Adding a Unique Touch to Your Wedding: The Wine Box Ceremony

Adding personal touches to your wedding can make it truly special. One unique idea is a Wine Box Ceremony. It's a fun and personal tradition that can make your special day even more memorable. 

What's a Wine Box Ceremony?
A Wine Box Ceremony involves placing love letters and/or wedding vows, a bottle of your favourite wine or whiskey/port (or whatever you fancy), and some special keepsakes into a box. You lock the box up and don't open it until a future wedding anniversary, like your first, fifth, or tenth.

How Does It Work?
You and your partner will open the box on your chosen anniversary. You'll enjoy the wine and read the love letters you wrote to each other on your wedding day. It's a lovely way to reminisce about your early years together and celebrate how far you've come.

Mary and Ben at Mt Cook Lakeside Retreat | Chris Stanley Focus Photography

How to Plan Your Wine Box Ceremony

1. Pick the Box and Wine: You can go for a simple gift box from a store, or choose a beautifully crafted wooden box for a more personal touch. When selecting your wine, think about how long you want to keep it. Some wines age better than others, so it might be worth getting some advice from a local wine shop or vineyard.
2. Add a Personal Touch: You can add personalised letters about what you love about each other and why you're excited to get married. You can also add your wedding vows ( which is a nice touch if they are a surprise on the day. I have had couples also include sealed letters from their parents and grandparents. Many couples who are parents also include a picture drawn from their children. 
3. Perform the Ritual: During your ceremony, after the vows and ring exchange, you can do the Wine Box Ritual. I like it after the signing, before the final words and first steps as a married couple. 
4. Seal the Box: You can nail it shut, seal it with wax, or tie it with string. I had one bride who said she would hot glue it shut after their honeymoon. 

Example Of Wording In Ceremony:
"[Partner 1] and [Partner 2] have chosen to include a Wine Box Ritual in their wedding ceremony. Given their love for fine wine, this seemed like the perfect way to create a romantic time capsule. Inside the box is a bottle of wine and sealed letters from each of them. These letters capture their feelings about why they fell in love and why they've chosen to marry today.

On their [ xxx] anniversary, they will pop the cork, have a drink while reading their letters and vows. They will celebrate themselves as a couple and remember today and their journey so far.​"

Why It's Special
The Wine Box Ceremony is more than just a tradition; it's a meaningful way to celebrate your love and create a lasting memory. It can make a lovely keepsake to have on display at home.

It's a wonderful opportunity to reflect on your first years together and toast your future.

Yes, I can incorporate a winebox ceremony at your wedding and make it unique to you. 
Let's chat.