There aren’t many occasions that are more romantic than a wedding vow renewal ceremony, except of course from the original wedding.
It’s a chance to reaffirm your commitment to each other, celebrate reaching a milestone and reflect on the incredible journey you’ve been on together. It’s also a great excuse for a party with all your closest family and friends.
But the big question is what to wear when renewing wedding vows? Do you keep it as formal as your wedding day, or can you be more relaxed? A suit will always be an excellent choice for this kind of occasion, but there are lots of different style directions you can go in.
Suit Ideas for Your Vow Renewal Ceremony
Vow renewal ceremonies tend to be less formal than weddings, or at least they offer the freedom to be a little more relaxed in terms of the dress code. These are highly personal events, so they can be as dressed up, laid back or as themed as you like. There aren’t really any expectations, unlike with weddings.
Once you and your partner have decided on a colour scheme, theme or just an overall vibe for your ceremony, you can start choosing a suit.
There are a few different directions you can go in:
- Timeless formalwear for a classic, traditional wedding-style ceremony – you might even want to wow your partner with a full-on tuxedo
- Smart-casual looks, such as a single-breasted suit with an open collar shirt in a print or pattern
- Occasion-specific style to match the setting, such as a sleek tailored suit for a city event, or laid-back linen for a beach or garden celebration.
Ultimately, you might decide to prioritise comfort and personal expression over formality. This is your day, so you can wear whatever you like.
Choose a Style That Reflects the Setting
The only real rule to bear in mind when deciding what to wear for a wedding vow renewal is that you should ideally match the setting. The venue and time of day should influence your look, or at least the level of formality you decide on. The last thing you want is to feel out of place on your special day.
Here are a handful of ideas for setting-specific styles:
- Beach – opt for a linen suit in a pale tone, such as ivory, beige or perhaps light blue
- Garden – aim for a suit in soft, earthy hues, such as sage green, taupe or dusty rose. You may also want to add the smallest floral note, such as a floral print pocket square or tie – but be careful not to overdo it
- City – if you’re celebrating the occasion in a hotel, restaurant or perhaps a rooftop bar, stick to a plain, smart and well-tailored suit in navy or charcoal
- Destination – if you’re renewing your vows overseas in a glamorous villa, a light coloured summer suit is a fitting choice. You may also want to keep it less formal in separates, making sure to choose breathable fabrics if you’re going somewhere hot.
Keep Comfort and Sentiment in Mind
Many couples like to personalise their wedding vow renewal ceremony, and this extends to outfits as well as decorations and themes.
Small, personal touches can be profoundly moving on occasions like these. Your partner will well up when they see that you’re wearing part of your original wedding outfit, or that you’ve had custom embroidery done on the inside of your suit jacket bearing the date of both the wedding and the renewal ceremony.
Even just a colour you both love or that means something to you or reflects your relationship is a lovely thing to include.
It’s also really important to prioritise comfort. This is a day you really want to enjoy, so you don’t want to be squirming in an ill-fitting suit. It’s best to have a practice run in the outfit you’ll be wearing, so you can check the fit and make sure you’re comfortable.
Relaxed Looks for Beach or Garden Renewals
The beach is a popular place for wedding vow renewals, along with beautiful, flower-filled gardens. Both are excellent choices for summer, but you’ll need to dress accordingly to look the part and avoid overheating.
Here are some tips for putting together the perfect look for beach or garden renewal ceremonies:
- Go for plain suits and open collar shirts, with no tie
- Keep it relaxed with loafers or another casual shoe style – you can even go barefoot if you’re on the beach
- Mix and match separates are a good alternative if you don’t want to wear a fully coordinated suit
- Aim for a soft, romantic colour palette, such as blush, sand, stone or powder blue.
When it comes to coordinating with your partner’s outfit, the key is to complement, not exactly match. Choose a colour from their dress or suit, and bring it into your own look. You can also choose complementary colours as part of your overall colour scheme for the day.
Timeless Tailoring for Classic Celebrations
For some couples, it just has to be a traditional, formal ceremony, where everyone gets dressed up in their finest just like in the original wedding.
In some ways, this makes it easier to decide on what to wear to a vow renewal ceremony. You can simply choose a classic tuxedo or formal three-piece suit, in a classic colour like black, charcoal or rich midnight blue.
If you want to modernise the look, you can add in textured fabrics such as tweed or herringbone.
Above all, you need to get the tailoring spot-on. This is well worth paying attention to, along with a crisply pressed shirt, polished shoes and carefully chosen accessories.