Need help with vow renewal ideas please!

[Aquaticdreams]

Hi all,

 

We’re sailing on Celebrity in January to celebrate our 25th anniversary. We want to do a vow renewal while on board. Celebrity charges $600 plus extra for the photos (another $400-$2000 package). I have a hard time swallowing that price for a 15 - 20 minute ceremony. It will be just the two of us so there won’t be any extra readings, socializing, gathering for cake or anything like that. So I’m thinking about doing something on our own. I’ve heard some people have a family member or friend officiate but we won’t be traveling with anyone so that’s not an option for us. Has anyone done an informal renewal with just the two of you? What did you do? Any ideas for creative ways to make it a special renewal celebration? Thanks!

[JeannyJ]

Hi!  We're going on an Alaskan cruise in July (on Holland America) for our 25th anniversary and I'd love to know what you decided to do for your vow renewal. We'll be travelling alone too and can't afford the Vow Renewal package so would love to do something on our own. Our TA is supposed to be letting the cruiseline know about our anniv and our kids will be getting us the Happy Anniversary gift package (flowers, balloons and a $15 photo credit for the special day), and I'm looking for something simple to put on our stateroom door. We'll also be using our specialty dining credit that night but I'd really like to have a renewal of some kind too.

[lobsternight]

@JeannyJ We are doing our 30th on April 30th Alaska on HAL.  We purchased the package for $250, includes ceremony, flowers in stateroom, dinner for two at Pinnacle, small cake, 1 photo, and a few other things.  Thought at that price it was a good deal.  We never had a formal wedding due to a sick family member so guess its finally it lol

[JeannyJ]

8 hours ago, lobsternight said:

@JeannyJ We are doing our 30th on April 30th Alaska on HAL.  We purchased the package for $250, includes ceremony, flowers in stateroom, dinner for two at Pinnacle, small cake, 1 photo, and a few other things.  Thought at that price it was a good deal.  We never had a formal wedding due to a sick family member so guess its finally it lol

That will be a wonderful way to finally get your wedding! We can't afford that package so I'm hoping we can still find a way to do a renewal without it. If not we still have a really good day planned and hopefully we can get a pic taken along the railing at sunset or something romantic like that.

[lobsternight]

@JeannyJI'm sure you will find someone more than willing to take a few pictures.

 

We were on a sailing and this wonderful couple from the UK were married on board, no family with them.  I saw the groom the next day and he looked sick, he just came back from the photo lab and they wanted $5000 for the photos.  In the end they negotiated $2500, and honestly the photos were just OK. I know if they had asked my wife or I we would have gladly done the photos as we were 5 days at sea.

 

Another quick comment, years ago I had my mother on a  cruise and on deck some random passenger came up and offered to take our picture.  It was the best picture ever taken of the two of us.  I brought it bedside to her during her final days in hospice, and now sits in my livingroom.

 

Quick thought, some ships have a chaplain of some sort.  Perhaps they could do vows  

[JeannyJ]

@lobsternightthanks for the chaplain idea. I'll have to see if there's one on our ship and if they'll do it. I'm finding cruising on a budget to be very limiting LOL  Like finding a hotel in Van that we can afford and that has a shuttle to the cruise terminal. 🤔

[lobsternight]

Out of interest i called HAL yesterday about extra invitations to our renewal.  Not bad, about $14 each.

 

@JeannyJtotally know about cruising on a budget.  Sometimes one has to consider where it is best to spend the money. Hope everything works out for your renewal.  Also look into the West Coast Departure board.  You may want to spend the night in Richmond (airport) and take transit to the dock.

[Bellanina]

We are celebrating a special anniversary via a cruise too. We hope to renew vows while in port at the sister city to that which we were married in the USA. Have been reaching out for services while we are in port one day and photographers seem more affordable for an informal private ceremony. Try looking at experiences through air bnb as you may find local photographers. As well, hiring a private driver while in port is an option. We will also take advantage of what our cruise line offers on board- I think I read that cake, champagne and complimentary ceremony from Captain or  Events Coordinator is available if we notify them 90 days prior. 

[JeannyJ]

On 2/28/2023 at 9:02 PM, Bellanina said:

We are celebrating a special anniversary via a cruise too. We hope to renew vows while in port at the sister city to that which we were married in the USA. Have been reaching out for services while we are in port one day and photographers seem more affordable for an informal private ceremony. Try looking at experiences through air bnb as you may find local photographers. As well, hiring a private driver while in port is an option. We will also take advantage of what our cruise line offers on board- I think I read that cake, champagne and complimentary ceremony from Captain or  Events Coordinator is available if we notify them 90 days prior. 

We're going to Alaska and as much as I'd love to renew at one of our stops (we're in Juneau for 1/2 day on our anniv) it wouldn't seem fare to do that much without our kids. And HAL has a renewal package that will get all that too but unfortunately we can't afford it so I'm trying to come up with other ideas to make the day special beyond eating at one of the specialty dining rooms. Our kids will get us the Happy Anniversary package that comes with flowers, balloons and photo credits and I'm hoping I can get the chaplain to do the renewal for free (or cheaper at least) some place nice on the ship ... hopefully at sunset. I'm hoping our TA was able to dig up some ideas too 🤞

[elizabeth1978]

My husband and I have been married for 10 years this year and we are about to go on a cruise to the Bahamas. We are both very excited and will be conducting a little oceanside ceremony on the beach while we are there.
He surprised me with a new ring for our 10 year anniversary as well that I will start wearing after the ceremony...I think it is pretty timeless...

https://connuit.com/collections/pear/products/tapered-baguette-ring-pear?variant=40419436003397