One of the loveliest ideas we've seen lately is the wine box wedding ceremony ritual. It's perfect for wine lovers and foodies, and there are a million different ways to customise it, so it's a great way to put a personal stamp on your wedding ceremony! And it serves as a reminder to couples to keep celebrating their relationship, long after the wedding day has passed. Want to learn more? You're in luck, because our handy guide will tell you everything you need to know. Let's start with the basics...

What is a Wine Box Wedding Ceremony Ritual?

This ritual finds the couple sealing a special bottle of wine in a box during their wedding ceremony. The celebrant explains that the couple will open and drink the wine together on their first wedding anniversary, 10th wedding anniversary or another special date. Some couples put love letters in the box too, to be read upon opening the box. The wine might be a meaningful bottle selected by the couple themselves (for example, the wine that will be served with dinner at the wedding reception) or a bottle chosen by a friend or family member for the occasion.

The Wine Box Wedding Ceremony Ritual: Some Variations

• While it's called the wine box ritual, the possibilities are endless! You could seal up a bottle of whiskey or case of beers, a bottle of fancy olive oil or some hot sauce, a jar of honey or jam, a variety of sweets or candy that you both love, or even a special spice mix to cook with. Just make sure to check the expiry date first!
• There are lots of ways to approach choosing the bottle of wine. It might be the wine that's going to be served at your reception, or a wine that's made near your wedding venue, the place you got engaged, or your honeymoon destination.
• You could ask a member of the wedding party or guest to choose and/or source the wine for you - this is a nice job to assign one of the many people who will offer to lend a hand with your wedding plans.
• If you're planning for an anniversary a few years in the future, say your fifth or 10th, it's a good idea to talk to your wine seller or other expert to find a wine or spirit that will improve with age. They can also give you tips on how to best store your wine box (generally speaking, horizontally in a cool, dark place).

• Some couples choose to include two bottles of wine, one that they open and drink during the ceremony, and another that gets sealed in the box. We think doing a shot of tequila with the wedding party and/or guests could be a really fun alternative for an informal, secular ceremony.
• Some couples like to add a copy of their vows to the box so they can renew or remember them when they open their bottle of wine.
• Other couples write love letters on the week of the wedding that are strictly not to be read until the box is opened on the appointed date or anniversary - and we have a post on what to write here!
• Some couples ask friends and family members to write notes to include in their wine box too, which we think is a lovely idea!
• We've heard of couples buying 10 bottles of wine or Champagne to open on each anniversary for 10 years. They usually only seal one during the ritual though, to avoid dragging it out too much!

What Do I Need for a Wine Box Ritual?

A wine box ritual requires very little in terms of physical items. You just need;

• a bottle of wine
• a suitable box (your wine seller might be able to suggest one, or you can buy bespoke, engraved versions on Etsy)
• a hammer and nails or key, if required to seal the box (some will have a simple clasp or sliding cover)
• love letters or a copy of your vows, if including these

How Do I Plan a Wine Box Ritual?

1. Talk to your celebrant about including a wine box ritual in your ceremony. Bear in mind that wine box rituals are secular, and, as such, may not be permitted at religious ceremonies.
2. Your celebrant may have experience with wine box rituals already, but if they don't, they will need to write it into the ceremony, and prepare a few words to be spoken aloud during the ritual. They will need to talk a little bit about the symbolism of the ritual and explain the ritual to any guests who haven't heard of it before.
3. If you're going to be physically hammering nails in your wine box, you might want to arrange for a piece of music to be played while this is taking place.
4. Source a bottle of wine and find a suitable box for the ceremony, along with anything you may need to seal the box.
5. Write your love letters or write out a copy of your vows, if you're going to be including them.
6. Make a plan for setting up the wine box ritual. Your celebrant may be happy to do this for you, or you could ask a wedding party member to bring the wine and box to the ceremony and ensure everything is in place.

Looking for more ceremony ritual ideas? You'll find our ultimate list here!