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Just Said Yes January 2019

Vow Renewal 6 months after wedding due to military stuff. Help with wording on the invite?

Amanda, on November 25, 2018 at 5:33 PM Posted in Etiquette and Advice 1 5
Ok. So my soon to be husband is active duty military. We're set to PCS in April. We're going to elope in January to get all the "paperwork" stuff taken care of before the move; it's a nightmare moving as just a girlfriend and it will benefit us both greatly to be legally wed when we go through that process. Anyway. We understand, obviously, that this January courthouse event will be our official wedding. I'll have a dress, a maid of honor, a few pictures. However, we're keeping it very small. Both sets of parents know and aren't even flying out for it as we're really seeing it more as "admin" stuff due to the military circumstances. What we are focusing on is an actual big time exchange of vows with all our family and friends in June in our new location. We'll have much more personalized and romantic vows to exchange at that point in a much prettier location with all our family members making the trek for the event. I know that many, many people dislike the idea of a ceremony after the ceremony but this is what it is.

What I'm looking for is advice on the wording of the invitation to the vow exchange or vow renewal or marriage celebration - whatever we should call it.

Everyone on both sides knows of the elopement, so that's not a secret, I just want to somehow make it clear on the invite that we're not doing this to piss anyone off but that we're doing this because the USAF denies benefits during a duty change to anyone who isn't a legal dependent. Ugh.

Anyway. Advice?

Maybe something like A and J were legally wed in January but will be exchanging vows with the support of their families and friends in June? I don't know. I'm not eloquent with words. Please help! Thanks!

5 Comments

Latest activity by Jazmine, on December 30, 2018 at 10:08 PM
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    Mim ·
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    So and so invite you to the marriage celebration of Couple
    Date
    Time
    Place

    Or couple invites you to a celebration of their marriage
    Date
    Time
    Place
    • Reply
  • AMANDA
    Dedicated January 2019
    AMANDA ·
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    I would call this a wedding celebration or official wedding celebration. Your official marriage ceremony would be the courthouse, but your wedding is what you are actually having IMO.
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  • MrsD
    Legend July 2019
    MrsD ·
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    I would say vow renewal, since the renewals I have been to usually include vows & reception.

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  • Maren
    Champion October 2021
    Maren ·
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    Hi Amanda! Welcome to WeddingWire and congrats on your marriage and soon-to-be vow renewal celebration!

    The others give some great recommendations here. Whether you word it as " marriage celebration", "celebration of marriage, or "vow renewal" or a combination of these descriptions, you can word it however you'd like and it will be great. Smiley smile Either way, it's your special day to celebrate your marriage with all of your closest loved ones, friends and family.

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  • Jazmine
    Savvy January 2020
    Jazmine ·
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    I would call it a wedding celebration or celebration of marriage. My husband and I recently just got married, but I also want to do the dream wedding...I want to get a dress, have a reception, a small bridal party. I don’t know if I’ll have my dad walk me down the aisle or if I’ll wear white but I’m definitely looking forward to having a big celebration with all my family and friends.
    I say DO YOU! It’s your special day and I say do what makes your heart happy! Congratulations!
    • Reply

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