Wedding Planning with Dress Up Your Wedding!
Family Medallion® Ceremony and Products
Often we think of
marriage as the joining of two people. In reality, marriage is much broader. It
is also the coming together and merging of family and friends. This is even more
apparent when the bride and/or groom have children. With children present, the
wedding ceremony also becomes the proclaiming of a new family.
How does the Family Medallion® Ceremony meet the special needs of couples
with children?
Today, more than one in four marriages involves children. Many brides and grooms
come together with one or more children from previous relationships. Other
couples may already have children of their own. Family Medallion® resources were
created to assist with "family weddings" and to provide resources for
recognizing and supporting family commitments.
Until recently, few wedding ceremonies acknowledged the family nature of many
relationships or the mixed emotions children may feel about sharing their lives
with a new parent and perhaps new brothers and sisters.
Studies show that children accept a parent's remarriage more readily when they
feel included in the wedding plans and are given a tangible symbol of being
embraced by a new family. Presentation of Family Medallion® jewelry, as a gift
or during the wedding service, provides this message of love and affirmation.
What is the Family Medallion® symbol?
The Family Medallion® symbol includes three equally merged circles. Two circles
represent the marriage union while the third symbolizes the importance of
children within the family.
All Family Medallion® jewelry is crafted from the finest metals using the "lost
wax" method of casting. This technique guarantees that your Family Medallion
will always be of heirloom quality.
How is the Family Medallion® used?
Couples may choose to present Family Medallion® pendants, rings or lapel pins
during the wedding service or as a special gift. It is appropriate for children
of all ages, even adult children. From our experience, boys and girls will
attach the same emotional importance to their Family Medallion® as the bride and
groom place on their wedding rings.
When used during the wedding, Family Medallion® jewelry is given to each child
after the couple is pronounced husband and wife. A special presentation
ceremony, "Celebrating the New Family," comes with each product order. This
resource is easily adapted to any religious or civil wedding tradition.
Brides and grooms may also choose to exchange Family Medallion® jewelry with
each other during the wedding ceremony, or present Family Medallion® pendants to
parents or grandparents.
Other Family Medallion® Uses
Family Medallion® resources were created to support and celebrate significant
family relationships. They have been used most often to recognize children and
families created by marriage of a parent. Increasingly, these resources are used
on other occasions including birth, baptism or blessing of a child, birthdays,
anniversaries, religious holidays, Mother's Day, Father's Day and leaving home
for college or military service.
The Family Medallion® symbol of expanding circles signify love's willingness to
include others. As you wear your Family Medallion® jewelry or share it with
another person, may your love continue to grow. May you reach out and embrace
not only your family, but all those who wait without hope and live without
love's shelter.
Blessed be the ties that bind. —Dr. Roger Coleman