Passing the Rings at a Wedding

Passing the rings at your wedding fills the bands with love and hope.

The passing of the rings, also called a ring warming ceremony, is a growing trend in the wedding world. Before the start of the ceremony, the wedding rings are circulated among the seated guests. They are asked to take a moment to quietly bless the rings with their hopes and wishes for the engaged couple. Passing the rings at your wedding builds a sense of community among you guests and fills your rings with love and hope before you say, "I do."

Instructions

1. Announce the purpose of the ring passing before the rings are released into circulation. As this is a newer tradition, many guests may be unfamiliar with the concept. You may ask a groomsman or the ceremony officiant to make a brief announcement before the rings are handed out, or ask someone you trust to specifically oversee the ring passing. For extremely small weddings, the rings may be handed out at the start of the wedding ceremony, while mid-sized weddings may want to circulate the rings several minutes before the ceremony commences.

2. Secure the rings to a cushion or place them in a small box before handing them out to the crowd. This keeps the rings from getting lost as they are passed from guest to guest. Your cushion or receptacle can reflect the personalities of you and your groom; a stuffed animal or a single rose are romantic anchors for a ribbon with wedding rings, but you could also tie rings to your favorite books, a small bottle of your favorite wine or a video-game control unit if you and your fiance love video games. Stitching the rings to an object instead of tying them is also an excellent method, but sew the ring loosely enough that you will not have to struggle to release the rings during the ceremony.

3. Assign someone to keep track of the rings as they are passed through the crowd. While blessing the rings is deeply personal, there needs to be time for the rings to circulate among the entire crowd. While they are attached to an object, it is entirely possible that the pillow may get dropped or that a small child may wish to hold onto the object and not give it back. Have a friend or relative keep the rings moving.

Tips & Warnings

• Passing rings can be extremely difficult at large weddings; for an equally meaningful touch, station the rings and their receptacle near the wedding entrance and ask guests to send their love and good wishes to the bands as the enter the site. Station a friend or relative next to the rings to keep them from disappearing.

References

• Offbeat Bride; Ring-Warming Ceremony; Ariel Meadow Stallings; August 2009
• Officiant Eric Schwartz; Ring Warming; Eric Schwartz