Today on The Bridal Boutique // Personalized Wooden Wedding Ceremony Wine Box by Blue Fire Engraving

One of the most meaningful keepsakes from my own wedding day (besides the marriage license, of course) was our wine box ceremony. We wrote love notes to each other, placed our favorite bottle of wine in a beautiful box, and closed it up during our wedding ceremony only to open it on our first anniversary. And I've searched high and low and found the most beautiful wine boxes for you to use for this very reason!

Beautiful wood, custom engraving, and all of the wine "tools" you need, these wooden engraved wedding wine boxes from Blue Fire Engraving are just stunning!

Head on over to their shop to choose the box that will be perfect for your wedding ceremony and will make the most beautiful accent piece in your new home together!

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Ceremony Rituals

Happy Monday all of my lovely brides! Sorry it has been a while since my last post but I am back up and running!! Today I am going to share some rituals you can do at your wedding ceremony! Not only are they fun and add a bit of creativity to the wedding, but when you really know their significance, they are very meaningful for the two of you and allow you to have keepsake to remember the vows you took to each other!

Sand Ceremony

"Your union will now be symbolized through the pouring of these two individual containers of sand. Each color  represents you, (names of bride and groom), and all that you were, all that you are, and all that you will ever be before this union.  As your individual sands come together  it reminds us that  “neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord”.  I ask now that you each take your sand and pour them into the one vase." (the sand is now poured).

 While the sand is being poured, the officiant says, "(names of bride and groom),  while it’s important that you both maintain your individuality, it is our hope that you will become as inseparable as these grains of sand, and always find yourselves to be one in love, commitment and  joy."

 “___________________ and ________________  the two lighted candies symbolize your separate lives, your separate families and your separate sets of friends. I ask that you each take one candle and that together you light the center candle. The individual candies represent your individual lives before today. Lighting the center candle represents that your  two lives are now joined to one light, and represents the joining together of  your two families and sets of friends to one.”
http://www.vowsoftheheart.com/ceramonies/unity-candle-wedding-ceremony/ 
http://www.sayanythingceramics.com/sand-ceremony-wording.php

Unity Candle

“___________________ and ________________ the two lighted candies symbolize your separate lives, your separate families and your separate sets of friends. I ask that you each take one candle and that together you light the center candle. The individual candies represent your individual lives before today. Lighting the center candle represents that your two lives are now joined to one light, and represents the joining together of  your two families and sets of friends to one.”
 http://www.vowsoftheheart.com/ceramonies/unity-candle-wedding-ceremony/

Wine Box Ceremony

This is one that my husband and I decided to do for our ceremony (middle photo)! There are different ways to do it - one being to open it up during your first big fight and the other to open it up on an anniversary - but either way you can change the wording to depict that! And for the more rustic-themed weddings, I would recommend nailing a box shut as shown above! It just brings in your overall theme a little more :)

"_______ and  _______ have written very personal and intimate love letters to one another, expressing all the reasons why they love with one another, and the reason they  are choosing to spend the rest of their lives together. Neither of them have  read these love letters to anyone, not even to each other. I ask now that each  of you place your love letters into the wine box with the bottle of wine you 
have selected and seal the box.

 _________  and ______ if you should ever find a time in your marriage where you seem to  have encountered an insurmountable hardship, I ask that you together open the  wine box, pour yourself a glass of wine and separate into a private room and  open the love letter that was written for you. The hope is, that in that moment , it will bring you back to this moment. You will be able to reflect upon all  the reasons why you fell in love and why you choose to spend the rest of your lives together.

It is also  the hope that you will never find a reason to open this box, and if that is the case, on your 10 year wedding anniversary your are to open your wine box enjoy your wine and share your sweet love letters in celebration."

Paint Ceremony

"Taylor and Aaron each have a color of paint that represents them. As Taylor and Aaron blend their individual colors on the canvas, they create a work of art and a new color representing their being joined as one today. The painting is as unique and original as their relationship and would be incomplete if they did not paint it
together"

http://www.weddingchicks.com/2013/02/28/eco-friendly-la-wedding-venue/

Tying the Knot

"Officiant: (Bride) and (Groom), you have just sealed your relationship by the giving and receiving
of rings. Today this relationship is further symbolized by the tying of a lover’s knot.
At this time, I invite (Bride) and (Groom)'s mothers to come forward to represent their respective families. These families have raised and nurtured this man and this woman and helped them become the person each holds most dear. It is right and fitting to acknowledge that now these two
previously separate circles of love are being united in a new and wider circle.
____, please drape the cord over your son's wrist. It represents the wishes and blessings your family bestows upon your child, all that he is now and all he may become.

____, please drape the cord over your daughter's wrist. This cord represents the wishes and blessings your family bestows upon your child, all she is now and all she may become.

____ and ____ please tie these cords over your children's hands as a visual symbol of the joining of your two families through their hearts, bodies and souls. May their marriage endure in faith and fidelity knowing they have the blessing and support of the families that gave them life, hope and love.
(Bride) and (Groom), woven into this cord, within its very fibers, are all your hopes and dreams. With the fastening of this knot I secure the love and happiness wished here on this day for your new life together. May this cord draw your hands together in love, never to be used in anger. May the pledges you have made never grow bitter in your hearts. Two entwined in love, bound by all which brings strength to this
union. Hold tight to one another through both good times and bad, and watch as your strength grows. Your bond is not formed of the knots of this cord, but instead by your pledges to one another. May your bond never be broken." 
http://www.brevardminister.com/1/post/2012/09/a-ritual-of-unity-the-knot-ceremony.html

Communion

This is a ceremony for those of you who are religious and is not to be used just for fun. Depending on your denomination, your minister/pastor will have wording that best depicts your personal beliefs and brings them into this beautiful ceremony. 
 
Generally, only the bride and groom will take communion unless you are willing to add a great deal of time to your ceremony. Again, this is all up to you and your personal beliefs!

For some other fun (and some a bit quirky) ceremony ideas, visit Off Beat Bride!