Let's face it: beyond the first couple of anniversaries, many of us have completely run out of new and creative ideas to celebrate what is supposed to be our most romantic date of the year. If you have been married for a number of years and especially if you have kids, the idea of your anniversary just isn't as special as you want it to be, like it used to.



A lot of people believe renewing wedding vows is something that is only appropriate on a milestone anniversary, like the twentieth or later. The truth is, that renewing the vows you made at your wedding is an incredibly romantic gesture that is appropriate to any anniversary (including your first one!). Consider the following:

* Even if you recall your vows, the odds are that there are a few that you miss. Renewing vows can be a great way to remember exactly what you promised.

* Renewing vows will take on a whole new perspective in the context of your marriage. You are no longer the two idealistic individuals who entered into a marriage contract; instead, you are a united couple with a better understanding of exactly what those vows mean. Every year of marriage brings a better understanding of your mate and your relationship, and repeating your vows will show them in a whole new light.

* Beyond a shady idea that they promised not to cheat and something about sickness and health, not many people can really remember what they said on their wedding day. This is not because the vows were not meaningful; most of the time the wedding is a bit of a blur for both the bride and the groom, so neither are likely to remember even important details.

In order to renew your vows, you might want to start by finding out what you said in the first place! If you took part in a standard wedding ceremony then this part is actually pretty easy. Find the text that the officiator used; standard vows are often the same no matter what faith or justice you used.

If you wrote your own vows, the job could be a bit harder. First, check to see if you kept copies in your personal mementos. The odds are pretty good that you did. If not, check your wedding video and with relatives to see if you can track down what you said.

Remember that the renewal of vows is not just a romantic notion, it is actually a renewal -- of vows! Aside from the act itself indicating "you'd do it all over again" it also offers you the opportunity to reflect on your duties and commitments and even improve the relationship through the "if I knew then what I know now" factor. You've learned a lot about each other since getting married, here's the perfect opportunity to use that information to make the relationship even better.

Renewing wedding vows on your wedding anniversary also allows a couple to add parts to the contract that they had not thought of at the time of the wedding. If we're honest, most of us can admit that we had no idea what we were in for when we first tied the knot. Adding some vows that are relevant to the experiences of time will add an even greater feeling of commitment to your marriage.