An Intimate Brighton Beach Vow Renewal
Hannah & Dean
Hannah & Dean’s Windswept Vow Renewal on Brighton Beach & Why Perfect Weather Is Overrated
If you'd asked most people to describe their dream vow renewal, I imagine very few would have said:
"Freezing. Windy. Thick sea fog. February."
And yet, somehow, it was perfect.
When Hannah (British) and Dean (Australian) got in touch about renewing their vows on Brighton Beach, they weren't looking for an elaborate celebration or a picture-perfect summer's day. They wanted something much simpler.
A moment. A chance to pause life for an hour and remember why they chose each other in the first place.
Five years had passed since they got married, and in those five years, life had changed in all the ways that matter most. They'd welcomed their gorgeous little boy, Jesse, into the world. They'd navigated sleepless nights, the beautiful chaos of becoming parents, and all the tiny everyday moments that quietly reshape a relationship.
If anything, they told me, they'd grown even closer.
Not because life had become easier—but because they'd experienced it together.
So on one very cold February morning, we met on Brighton Beach.
The sea was hidden behind thick fog. The wind had absolutely no respect for carefully styled hair. We were wrapped up in coats between photographs, laughing as we tried (and largely failed) to keep warm.
And honestly, absolutely none of it mattered, because the weather wasn't the point.
The point was standing opposite each other, taking a breath, and saying, "I'd choose you all over again."
One of my favourite moments came at the end of the ceremony.
Rather than a unity candle or a hand-fasting, Hannah and Dean chose something that felt unmistakably them. I poured them both a ceremonial shot of whisky, clinked glasses and toasted not just the life they'd already built, but the adventures still waiting for them.
It was simple, joyful and wonderfully unpretentious.
Exactly what a celebrant-led ceremony should be.
Zero rules, no expectations.
Just a ceremony that reflected who they are.
That's one of the things I love most about vow renewals. They aren't about recreating your wedding day. They're about acknowledging everything that's happened since. The chapters you never saw coming. The challenges you've navigated. The dreams you've quietly built together along the way.
Sometimes, all we need is an hour to stop, look at each other properly, and remember.
Even if it's absolutely freezing. Actually - especially if it's absolutely freezing.
Thinking about renewing your vows?
Whether you're celebrating five years or fifty, a vow renewal is a beautiful way to honour everything you've built together, without needing a big guest list or a grand production.
If you're curious about creating a ceremony that's completely personal to you, I'd love to help… Let’s talk.
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