Lydia McLaughlin Renews Her Vows in the Dreamiest Beach Ceremony Ever

Lydia McLaughlin's 10th wedding anniversary is on April 30, and The Real Housewives of Orange County alum and hubby Doug McLaughlin are already celebrating in a big way. The couple renewed their vows in an intimate 40-person ceremony in Laguna Beach, California last Saturday. 

"I'm really proud of our marriage. I value him. We always try to put each other first, even with jobs and our own dreams. We survived a reality show. We're surviving raising our kids," Lydia recently told The Daily Dish about the ceremony. "The world throws a lot of things at you. We've had hospital visits and family members have died and so much happens that we're really proud of our marriage, so we wanted to honor that, and I think that we did. It was a really special night for us."

Lydia and her husband Doug renewed their wedding vows in a ceremony in Laguna Beach, California on Saturday, April 23. Photo: Rod Foster

The location of the vow renewal ceremony had a lot of meaning for Lydia and Doug. "Actually, we renewed our vows on the same beach where Doug had proposed and where we had our first kiss. So it's a really special beach to us. I remember being pregnant walking on that beach," Lydia gushed.

Lydia gives Doug a big hug during their vow renewal ceremony. Photo: Rod Foster

The couple shared facts about their marriage with their guests during the ceremony, such as the fact that they've had three kids (7-year-old Stirling, 5-year-old Maverick, and 17-month-old Roman) and moved more than eight times over the course of their relationship. They also wrote their own vows and read them aloud. "We both got choked up. I think a lot of people there got choked up because, it's not like you take it for granted, but it's just so special to pause and really reflect and kind of mark that we made it 10 years and that we still love each other and remember all the stuff that we've gone through and to celebrate that," Lydia said. "I think it's cause for celebration."

Lydia and Doug wrote and recited their own vows during the ceremony. Photo: Rod Foster

Lydia said she and Doug didn't bring their three boys to the ceremony because they "felt like they were too young," but the guest list included Lydia's fellow RHOC alum Alexis Bellino and her husband Jim, who have remained good friends with the couple since they appeared on the show together. Lydia said Jim also joined in with the other guests to pray for her and Doug. "People were jumping into pray, and he was one," she said. "But it was just neat to have him there and still have a friendship with them even though we've gone through the craziness of Housewives together. I think it's bonded us. We experienced something, so [Alexis] and I have a bond that I have with no one else, really, so that's neat."

Lydia wore a long, flowy, white gown from David's Bridal and a "halo" made of flowers from The Bloom of Time for the ceremony. She changed into another white dress from Nasty Gal for the reception, which was held at the Surf & Sand Resort in Laguna Beach and featured fun touches like sparklers and a photo booth.

Lydia and Doug lit up the night with sparklers as they celebrated renewing their vows. Photo: Rod Foster

One of the most memorable moments of the fête came at the end of the night when all of the couples made a circle around Lydia and Doug as they shared a romantic dance. "It just was really meaningful, almost more meaningful than I knew it would be," Lydia said.

Lydia said that her marriage to Doug has been able to stay strong for 10 years because they devote time to focusing on their relationship. "For me, it's just making him my priority, making marriage a priority. We do a date night once a week, and we don't talk about kids or schedules or businesses. We talk about each other and just date. Like, we still date," she explained. "I haven't stopped being his bride. I'm a mom and I'm a businesswoman. I play a lot of roles and [wear a lot of] hats like a lot of women do, but for me, being his wife is really a priority. And I know that that's the same for him. So we just make the time for each other."

Here's to the next 10 years for Lydia and Doug! Photo: Rod Foster

They also know not to let little things get in the way of their love for one another. "We have a strong faith together, and I know that that's definitely helped us," Lydia said. "It's like the little things that can make us mad don't really matter because I know that overall, yeah, he didn't do the laundry, but he's a good man and a good father and that kind of outweighs all of the rest of it, right?"

See more of Lydia and her lovely family over the years, below.