| By :
Sarah Simmons
In the grand tradition of weddings, as far back as anyone can remember, several rituals have been used to highlight the union ceremony. These rituals make use of accessories such as flower baskets, ring pillows, sand ceremony nesting vases, unity candles and the Jewish glass breaking pouch. Many of these wedding rituals are used to represent sentiments that are very romantic and meaningful. The flower girls fill their flower baskets with flower petals and scatter these along the path to unity. The bride follows the flower path to her groom, symbolizing that new love is about to bloom thus entering the next chapter of their lives. Flower baskets may be selected to reflect the wedding colors and or theme. The ring pillow is a sweet and delicate way of presenting the rings of the bride and groom when they are ready to be exchanged. As well, wedding pillows now are chosen based on the wedding colors and or theme. The sand unity ceremony has become a very popular ritual in the modern wedding ceremony. With the addition of coordinating miniature nesting vases and contrasting colors of sand, every member of the family can be invited to participate. The mixing of the various sand colors is a fitting way to symbolize the new blended family that will result from this union. Although there are no set guidelines for this ceremony, generally the sand is poured into the central vase in this order: the father, the mother, children, then father and mother together. The purpose of the unity candle is to symbolize the harmony in union the newlyweds will share in the new chapter they are about to embark. In essence, the unity candle stands to represent the couples' happily ever after. Unity candles can be personalized with the names and date of the wedding or selected to coordinate with the overall theme of the day. In traditional Jewish ceremonies, near the conclusion of service, it is customary that the groom proceeds to shatter a glass with his foot resulting in "many pieces, many years, and many blessings together..." for the happy couple. The glass is contained in a decorative pouch and placed on the floor. Attendees respond with an enthusiastic Masel Tov once the glass is smashed. A fairly new and sweet concept that is being introduced in modern day weddings is the love letter ceremony. This involves the bride and groom sealing love letters they have written to each other and locking them into a box along with a bottle of wine, two wine goblets and other memorabilia or mementos they have selected. Once the contents are in place, the box is locked with a key to symbolize the vows of love and commitment the couple have made to one another. The idea behind the love letter ceremony box set is that the couple opens the box on the occasion of a predetermined wedding anniversary or milestone in their marriage. The couple can then partake in the wine and read the love letters they have written to one another. These days, traditional does not mean boring. Beautiful accessories can be used to ensure the wedding ceremony is a celebration of personal style, even if it contains rituals that date back many years.
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