Cakies, today we’re all about the 10-year vow renewal. As fans of intimate, family vow renewals ourselves, we loved hearing all about our couple, attorneys Ilka + Mateus who live in Brazil. They tied the knot in 2007 in a traditional ceremony at a Catholic church in São Paulo with a 300-guest reception and a Beatles cover band playing all night long. And that’s when they decided to renew their vows every 10 years.
A decade later, they kept their promise and made a destination vow renewal happen, complete with their two sweet little ones Pietra + Otávio. Keep scrolling for the photos + film coming to us from Raquel & Zacarias of Happy Together Films and Adriana Morais Fotografia.
Their daughter, who was 3 at the time, and son, 7, were so excited to be part of their vow-renewal plans. Way back when they first dreamt of the 10-year vow renewal, they wanted it to be a family event celebrating life, marriage, and family.
Ilka says, The most memorable moment was when I was walking holding hands with my daughter Pietra, towards Mateus and my son Otávio, where they were waiting for us. Then, the time when all four of us started to walk together together to ensure our intentions as family was another very remarkable moment that will last forever in our memories.
This moment. So beautiful! I + M invited 31 guests to travel with them to Portugal for the ceremony. In order to pull it off, they planned 10 months before and spend that time coordinating guest schedules and the rest of their 10 day trip. (10 months planning 10 days to celebrate 10 years?! A must!!!)
A very special moment while planning was a trip to New York seven months before our vow renewal to visit a very best friend of mine, Renata. She helped me shop for my boho dress and the bow ties. Also, all of our friends and family that agreed to travel with us made us feel very special. And another detail that made the vow renewal very special was the wedding design by Como Branco Weddings, that helped us make our dream come true.
Why Portugal, you ask? Mateus + Ilka are huge fans of wine destinations (oh hey, we have something MAJOR in common!) and besides being an amazing spot for food + wine, Portugal had the dreamy, romantic landscapes they were looking for. They researched boutique hotels in Alentejo and landed on Torre de Palma (who took care of the venue, catering, and cake, btw).
I really recommend a vow renewal to all couples—it represents a renovation of a relationship, very sincere with all love that give us more strength, complicity. and partnership to help us keep continuing a happy family life. For those who are planning a vow renewal, I would recommend starting by choosing the concept inspired by your identity, considering what you most like and what kind of vow renewal you dream of. Then research online and enjoy the planning!
Want to see their vow renewal ceremony in action? Watch the beautiful film by Happy Together Films for more highlights of their big day in Portugal. Spoiler alert, it’s the sweetest!
All the best to Ilka + Mateus!
Photography: Adriana Morais Fotografia / Videography: Happy Together Films / Venue, Catering, & Cake: Torre de Palma / Event Design & Planning: Como Branco Weddings / Hair: Good Hair Day by Lilia Costa / Makeup: Miguel Stapleton / Lights & Sound: Jukebox / Wedding Dress: Daughters of Simone / Bride’s Shoes: Armani / Groom’s Attire: Ricardo Almeida
