Eloped for visa purposes. Now planning a wedding celebration - vows?

[OatMilkLattes]

Hi,

I posted a while ago under a different name that we were planning on doing this but had to have the thread deleted because people were so mean. So I’ll start out by saying, please don't be cruel! This is not the way I wanted to get married and we are trying to make the best of it.

We eloped (no one knows) a few months back for visa reasons. We couldn’t afford a wedding of any kind, not even a meal (and that’s not what we wanted tbh!), we were in the process of moving around the world. The entire situation was stressful but transactional and was a means to an end.

We are now saving and planning for our wedding celebration. We are planning for two years time, so exactly 10 years after we got together. I just wanted to know if anyone else has done this? What sort of vows did you say? How did you make it feel like a real celebration?

Hi OP.

I'd go for a wedding "blessing" and just have whatever ceremony/reception you like. For everyone saying you can't do it because you're already married... that's BS. Many people renew their vows. So just treat it like that - a renewal of the commitment you've already made, but this time in front of friends and family.

Congratulations on your marriage by the way, even if it wasn't done quite the way you wanted x

It makes more sense to have a big party for your 10th anniversary or have a wedding vow renewal. It could still be fancy and with a professional photographer. You’ve already been married for 2 years so this won’t be a wedding.

Very weird to have a full on ‘wedding ceremony’ that includes one or a few of the following: wedding dress, exchanging rings, walking down the aisle, best man/bridesmaids, stag/hen do, wedding cake etc. Your guests won’t be watching you get married because you’re already married and have been for years.