Wine Box and Love Letter Ceremony?

[MainStMandy]

I really would love to add this to our ceremony. The problem is we love white wine. I am afraid to put a bottle of white and close the lid!! Any suggestions? Should we just do this with letters and no wine?

For those who have never heard of it:
Basically the JP or officiant asks the couple getting married to find a strong wooden box that will hold a bottle of wine. The couple is then asked to each write a letter to one another, expressing their thoughts about the good qualities that they found in their future partner and their reasons for falling in love with each other. Under no condition can they read each other’s letter. They are to seal them and put them in the box.

Upon finalizing the wedding ceremony, the officiant will announce to the guests that he / she had asked the couple to write letters to each other and put them in the box with the wine and glasses. The officiant will explain that should the couple ever find their marriage in serious trouble, before making any irrational decisions, they must open the box, drink wine together, and read the letter that they wrote to one another to reflect on why they fell in love with each other in the first place.

The hope is that there will never be a reason to have to open the box, unless of course, it is for a 10th year anniversary! in Holland, members of the wedding party are handed nails to hammer the box shut. However, you can not use the hammer and nails, and have the couple just close the box or latch it instead.

One I found on Etsy:

 

[Boardwalk_bride]

I LOVE that idea soooo much! We were hoping to do it as well!

Apparently Chardonnay is a good white to age, but I am sure you can go to a wine store and ask for suggestions. Maybe something like a white merlot, which is more of a blush?

 

[AlternateEgo]

Well... I have seen these here and there, but to me I think it would give my family the assumption that our relationship is bound for turbulance.

I understand the idea behind it... but then again I would have to start a fight just to get the chance to read the letter. I hate secrets, even if they are intended to be sweet.

Maybe... you could put a twist on it and open your letters and drink your wine on your 1st, 5th, or 10th anniversary.

I think I would be more comfortable explaining that to our families.

 

[Sarah <3 Disney]

You know what is better than wine?

Whiskey!

 

[MainStMandy]

Ok so after you posted I googled it. It looks like Reisling can age well...which we love. I think we just need to find a good quality (expensive) bottle instead of our favs!

 

[MainStMandy]

You know what is better than wine?

Whiskey!

 

[Boardwalk_bride]

Ok so after you posted I googled it. It looks like Reisling can age well...which we love. I think we just need to find a good quality (expensive) bottle instead of our favs!

We are planning on buying one from the France pavilion in Epcot...not sure if it is good quality, but definitely will hold a special meaning!

 

[Sarah <3 Disney]

We are planning on buying one from the France pavilion in Epcot...not sure if it is good quality, but definitely will hold a special meaning!

That is a good idea Mandy... you can pick one up during your planning session.

Edit: then find Mickey and have him sign it. Mickey says divorce is bad!

 

[MainStMandy]

We are planning on buying one from the France pavilion in Epcot...not sure if it is good quality, but definitely will hold a special meaning!

Ohh I like that idea!!!

I am toying with the idea of just doing love letters. I read another one online that said they would use and read every year on their anniversary and then write new ones! I also found this great seller on Etsy that does these cool custom wooden boxes. Then I could buy a smaller box.

 

[AlternateEgo]

Ohh I like that idea!!!

I am toying with the idea of just doing love letters. I read another one online that said they would use and read every year on their anniversary and then write new ones! I also found this great seller on Etsy that does these cool custom wooden boxes. Then I could buy a smaller box.

That sounds like a good plan. Nothing wrong with replacing the bottle of wine every year either...

 

[PrincessShea]

Ohh I like that idea!!!

I am toying with the idea of just doing love letters. I read another one online that said they would use and read every year on their anniversary and then write new ones!

I love this idea. It would give you and DH something cute and romantic to do every anniversary. And then imagine all the letters you will have accumulated after many years.

I personally wouldn't want to even mention anything about future fights on my wedding; even though the sentiment is sweet.

 

[DisneyDmbNut]

Chateau St Michelle Eroica Riesling is very good..and I think you are right..it does age well.
I have a friend who lives near the Washington vineyard and first told me about it a few years ago.

 

[LLLBelle]

I love the idea! Another disbride did it and I thought it was so unique. DFi has refused to do a sand ceremony, so I thought about doing a tweak on the idea, I think doing just love letters would be sweet. I may have our parents each write a letter and do kind of a past-present-future thing. I agree though, I don't like the thought of mentioning turmoil during the ceremony so finding the right thing for the minister to say may be a challenge.

I'm really no help with the wine though, DFi doesn't really drink it.

Mandy can you post the link for the Etsy seller for the boxes? Thanks!

 

[BecBennett]

That's a really neat idea. I'm not too keen on either the sand or the candle ceremonies, but I don't mind this one...
Only problem is, is that I don't drink...

 

[Lindsay22]

Another idea is a bottle of champagne. I personally think that champagne is a much more enjoyable drink!!! Also, it's more wedding-y than just plain wine. You could pick up a bottle of French champagne while you're in Disney for your planning session.

Or you could do something fun like Rosa Regala which (to me anyway) is a much sweeter red wine (and I don't like red... so if I like it I think you'll be good).

I wish I had heard of this before my wedding. It would have been perfect for us!

 

[MainStMandy]

I love this idea. It would give you and DH something cute and romantic to do every anniversary. And then imagine all the letters you will have accumulated after many years.

I personally wouldn't want to even mention anything about future fights on my wedding; even though the sentiment is sweet.

No I get what everyone is saying about the fighting. I guess I didn't read it like that.

Chateau St Michelle Eroica Riesling is very good..and I think you are right..it does age well.
I have a friend who lives near the Washington vineyard and first told me about it a few years ago.

Ohhh one of my favorite wines!!

I love the idea! Another disbride did it and I thought it was so unique. DFi has refused to do a sand ceremony, so I thought about doing a tweak on the idea, I think doing just love letters would be sweet. I may have our parents each write a letter and do kind of a past-present-future thing. I agree though, I don't like the thought of mentioning turmoil during the ceremony so finding the right thing for the minister to say may be a challenge.

I'm really no help with the wine though, DFi doesn't really drink it.

Mandy can you post the link for the Etsy seller for the boxes? Thanks!

The etsy seller is:GiftsAndTalents

They are little funky but I love them. She gave me the site where she buys the paper for them and told me I can pick my own.

Here's a sample

That's a really neat idea. I'm not too keen on either the sand or the candle ceremonies, but I don't mind this one...
Only problem is, is that I don't drink...

You could always do just the love letters like I think we are going to do.

I want to tweak it since we will just do the love letter part. DF loved the idea. We decided to buy a scrapbook and every anniversary when we take out the letters, we will put them in a scrapbook and put the new letters in!!

Another idea is a bottle of champagne. I personally think that champagne is a much more enjoyable drink!!! Also, it's more wedding-y than just plain wine. You could pick up a bottle of French champagne while you're in Disney for your planning session.

Or you could do something fun like Rosa Regala which (to me anyway) is a much sweeter red wine (and I don't like red... so if I like it I think you'll be good).

I wish I had heard of this before my wedding. It would have been perfect for us!

OHhhh love Rosa Regala!!! Maybe we will buy a bottle (of something) on our trip and put it away anyway...since we can't save the top layer of the cake

Here's a sample for the ceremony for those interested:

"Bride & Groom, I have asked you as a couple, to find a strong wooden box that will hold two bottles of wine, and two wine glasses. In addition, I have asked each of you to write a letter to one another, expressing your thoughts about the good qualities that you have found in your future partner, as well as, your reasons for falling in love with each other. I requested that under no condition were you to read each other’s letter, and that you were to seal them in individual envelopes and put them in the box with the wine and glasses."

"Bride & Groom, this box is not to be opened again until your __ wedding anniversary. Your gift to each other will be a poignant reminder of the reasons that you fell in love with each other in the first place. It will give you an opportunity to reflect on and celebrate the many ways that you have enriched each others lives, and remind you how blessed you have been to have shared this journey

 

[missy0107]

That's a really neat idea. I'm not too keen on either the sand or the candle ceremonies, but I don't mind this one...
Only problem is, is that I don't drink...

Then don't put liquor in it! Think of it as a sort of time capsule. Write each other a letter and get each other a small gift or token of some kind.

 

[Wish on a Star]

I love the love letter idea. I wonder if I can get DFi to do that!


The wine thing reminds me of a wedding we went to a few years ago, were the guests at the wedding all signed a bottle of champagne in either blue or pink depending on if you thought their first born would be a boy or a girl. And the couple was supposed to open it when their first child is born. *(It's an old tradition, but I can't remember what culture it was from, it was a very diverse couple) Anyway I always thought it was a cool play on the guest book tradition. (The only problem is a new mother drinking alcohol)

 

[SailorsPrincess]

Ohh I like that idea!!!

I am toying with the idea of just doing love letters. I read another one online that said they would use and read every year on their anniversary and then write new ones! I also found this great seller on Etsy that does these cool custom wooden boxes. Then I could buy a smaller box.

I love the idea of the box, and your special twist to it makes it even cooler! Great idea!!

 

[KristinBelle]

I don't say this to hurt your feelings but I think you should definitely do the letters over the wine box. I just think it's weird to talk about the possibility of a marriage failing before it's even started, seems pessimistic rather then romantic to me.

Love the invites though, very pretty!!