afghanistan. Apparently this is not all that uncommon.

I agree...just party!

The military does not recognize girlfriends or fiancées. The only thing that exists to them is a legal spouse, which will allow the couple to get benefits.

I wasn't meaning to pry. I stepped away from WW for a few weeks right before and after my wedding so I probably missed it. If everyone else is against restating vows I saw this thing on Pinterest where you write whatever you love about them (could be your vows in your case) and then they color some of the words differently so the overall effect is saying "HIM" and "HER" in the different color over the entire thing. Might be a neat way to showcase them while not focusing on them?

We are signing our marriage license next week. We have to, for financial and health reasons. We both agree though, that we would rather wait until our wedding next year, but it's important that we do it now.

So, we don't want the ceremony while signing the license to be meaningful or anything. We will just be meeting with the officiant so that he can sign it. It will not be ceremonial, even if it usually is. We will probably have to say some kind of vows, but they are just whatever.

In April (not March, date's not set yet) we will be having our symbolic ceremony wedding in Mexico, on a beautiful beach. We will say our own personal vows, and in front of our family. He will then put my wedding band on my finger for the first time. After the wedding, I will then change my last name.

@Eleanor that sounds interesting, but I'm not able to picture it. Did you happen to pin it and have the link? If not, no worries though

As far as re-stating the vows, I see that it's been kind of a mixed review on here, so I might consult close family and get a feel for what they think. I feel like we have a lot of freedom to make it into something neat, but having no set expectations makes it harder to envision.

Cerephony...that's awesome!!!!!