William  Blake wrote;

That it is possible:
To see a world in a grain of sand,
And a heaven in a wild flower,
Hold infinity in the palm of your hand,
And eternity in an hour.

It’s even easier to see it in the  wedding rings on your fingers, the rings that you will most likely exchange during your New Jersey wedding ceremony. There is probably no other symbol of commitment as powerful or as timeless. They are a gentle reminder and an outward representation of your vows and promises to each other.

  

 

Typically, the best man, will be holding the rings, although they may make their way to the couple in a number of ways; little boys or girls are the most traditional, but I am seeing many couples include their dogs as their ring bearers (and no, neither the little kids or the dogs should get the real rings…)  When it is time for the exchange, during the service, the best man might  hand them to the couple, but there are many other possibilities; the parents, an adult child of the couple, or an honored relative who is not part of the wedding party.

 

     

 

This is the reading I use most often to introduce the ring exchange;  

“Rings are an ancient symbol, blessed and simple. Round like the sun, like the eye, like arms that embrace. Circles, for love that is given comes back round again and again.  Therefore may these symbols remind you that your love, like the sun, illuminates, that your love, like the eye, must see clearly.  And that your love, like arms that embrace, is a  grace upon this world. “

 

If there is a particularly interesting story or historical significance behind the rings, it should be mentioned during the exchange readings. One of my brides’ wedding ring was fashioned from the grooms’ grandmothers’ engagment ring.   Another bride is a jeweler, and made both wedding bands; different, yet including similar design elements, just like the couple.  Still another, a couple of engineers, used a giant bolt for the grooms ring!

 

Your rings present rich possibilities for expressing yourselves, and they will be with you for a lifetime. These beauties are from “The Pyramid Collection“, but for some wonderful inspiration, check out the 500 possibilities in the beautiful book, “500 Wedding Rings”, by Lark Books.