What is ring-warming and what does it involve?
Ring warming is a symbolic wedding ritual where the ring is passed to each guest present to ask them to bless the ring, or simply hold it to bring the happy couple good luck. It’s a really lovely option in a celebrant-led wedding ceremony as it gives you the option to include all of your guests, allowing them to cross that invisible line from just being onlookers, to very much having an active part in the big day.
How to Incorporate a Ring Warming Ceremony Into Your Wedding or Row Renewal
The choice of how to run a ring-warming ceremony, who to include, and the potential interpretations is completely up to you and your celebrant - but the hope is that by the time they nestle neatly on your finger your special rings are overflowing with good luck and positive wishes from your friends and family. And that is something amazingly special.
If two rings are used, rings can be passed together symbolising the luck for the couple and their union, or at a wedding they can be passed individually as a symbol of welcome and acceptance of each individual to the joining families.
A ring-warming ceremony can be included at any point of a wedding or vow renewal ceremony and can be supported by a reading, or even with some music or song. What you include to support your ring warming will likely depend on what you want the ring warming to symbolise, but also - keeping it practical for a moment here - how many guests your rings have to travel around… as if you have 100s of guests to bless your ring a three-line haiku is just not going to fill the time! Some couples choose to have their rings available for warming as guests arrive rather than during the ceremony itself.
How to Keep the Rings Safe During a Ring-Warming Ceremony
The idea of letting your precious rings out of your sight can be a very real worry for some couples. I understand that. These rings have been chosen to represent your commitment to each other and your new life together - so best to keep them safe and secure!
Some choose to appoint a ‘ring chaperone’, who will follow the ring around the room to make sure that it doesn’t get misplaced (I like to imagine this a little like a celebrity bodyguard!). Other couples may choose to only ask a small number of guests to bless the rings such as immediate family at a specific moment in the ceremony.
One way to help keep the rings visible is to put them into a brightly coloured pouch or box, place them on a dish or tie them together with brightly coloured threads so that they can be easily seen.
The sentiment behind ring-warming is one of love and acceptance. It celebrates the coming together of a couple and the people that stand around them. How beautiful is that?
