A wedding is an event that is full of tradition (even most of the non-traditional ones in some way or another!) Every tradition started someplace and occasionally WhereBridesGo.com likes to look back and discover some of those origin stories.
Our lovely selection of ring bearer pillows and ring pillow alternatives got us wondering about this particular wedding tradition. Here's what we found out.
Today's Ring Bearer
The ring bearer has the very important job of getting your brand new wedding rings safely down the aisle. This role is usually given to a young boy that is a family member or a friend's child, often under the age of ten.
Due to the age factor, couples usually choose to let the ring bearer carry symbolic rings rather than the actual wedding rings. The guests can't tell the difference, especially when the pillow or box that he's carrying is as adorable as the young man.
The Original Ring Bearers
This wedding tradition has been around for a very long time in many countries. In ancient Egypt, treasured jewels were carried on ornamental pillows during wedding ceremonies, which is very similar to what we do today.
Weddings in Victorian England called their ring bearers "pageboys." In addition to carrying the wedding rings, they also carried the bride's train and a prayer book. Back in medieval times, Northern Europeans skipped the ring pillow and presented the wedding ring to the bride on the tip of a sword! (Hopefully those "ring bearers" were a little older than 10, and very careful.)
Ring Pillows & More
Traditionally, couples would have their initials or names embroidered on the ring pillow. Ribbons sewn onto the pillow were tied around the rings to hold them in place.
Some couples prefer to use a beautiful, personalized box to hold the wedding rings. You can find a wonderful variety of different items for your ring bearer to carry down the aisle in our online wedding accessory store. As a matter of fact, we've even got something for the bride and groom that prefer to have their four-legged friend take over the ring bearer role!
Ring Bearer Swag
You'll want to give the special young man that carries your precious wedding rings (or replicas of them) down the aisle something to thank him for his part in your special day. WhereBridesGo.com has all kinds of adorable items to give as thank you gifts. From a "Ring Security" backpack to clothing, to activity kits to keep them busy during the boring "grownup" wedding stuff, you're bound to find something he'll love.
When you're ready to pick out your ring bearer accessories, as well as all of the other items to make your wedding amazing, browse the pages of our online wedding store and create the wedding of your dreams with just a little help from WhereBridesGo.com!
~ The WhereBridesGo.com Team
Post by Deanna Powell, Certified Bridal Consultant