There are many ways to actively include your wedding guests in the ceremony. Two that we see frequently are stone blessing and ring warming ceremonies, but there are any number of different ways a similar ceremony can be done using other ceremonial objects.
A Stone Blessing goes something like this: As they enter the ceremony space, guests are given a small stone. Polished gemstones, small river stones, smooth preferably than anything sharp. Often, they’ll be in a large bowl so guests can select the stone themselves, but it is often best to have someone handing them out as people come in.
At a point in the ceremony, the celebrant brings family and friends’ attention to the stone they’ve been holding saying something like Ladies and Gentlemen, you may be wondering why you have been holding a stone in your hand during this ceremony. These stones have been chosen by this couple as symbols of your individual blessings to them and to the beautiful family they are creating. The stones will serve as a lasting reminder of the magic and love they share today.
The celebrant then instructs the guests to connect visually with the stone they have been given. “As you hold your blessing stone let each of you in our own way, reflect upon your best wishes to this couple for love, happiness, and success. Take a deep breath in, pause for a moment then exhale your blessings for happiness and good will for this couple.“
A Ring Warming is similar except that in this case the wedding rings themselves are passed from guest to guest, each in turn blessing the rings with their best wishes. It can be a bold choice especially outside in grass, and we highly encourage our couples to leave their rings in a box or tie them securely to a pillow.
The rings naturally make their way back to the celebrant and the couple, and the ceremonial exchange begins. In a stone blessing, the guests are asked to put their stones in a special vase or bowl upon leaving the ceremony space, the vessel becoming a cherished memento of the wedding day and the love of family and friends.
We keep plenty of polished gemstones, bowls, and ring pillows in the Boutique just for such occasions.