Vow renewals are not just for celebrities

Vow renewals are not just for celebrities – The Chester Hotel, Aberdeen welcomes couples saying I do, I do, I do

Jay Z and Beyonce; David and Victoria Beckham; Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne – just some of the celebrity couples who have celebrated their love by renewing their marriage vows. But if you think that having a second wedding is the realm the rich and famous, think again.

A survey* showed that almost a fifth of UK couples plan to renew the vows they made on their wedding day – or have already done so.

Around a third of couples who plan to have the happiest day of their life again do so to coincide with a milestone anniversary, while around a quarter see it as an opportunity to have the wedding they always wanted but could not afford the first time around.

The Chester Hotel in Aberdeen has seen an increase in the number of couples expressing an interest in vow renewals and, says events manager Ngaire Stanaway, there are many different reasons as to why they want to walk down the aisle for a second time.

“It is the case that the majority of couples will want to renew their vows on a special milestone, such as a ten year or a silver wedding anniversary, but for others it can be for more personal reasons,” she explained.

“It’s not unusual for couples to want to get reaffirm their vows after a particularly turbulent or challenging time in their marriage, or even after the arrival of children so they can demonstrate their love and devotion to being part of a family.

“However, some are quite upfront about the fact that they just want a wedding day do-over, to do things differently than they did the first time around. And that’s the real beauty of a vow renewal service – it’s a symbolic gesture with no legal requirements, so it can take any shape the couple want it to take.”

Although having the wedding they always wanted ranks high among the reasons for renewing vows, it’s relatively uncommon for couples to commit the same level of expenditure. The research on vow renewal trends by American Express shows that, on average, couples will spend in the region of £1,600 to £2,285 on the event.

In general, the services tend to be smaller, more relaxed affairs with only close family and friends invited along. Quite often key players from the original line-up, such as bridesmaids, best men and groomsmen, will have a role to play – sometimes even leading the ceremony since an official does not need to preside over the proceedings.

Ngaire added: “In terms of the vows, these can be the vows that they made years previously or completely new vows which reflect the journey as a married couple. I’ve known couples to include elements of both, which I think works really well as it looks back to the past as well as the future.

“While across the board vow renewals don’t involve the same number of guests as the original wedding, many people will want to share their second special day with friends that they have made since their Vow renewals are not just for celebrities wedding. While some will want a small, intimate gathering, others will want to get all their family and friends together for a day – and night – of celebrations.

“But not all vow renewal services are held years after the original wedding. As many couples now decided to go abroad to get married in a destination wedding, some want to have a celebration when they return and decide to incorporate vows as part of that event.”

Regardless of the size of the party attending the reaffirmation, The Chester Hotel – a luxury four silver star venue set in Aberdeen’s fashionable west end – has a space to suit.

The hotel has a number of elegant private dining rooms set off the main IX Restaurant, including the stunning Granite Balcony. With capacity for 20 guests, the main feature of the secluded private dining room is a spacious balcony which provides stunning views across Aberdeen and to the south of the city.

The main function suite – The Granite Suite – can be configured to host different sizes of groups, and as from spring of 2019 it will be the city’s leading venue for those who want to make their vow renewal celebrations even bigger than before.

The ballroom, complete with state-of-the-art lighting and sound and a fantastic dancefloor, is being extended and the new capacity will allow for a maximum of 400 people in a drinks reception, 320 for a dinner dance and 340 seated for dinner.

The Chester Hotel has set menus for wedding breakfasts – created by the award-winning kitchen team - but also offers a series of flexible add-on elements, allowing couples to customise their preferences for toast drinks, table wine and evening buffet.