Celebrity Inspiration for Your Second Wedding Ceremony & Vow Renewal

Plan the perfect sequel wedding with inspiration from these sweet celebrity ‘I do’-overs. 

 

Plus pro tips for wedding officiants! 

 

 

Sequel weddings and vow renewals give you and your partner multiple chances – and multiple ceremonies – to celebrate your marriage. 

 

If your first wedding ceremony didn’t include all the elements or people you wish it had, why not celebrate with a second?

 

A second ceremony is also the perfect opportunity to renew your wedding vows, make new promises to each other, recognize children and new members of the family, honor a milestone or personal success, and celebrate the importance of commitment and love with your entire community. 

 

Next, ask a friend or family member to officiate your second ceremony. 

 

Then, visit our Wedding Ceremony Script Library to see full sample scripts for Vow Renewals and Sequel Weddings.

 

 

1. Beyoncé and Jay-Z 

 

Highlights: 

 

• Destination ceremony
• Celebrated with children
• New written vows to acknowledge growth

 

Follow Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s lead and embark on a relaxing vacation for your second ceremony, in the company of your children, parents, and a few close friends. Exchange new personal vows to acknowledge growth in your marriage, and ask a parent, close friend, or mentor to officiate the ceremony. 

 

Beyonce and Jay-Z pose together on the beach during their lowkey vacation for her 33rd birthday, when the couple renewed their commitment with new vows. (via Daily Mail) 

 

These two musical icons first eloped in New York in 2008, just days after picking up their marriage license and without ever announcing their engagement. This super secret, no-fuss elopement will probably sound familiar to couples who decided to ‘f*** it and just get hitched’ in small quickie ceremonies during the months of wedding delays caused by the pandemic.

 

Beyoncé and Jay-Z renewed their commitment in 2014 with a private destination ceremony held on a pristine Mediterranean beach in the island of Corsica. This sweet ceremony included new vows written especially for the occasion, and only Beyoncé’s mom (Tina), their daughter (Blue Ivy), and a few close friends were invited to attend.

 

The couple renewed their vows again more publicly in 2018 for their 10 year anniversary, sharing footage of that elaborate ceremony at the start of their joint tour.

 

Pro Tip for Officiants: You don’t need to register as an officiant in a new location when performing a destination vow renewal. There won’t be any paperwork to sign or file – so just relax and enjoy the celebration. 

 

Related: A Wedding Officiant's Guide to Performing Destination and Cruise Ship Weddings

 

 

 

2. Dolly Parton and Carl Dean

 

Highlights: 

 

• Celebrated on a meaningful anniversary
• Raised donations for a charitable organization 
• A longtime friend designed the wedding dress

 

Take inspiration from Dolly and Carl and host your second ceremony close to home with only your dearest friends and family. Accept donations for a chosen charity in lieu of traditional wedding gifts, and ask creative friends to help officiate, decorate, and make the party memorable. 

Dolly describes her vow renewal during an episode of Home and Family next to her custom wedding dress and Carl's wedding suit. Image credit: Hallmark Channel

 

Dolly and Carl were first married in a private ceremony on Memorial Day, in 1966, with just Dolly’s mother (Avie Lee), the preacher, and the preacher’s wife in attendance (via DollyParton.com). It was a simple, heartfelt affair – one that might sound familiar to many couples who were married in tiny Covid-era elopements and micro weddings during the pandemic. 

 

For their second wedding ceremony, Dolly and Carl kept things intimate in a private vow renewal in Nashville in 2016. This time around, Dolly wore a wedding dress designed by a friend, Steve Summers, and photos from the event were auctioned off to benefit the children’s charity, Imagination Foundation (via CountryLiving.com). 

 

Related: Give Your Wedding a 1960s Pop Infusion with These 10 Songs & Lyrics

 

Pro Tip for Officiants: Dolly and Carl’s second ceremony made special tribute to their first, by being held on the same holiday weekend. Ask the couple what they liked best about their first wedding and use those details to inspire their second.       

                                                                                                       
                             
 

3. Viola Davis and Julius Tennon 

 

Highlights:
 

• Meaningful readings delivered by guests
• Walked down the aisle together 
• Custom wedding cocktail and all night dance party

 

Trust Viola and Julius’s star-powered style to help you plan your own high-energy sequel ceremony. Incorporate a unity ritual, share heartwarming readings on love and commitment, and walk down the aisle together, before dancing the night away with friends and family.

 

Julius and Viola kiss during their elegant all-white vow renewal ceremony. (via SheKnows)

 

Viola and Julius were first married in 2003 in a small ceremony at home in their apartment, with around 50 friends crowded into the living room. They held a second wedding a few months later in Rhode Island, with about a 100 guests, and then, a boisterous vow renewal in 2013, which finally gave Viola the celebration of her dreams. 

 

Related: Can’t book a wedding venue? Consider a micro-wedding, or backyard wedding ceremony instead!

 

The couple’s Valentine’s Day vow renewal featured a celebrity guest list, a custom cocktail (the Ju-V juice), a swanky hotel venue, and all white cocktail attire. Viola and Julius walked down the aisle together, led by their daughter (Genesis), who carried the broom they’d jumped as part of a unity ritual during their first wedding ceremony (via The Knot).  

 

Pro Tip for Officiants: If the couple included a unity ceremony in their first wedding, such as a handfasting or knot tying, sand ceremony, tree planting, or jumping the broom, find a sweet way to incorporate the keepsake in the sequel wedding. Don’t be afraid to give this ceremony a party vibe – there are no rules for sequel ceremonies!  `

 

 

 

4. Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas

 

Highlights: 

 

• Two ceremonies celebrated two religions and cultures
• Both ceremonies planned at the same time
• The groom’s father served as wedding officiant 

 

Take inspiration from Priyanka and Nick’s stunning celebrations and ask a parent or friend to officiate, plan your first and second ceremonies at the same time, include elements from each of your faiths and cultures, and host as many receptions as you want.

 

Nick and Priyanka's two breathtaking wedding looks. (via DNAIndia)

 

 

This stunning couple’s first and second ceremonies were held only a day apart and were planned at the same time. The first ceremony was officiated by Nick’s father, who was ordained for the occasion, and followed a Western Christian tradition. The second wedding followed the Hindu tradition to honor Priyanka’s family and culture. 

 

These two ceremonies highlighted the intercultural and interfaith relationship these two enjoy, and the rich wedding traditions practiced in each of their faiths. They also planned several elaborate pre-wedding activities (the Haldi, Mehendi and Sangeet ceremonies) and held 3 large receptions during their first month of marriage. There were fireworks, dancing, celebrity guests, and much, much more. 

 

Related: Red Wedding Dresses: Symbolism and Modern Meanings

 

Pro Tip for Officiants: If you know the couple will be holding a second ceremony later, try to plan both events at the same time. This can ensure that both ceremonies are exactly what they want at the time, and that no special elements get overlooked. If one of their ceremonies follows an unfamiliar faith tradition, consider working with a co-officiant to craft an authentic experience. 

 

 

5. Justin Beiber and Hailey Beiber

 

Highlights: 

 

• Traditional ceremony with wedding officiant, bridesmaids and groomsmen
• Celebrated with personal gifts
• A luxurious wedding venue and large guest list

 

Follow Justin and Hailey’s lead and go big with an extravagant full ceremony for your sequel celebration. Ask a wedding officiant to oversee the vow exchange, walk down the aisle, include friends and family to serve as part of the wedding party, choose a lux wedding venue, and exchange personal wedding gifts to commemorate the day. 

 

Justin and Hailey pose outdoors following their South Carolina vow renewal, which aired as  'The Wedding: Officially Mr. & Mrs. Bieber' on YouTube (via The Sun)

 

 

This young-and-in-love couple were first married in a small courthouse wedding in 2018 after a very short engagement, which probably sounds familiar to couples who got married in a simple signing ceremony or elopement during the Covid pandemic. 

 

For their sequel wedding ceremony a year later, Justin and Hailey went big – this time indulging in the full ceremony experience. They gathered friends and family at a fashionable wedding venue in South Carolina, exchanged extravagant wedding gifts, and even had friends and family serve as wedding attendants. The second ceremony was performed by an experienced officiant, and included all of the traditional elements the couple weren’t able to include during their first celebration. 

 

Pro Tip for Officiants: Sequel weddings give couples an amazing opportunity to have the ‘traditional’ wedding experience they might have missed the first time around. Ask the couple what they wished their first celebration had included, and build something special around those elements.

 

 

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You might also like: 

 

• Sequel Wedding Ceremony Script: What to Say During a Couple’s Second Ceremony
   
• Sequel Weddings: What to Expect From a Couple’s Second Ceremony
   

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