Alexandrea Acevedo, a woman from Orlando, Florida, who spent over $30,000 on a wedding she “hated,” found a new way to have a “beautiful” and “stress-free” marriage experience by renewing her vows for less than a grand and loving every minute of it. She and her husband, Michael Acevedo, renewed their vows last year, going up a mountain with three of their four children, and she described it as a “beautiful day.” Reflecting on her original wedding, she felt that it was a waste of money and that they did what everyone else wanted instead of having their dream wedding day.
The couple met in January 2017 and got engaged in April of the same year after a whirlwind romance. Alexandrea wanted a “pretty dress, photographer, and to go to a mountain,” but due to pressure from family members, they ended up having a giant wedding. She spent over a year planning a garden-themed event for 200 guests, feeling stressed and anxious throughout the whole day in September 2018. She hardly remembers the day as it was a blur with chaos going on, and she felt exhausted by trying to please everyone else instead of focusing on enjoying the moment.
Approaching their five-year wedding anniversary, the couple decided to renew their vows, hiring a photographer and driving to Fred W. Symmes Chapel in Cleveland, South Carolina, with their three eldest children in September 2023. They had a stress-free ceremony focused on themselves, their kids, and God, followed by lunch and hiking. In total, they spent less than $1,000 on the vow renewal, which left them feeling fulfilled and satisfied. Alexandrea hopes to encourage others to plan a wedding that reflects their desires as a couple rather than succumbing to outside pressures.
Alexandrea expressed regret over spending such a large sum on their initial wedding, feeling that the money could have been better used for a house deposit. She acknowledged that the original wedding was about pleasing guests rather than themselves, leading to a stressful and chaotic day that she hardly remembers. She emphasized the importance of prioritizing personal happiness and satisfaction when planning a wedding, rather than getting caught up in other people’s expectations and desires.
Following their lavish wedding, the couple focused on building the family life they desired, eventually having four children together. The decision to renew their vows was an opportunity to celebrate their relationship and showcase their love for each other and their family, free from the pressures and stresses of a traditional wedding. By having a simple and intimate ceremony with their children and a focus on their own happiness, the Acevedo family was able to create lasting memories that were meaningful and fulfilling.
In contrast to their original wedding, where Alexandrea was overwhelmed and felt like the day was not about her and her husband, the vow renewal provided them with an opportunity to have a stress-free and beautiful celebration focused entirely on their love and family. With a minimal budget and a focus on what truly mattered to them as a couple, they were able to create a meaningful and unforgettable experience for themselves and their children, emphasizing the importance of prioritizing personal happiness and satisfaction in all aspects of their relationship. By sharing their story, Alexandrea hopes to inspire others to plan weddings that reflect their desires and values, rather than succumbing to external pressures and expectations.
