What do you think when you hear someone is renewing their wedding vows?

[Mytwistedimagination]

Just that. Do you see it as a positive or negative? Do you assume there's a particular reason behind it?

(Reading that back, it sounds like journo fishing. It's not, believe me!)

I think I'd assume one of them had n affair and they're trying to draw a line under it.

I'd assume someone cheated

I would think "ooh, that's the first time I've ever come across this outside of a soap opera or a cheesy film"

Cheating

someone's had an affair.

My first thought would be someone cheated.

Unless they are in the US, where I believe it's a 'thing'.

I think Brits tend to be much more cynical about it & assume it's about making amends for wrongdoing.

Really? My brother n sister in law are doing this in July. They've been married 25 years. I thought cheesy as fuck, but cheating didn't occur to me.

They're not particularly happy, so don't really know why they're doing it.

Seems to be a bit of a theme going on here...

bastard that's really odd! Maybe they're unhappy about something and are drawing a line under it, even if it's not infidelity?

Self indulgent.

Cheating.

Yep definitely an affair.

Unless it is a landmark anniversary I would suspect cheating too.

I’d hope it was for lovely mushy romantic reasons but would worry about the couple and if they were ok as the one renewal of vows I have been to later turned out to have been organised because the husband had been told his illness was terminal. They weren’t ready to tell other people (understandably) so as guests we didn’t know. I would not assume affair, but looks like I may be in a minority there!

I wouldn't think it was to do with cheating. I'd just assume they were really self-obsessed, unless they went off completely alone and didn't invite guests, etc. I don't get it.

Without knowing type of people or their relationship it's hard to answer... I think some people even do it because at the time of their wedding they didn't do it the way they wanted or could afford to. So many possible reasons.

I would assume they had a reason.

That reason could be sad (like illness), self indulgence or cheating. None of which is wildly romantic. And I'd hope they didn't expect another present!

I would hope that they are ok and that it goes well for them. ProseccoPoppy, my husband and I reaffirmed our vows when he was diagnosed with a terminal illness, so it is probably more common than you’d think.

I don't know anyone who has done it I seems to me to be an American celebby thing, post cheating.

I thought about doing it, because we've been happily married for 25 years but we did not enjoy our wedding (and I'd like to celebrate of family now we have children)

I would call it a vowel renewal if I did it though - I think the guests might think it was a celebby post-cheating thing

Sorry I would not call it a vowel renewal

Also, on reflection, I think I wouldn't do it because a lot of the same issues about who to invite would rear their heads again, thus spoiling it AGAIN

I've never come across it anywhere except on MN.

Unless there was something obvious like serious illness, I'd assume that the couple have been going through a bad period in their marriage, not necessarily an affair but that would be the most likely thing.

My MIL and FIL had their vows renewed, at the time I was slightly annoyed at the inconvenience to family members to attend.

It was for their 40th wedding anniversary and it was a religous ceremony with a photo shoot afterwards. We all had to dress in white for the photo's and afterwards had a elaborate lunch at a local winery.

I just thought it was really self indulgent and didn't understand why you would need to retake your vows as a vow is till death. Unless someone has broken a vow, I don't see the need. I think it had something to do with my MIL getting super religious as she got older.

Why would you renew your vows unless you have broken them?

Vow renewal!! I knew that didn't sound right

I would think, “why do they need to ‘renew’ the vows unless they broke them?” And then I would think, “if it didn’t stick the first time what difference will it make now?” Then I’d go on my way because I’m unlikely to be invited to the renewal ceremony for obvious reasons.