An Amazing Surprise 35th Anniversary Vow Renewal

If my husband is reading this, please do this for me in 34 years time. (Thanks in advance!)

Today’s groom Lance surprised his bride Donna with the most stunning sunset vow renewal in the desert outside Las Vegas, to celebrate their 35th wedding anniversary. How awesome is that?

Not only did he choose the spectacular setting, but he arranged a helicopter ride, a proposal, a new ring, a gorgeous wedding dress, a beautiful bouquet, hair and make-up, and the super talented Kristen Kay Photography to capture it all.

Best of all, he flew in their three children and their spouses, and the minister who married them the first time around – 35 years before – to officiate their vows.

This man deserves some kind of Husband of the Year award, right?

Not only is this wedding insanely romantic, but it’s special, beautiful, stylish, (these guys make such a chic bride and groom) and to quote Donna, it’s giving us major #relationshipgoals too.

From the Bride

March 20, 2017 was our 35th anniversary and I will alway remember it as the most romantic, thoughtful day of my life! It was one surprise after another all day long!

My body stayed in shock and I kept thinking I can not handle one more surprise!

The one thing I did know about was our helicopter ride with Mustang Helicopters, but I did not know my husband was going to get down on his knee and ask me if I would do it all over again. I jokingly said of course I would, but everything got much more serious when he took out a new engagement ring.

He took off my old and put on the new…I was absolutely floored. Our friends Steve and Jin were with us and I now know she lied to me all weekend!

When we walked back into the hotel there were our three children and their spouses. I literally started shaking. I was told to go to our room and I was getting my makeup and hair done and a wedding dress was there for me.

It was a fairytale for me.

Lance said he never thought he would be able to pull it off without me knowing. He only wanted to wow me. (Oh he did!)

He also said he had a blast watching his family have fun and seeing all the pieces fall into place.

During the ceremony, he was overcome with tears of joy thinking of all his blessings. We both feel very blessed.

One of our favorite hashtags that a friend attached to one of our pictures is #relationshipgoals.

Our journey hasn’t been without hard times, but we know as long as we keep God first and each other second our love for one another continues to grow.

My hashtag is #myhusbandissoromantic.

From the Photographer

Donna had been told the ceremony would be performed by Elvis. She wasn’t super excited about it, but she was trying to be nice and appreciative.

I took Lance and Donna away from the predetermined ceremony location to do some extra couple photos. This way Donna wouldn’t see who was actually going to be performing the ceremony until it was starting.

When their children and the officiant were all set up and ready they called us out of the bushes (literally, we were stomping all around these cool desert bushes)! And as Donna turned the corner, she realized it wasn’t Elvis. Instead, it was their dear friend and minister, Wayne, who had married them 35 years ago at the Homewood Church of Christ in Birmingham, Alabama.

Wayne and his wife Carolyn flew into Las Vegas from Alabama for this special occasion!

Donna was in shock and so excited to see it was NOT Elvis and was instead the man who had married them, as well as all three of their children.

It was the sweetest moment to capture and the perfect final touch to the whole surprise!

So many things that day almost went wrong, but thankfully it all come together perfectly.

There were a few close calls of almost seeing the children before the surprise on the day of the ceremony. So Lance would have to point in a different direction to keep Donna from seeing her children.

Wayne and Carolyn were set to fly out of Alabama the morning of the vow renewal ceremony, but their flight got canceled.

They finally, hours later and with the help of a friend who worked at Southwest, were able to get seats on a flight to Vegas that would arrive just in time.

When they landed, they changed their clothes in a restroom and then headed straight for the desert. They showed up at the ceremony location with about 20 minutes of sun remaining. Phew, the timing could not have been any more perfect!

It all ended up working out wonderfully! Lance pulled off the most romantic, sweetest surprise, EVER!