25th Anniversary Vow Renewal in the Smoky Mountains – Ruth and Bobby

11.06.26

Spooktacular 25th Anniversary Vow Renewal in the Smoky Mountains

Ruth + Bobby – October 31, 2026

TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO, THESE TWO GOT MARRIED IN SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS. ON HALLOWEEN. 🎃🖤 And if that doesn’t tell you a little something about Ruth and Bobby’s personalities, I don’t know what will! 😂 Apparently, these two have been doing Halloween romance right for a quarter of a century, and when it came time to celebrate their silver wedding anniversary, they decided to keep the tradition going.

This time, instead of returning to Salem, they headed to the beautiful Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee for a sweet, intimate vow renewal in the woods. And they brought two very important guests. THEIR FRENCH BULLDOGS!! Who were, naturally, dressed for the occasion. 🐾❤️

I mean, a Halloween anniversary vow renewal with two adorable Frenchies in their finest outfits? YES. PLEASE.

Ruth and Bobby chose Chapel in the Hollow in Seymour, Tennessee, for their Halloween vow renewal in the Smoky Mountains, and we had the best time celebrating with them. Their ceremony was simple and meaningful, the October scenery was beautiful, and these two were an absolute delight from beginning to end.

They were sweet, playful, full of life, and clearly having a wonderful time celebrating 25 years together. And honestly, I couldn’t think of a better way to spend Halloween!

From a Halloween Wedding in Salem to a Smoky Mountain Vow Renewal

I absolutely love that Ruth and Bobby’s story began with a Halloween wedding in Salem, Massachusetts. If you’re going to get married on Halloween, Salem is a pretty iconic place to do it! Known for its witchy history and Halloween atmosphere, Salem seems like the perfect setting for a couple who appreciates a little spooky fun. And considering Ruth and Bobby chose to celebrate their 25th anniversary on the very same holiday, I’d say their love of Halloween has definitely stood the test of time.

But this time, they traded the streets of Salem for the peaceful forests of East Tennessee. There’s something so romantic about the idea of celebrating the same love story in two completely different places, 25 years apart. Their original wedding marked the beginning of their marriage. Their vow renewal celebrated everything they’d experienced together since then. Twenty-five years of memories, adventures, laughter, challenges, and all the little everyday moments that make up a life together. And after all that time, they were still choosing each other.

I love that they kept Halloween as part of their tradition while creating a completely new experience for their anniversary. Different places. Twenty-five years apart.

Same two people, still choosing each other. ❤️

An Intimate Halloween Vow Renewal in the Highland Area

Ruth and Bobby chose our Make It Legal package in the highland area for their anniversary ceremony.

The highland area is a lovely option for couples who want a simple, intimate experience surrounded by natural woodland scenery. Instead of a decorated chapel backdrop, the forest itself provides the setting, creating a peaceful atmosphere that feels wonderfully connected to nature.

And October is such a beautiful time to enjoy it! The changing leaves bring gorgeous autumn colors to the property, and the natural textures of the woods create a romantic backdrop without needing elaborate decorations. For Ruth and Bobby, the setting was perfect.

They weren’t planning a large anniversary celebration with an extensive guest list or a complicated timeline. They simply wanted to stand together again, renew their promises, and celebrate the life they’d built over the last 25 years.

And, of course, they wanted their Frenchies there for the occasion. I love that their vow renewal felt so relaxed and personal. They didn’t need a big production to make their anniversary meaningful.

They had each other, their adorable pups, and a beautiful October day in the Smoky Mountains.

What more could you need?

Two Very Important French Bulldog Wedding Guests

Okay, we need to talk about the Frenchies. BECAUSE THEY WERE ADORABLE. 🐶❤️ Ruth and Bobby brought their two French bulldogs along for their vow renewal, and the pups were all dressed up for the occasion! I absolutely love when couples include their pets in special celebrations, especially when those pets are clearly such an important part of their family. And these two little cuties were not about to miss their humans’ big anniversary.

The dogs even stood right there with Ruth and Bobby during the ceremony, witnessing their humans promise to keep loving each other after a quarter of a century together.

OFFICIAL WITNESSES. VERY IMPORTANT DOG BUSINESS. 😂🐾 I mean, how cute is that?!

There’s something especially sweet about including pets in a vow renewal. After so many years of marriage, couples have built an entire life together, and their four-legged family members are often a huge part of that life.

Having the dogs there made the celebration feel even more personal. Absolutely perfect.

I love imagining these two little Frenchies taking their anniversary responsibilities very seriously. Their humans were renewing their vows, and they were there to supervise.

Someone had to make sure everything went according to plan!

Celebrating 25 Years of Marriage With a Woodland Ceremony

There’s something especially wonderful about vow renewals. A wedding is filled with promises about the life you’re going to build together. You’re looking toward the future, imagining all the adventures, challenges, and wonderful experiences still to come. But a vow renewal? That’s celebrating all the life you’ve ALREADY built.

Twenty-five years of marriage is a pretty incredible milestone. That’s a quarter of a century of sharing everyday life, growing together, navigating changes, making memories, and continuing to choose each other.

And I think there’s something incredibly romantic about standing together again after all that time and saying, essentially, “I’d still choose you.”

HOW SWEET IS THAT?! 🥹❤️

For Ruth and Bobby, their vow renewal was a chance to celebrate the promises they’d made in Salem 25 years earlier and recognize everything those promises had meant over the years. They were still the same two people who had chosen each other on Halloween all those years ago, but they also had an entire marriage’s worth of experiences behind them. And now they were creating another special memory together.

This time, surrounded by the beautiful October forest in the Smoky Mountains, with their two adorable French bulldogs standing nearby.

Honestly, that’s a pretty fantastic anniversary celebration.

A Fun-Loving Couple With Plenty of Personality

And can we talk about how much FUN Ruth and Bobby were?! These two were such a delight. They were sweet, full of life, and clearly having the best time celebrating their anniversary together.

I love meeting couples who have been together for decades and still have that playful, adventurous energy. There’s something wonderful about seeing two people who know each other so well but still genuinely enjoy having fun together.

And Ruth and Bobby definitely seemed to have that figured out. Their happiness and enthusiasm were contagious, and I loved getting to spend a little time with them.

Considering they originally got married in Salem on Halloween and decided to renew their vows on the same holiday 25 years later, I feel pretty confident saying these two know how to make a celebration memorable! And I love that they weren’t afraid to bring a little personality into their anniversary plans.

They could have chosen a traditional anniversary dinner or a quiet weekend away, and those would have been lovely options too.

But instead, they decided to head to the Smoky Mountains, renew their vows in the woods, bring their dressed-up Frenchies, and enjoy a little Halloween adventure. THAT’S MY KIND OF CELEBRATION. 🎃🖤

Romantic October Anniversary Portraits in the Highland Area

After their ceremony, we spent a little time taking couple portraits around the highland area, enjoying the beautiful October scenery. And these two were such a joy to photograph!

They were relaxed, playful, and full of personality, which made our little photography session so much fun.

I love photographing couples during vow renewals because the experience often feels a little different from a traditional wedding day.

There’s usually a wonderful sense of familiarity between people who have already spent so many years together. They know each other’s habits, expressions, and little quirks, and they often have a natural way of interacting that makes the photographs feel especially personal.

Ruth and Bobby were no exception. They were clearly comfortable together, and their playful personalities made it easy to capture sweet, natural moments.

The beautiful autumn scenery added another lovely element to their portraits. October is one of my favorite times of year in East Tennessee, with the forest beginning to transform into a gorgeous mix of warm seasonal colors. And for a couple celebrating their Halloween anniversary, those fall colors were the perfect backdrop.

I love that we got to capture a few photographs of Ruth and Bobby together as they celebrated such an important milestone.

Twenty-five years after their original wedding, they had another set of beautiful memories to look back on.

Why the Smoky Mountains Are a Beautiful Place for a Vow Renewal

One of the things I love about vow renewals is that couples have so much freedom to make the experience their own.

You don’t necessarily need to follow traditional wedding expectations or plan a large celebration. You can choose a meaningful location, invite the people who matter most, and create an experience that reflects your relationship.

For couples who love nature, the Smoky Mountains offer such a beautiful setting for an anniversary celebration. The forests, mountain scenery, and changing seasons create a romantic atmosphere, whether you’re celebrating five years, 25 years, or 50 years together.

And October is an especially lovely time for a woodland vow renewal. The autumn leaves add beautiful color, the scenery feels wonderfully cozy, and the season creates a natural backdrop for couples who want something intimate and relaxed. For Ruth and Bobby, the Smoky Mountains were a wonderful place to continue their Halloween wedding tradition.

Their original ceremony took place in Salem, Massachusetts, and their 25th anniversary brought them to the forests of Tennessee.

I love that their marriage has now been celebrated in two such different places, with Halloween connecting the experiences.

It makes their story feel like an ongoing adventure.

And I hope they have many more wonderful adventures ahead!

A Halloween Anniversary Celebration With a Little Extra Spooky Fun

Of course, we couldn’t let Ruth and Bobby leave without sharing a few suggestions for spooky things to do around the Smoky Mountains! Because when you’ve got a couple who loves Halloween enough to get married in Salem and renew their vows 25 years later on the same holiday, you KNOW they’re going to appreciate a little haunted fun. 👻 I loved getting to chat with them about it.

The Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge area has plenty of opportunities for visitors who enjoy a little spooky entertainment, and Halloween is such a fun time to explore the region.

I love that Ruth and Bobby were making their anniversary about more than just the ceremony. They were enjoying a special experience together, and a little Halloween adventure afterward seemed like the perfect addition.

After all, celebrating 25 years of marriage deserves something memorable!

And what better way to spend the day than with a sweet vow renewal in the woods, beautiful fall photographs, two adorable French bulldogs, and the possibility of a little haunted fun afterward?

Honestly, that sounds like a pretty wonderful anniversary to me.

Congratulations on 25 Years, Ruth and Bobby!

Ruth and Bobby’s spooktacular 25th anniversary vow renewal in the Smoky Mountains was such a wonderful celebration, and we absolutely loved getting to be part of it.

From their original Halloween wedding in Salem, Massachusetts, to their sweet woodland ceremony in East Tennessee 25 years later, their story is such a fun reminder that love and adventure can go hand in hand.

I loved their playful personalities, their enthusiasm for Halloween, and the way they included their two adorable French bulldogs in their ceremony.

And the fact that the pups were dressed up for the occasion?

PERFECTION. 🐾🖤

Their ceremony was sweet and meaningful, their anniversary photographs were lovely, and getting to chat with them about spooky things to do around the Smoky Mountains was such a treat.

Ruth and Bobby, you two were an absolute delight! Your happiness, enthusiasm, and love for life were contagious, and we had so much fun celebrating with you and your precious little four-legged witnesses.

HAPPY 25TH ANNIVERSARY!! 🥂🎃❤️

Here’s to another 25 years of love, laughter, adventures, and spooky celebrations together!

And please give those adorable Frenchies some extra love from us!