The Love Letter and Wine Box Ceremony:

Are you looking for an idea that will attract the attention of your guests, add some elegance to your wedding and make it worth reminiscing for years to come? You can call the love letter wine box ceremony an alternative to the commonly practiced Unity Sand and Unity Candle Ceremony. The following article is a vivid description of how to perform the traditional Wine box ceremony and ideas to help inspire you to write your love letter to the future love of your life.

My name is Julie Nourish. I am a mobile Las Vegas wedding officiant.  I have been performing the love letter and wine box ceremony since it became a popular addition to the wedding ceremony.

I have experienced the wine box ceremony in many different ceremony styles. I often get questions from my wedding couples asking what this ritual addition is and what it means. I decided to write this article as a resource to assist and educate with creative ideas and information.

Love Letter Wine Box Ceremony explained:

As the most popular and equally romantic wedding day ritual, Wine box ceremony entails writing romantic letters to each other and storing them for the future. The two sealed letters are tucked away, inside a special box, along with a bottle of wine, and the box is tightly sealed.

The original idea is to open it when the couple experiences some misunderstandings and fights. However, as a suggestion, why not be more positive and focus less on the misunderstanding and fights in your relationship and more the celebration aspect?  I think it’s a great idea to open the box on one of your wedding’s anniversaries.

Items you will need for the ceremony

•      A wooden wine box
•      A bottle of your best brand of wine
•      Two sealed love letters
•      A CD of your favorite love songs and your best photo
•      A hammer with nails

Ideas to inspire the letter writing:  Here are some ideas and questions to ask yourself to help you prepare and be inspired to write the letter to your intended.

• What were your first thoughts when you saw your partner for first time?
• What is your favorite attribute about your fiancé?
• How did this affect your life?How did your life change after you met your fiancé? How did you change?
• How has your fiancé inspired your hopes and aspirations?
• What are the reasons you fell in love with your partner?
• Why did you choose to marry your fiancé?
• How has your fiancé changed you – explain in the letter and give praise.

Reasons to open and share the contents:

1.    Open the box on your 5th wedding anniversary – After five years together you have gone through a great deal together.  By this time you will have a lot to share, remember and talk about. This is truly a romantic way to remember the things you cherished about each other from the beginning of your relationship.

2.    Open it when problems exist – You sit down together, open it and uncork the wine as you unseal the two letters. I have read explanations that suggest you to move to different rooms to read each respective letter.  I think it may be more suitable to read it in the same room.  After all, the point is trying to work out your problems with the other person. Wouldn’t it be better to read through them together and remember the reasons you love each other and got married in the first place?  The idea is to bury the hatchet and focus on why you chose to be married to each other and spark the remembrance of the love you held when you began your wedding journey together.

Perfect ritual: The feelings and romantic sentiments expressed through writing will invariably restore parity and help you get along again. It is perhaps a perfect marriage ritual as it elicits memories of the seemingly blissful past and why you chose each other.

Don’t peak! Remember, both letters shouldn’t have been read by anyone before the ceremony. The box will then be sealed ceremoniously with everyone including the Officiant driving one of the sealing nails. If you had used a lock-and-key box, the couple would be the ones to lock it. 

Practice: I have noticed it does make a difference to practice how you will stand and where the table will be ahead of time.  The practice helps your photos turn out better if you consider the photo angles that look best before the big day

Table placement: Make sure the table is not positioned too low down. It’s better to have the table be waist height. You both want to be able to stand at the table without being in awkward positions and a table that is too low makes the nailing or locking part too awkward. Also, take into consideration how the audience will view the ceremony and position yourselves on either side of the table during the ceremonious sealing of the box. If you do this your guests will be able to have a great view and also take memorable photos for you.

A Sample Love Letter and Wine Box Ceremony

Minister: At this time I will ask ________ and _________ to walk to the Wine box.

_____ and _____ have chosen as a couple to have a Love Letter & Wine Box ceremony. This box contains a bottle of wine and a love letter from each to the other.

The letters written by __________ and __________ describe among many things, the good qualities they find in one another, the reasons they fell in love, and their reasons for choosing to marry.

The letters are sealed in individual envelopes. Neither person has seen what the other has written. They have created your very own “romantic” time capsule.

_________ and __________, it is recommended that you keep the box in a place of honor prominently displayed in your home as a constant reminder of your commitment to each other.

You may decide to open the time capsule on your anniversary if you ever experience insurmountable hardships in your union, open the box as a couple and perform the ritual.

At whatever time you decide to open it, separate from each other and read the letters you wrote on your wedding day in private first. By reading these love letters you will reflect upon the reasons you fell in love and chose to marry each other here today.  

Then after reading your letters sit and drink the wine together and reminisce and speak of the good things to come and the blessings you have.

You may now seal the box together.

In closing, perhaps you will be inspired to have a love letter and wine box ceremony for your wedding.

I hope this article has both informed and inspired you to add some pizzazz to your wedding ceremony and incorporate this unique customization ritual.