DEAR ABBY: My stepdaughter and her husband have been married just five years, and now they want to renew their wedding vows. Their first ceremony was a "quickie" before a local judge with no family or friends present.
Would it be proper for them to renew their wedding vows in a church with a reception afterward? If so, who pays for the event, and do the guests bring gifts? -- CONFUSED IN NEW JERSEY
DEAR CONFUSED: A renewal or reaffirmation of wedding vows has become increasingly popular in recent years, usually for couples who have been married 10 or more years. Traditionally, wedding vows are repeated on the couple's anniversary, with each promising to continue to "love, honor and cherish."
There is no right or wrong way to renew one's wedding vows. It can be done as formally as a church ceremony (white gown and all), or as casually as giving a party, inviting a clergyperson, and verbalizing your love and commitment to each other in the privacy of your living room, surrounded by family and friends.
The couple pays for the event, including the reception. No gifts from the guests are expected, although it would be gracious to bring the couple a gift to mark their latest wedding anniversary. They may wish to exchange rings again, either old or new.