The ring blessing ceremony is an important part of the wedding ritual in which the visible symbol of the pledges made between the bride and the groom are presented and the symbolism explained.

The ring blessing ceremony can invoke a specific deity and religious tradition or can be entirely secular and humanist with the blessing flowing forth from the couple and their guests.

These examples of the ‘ring blessing’ ceremony represent a variety of ways.

1. Marriage is a state in which two people come together and create a union greater than the sum of its parts. It is difficult to express in words the profound relationship that is love. The ring has long been a symbol of the sincerity and permanence of a couple’s love for one another and regard for their marriage. As the circle can begin anew at any point, so a good marriage can pick any point to renew itself. These rings are symbols of your eternal love.

2. As circles have no beginning and no end, rings have naturally come to symbolize eternal love within the union of mind, body, and spirit that constitutes the sanctity of marriage. The are freely offered as gifts of faith and hope as visible signs of the promises given this day. May these rings be blessed and hold the dreams ____ and ____ share for their union. May the shiny metal mirror the sacred vows made between them, now and forever.

3. Let us bless these rings. These circles, symbols that remind us of the the sun that shines above us, the Earth holding the sand beneath our feet and the cycle of the tides before us that rise and fall against this beach. In this moment, bring blessings to these rings to be symbols of unity, commitment and renewal. Grant that the love which _____ and ____ feel for each other this day reside always in their hearts.

4. _____ and _____’s rings are an external and visible sign of the internal and spiritual bond of love which unites their two hearts. May they serve as a seal of the vows ____ and ___ have made to one another. Bless these rings, symbols of eternity, beauty and strength. Bless the couple who give them and wear them–may they ever live in harmony, unity, love and happiness from this day forward.

5. Bless these rings, symbols of eternity and forgiveness. A reminder that love is never ending, but instead can be renewed at any time and place of our choosing. May these rings grace the loving hands of _____ and _____ with a joyful and nurturing presence, symbolic of the eternal love and faithfulness they pledge to one another.

6. Father, bless these rings which ____ and ____ have set apart to be visible signs of the inward and spiritual bond which unites their hearts. This circle will now seal the vows of their marriage and will symbolize the purity and endlessness of their love. As they give and receive these rings, may they testify to the world of the covenant made between them here.

7. Lord, please bless these rings that ________ and __________ are about to exchange. May these rings forever remind them of their covenant with one another, as well as the circle of love they have publicly created here today. May their compassion and kindness for one another always be like these rings, with no beginning and no end. May the precious metal remind them of their precious commitment, and if either begins to tarnish, may they joyfully undertake the sacred duty to make it shine brightly again. May their relationship always be like these rings, separate but close, simple but beautiful. May these rings always belong to their hands, and their love always belong in each other’s hearts. In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen .

8. Adonai, our God, ruler of the universe, we call for your blessing for these rings, both as symbols of love and union between (bride) and (groom), and as tokens of their hopes and dreams fulfilled in their commitment to each other this day and every day of the rest of their lives together. We ask that these rings hold and carry these dreams, remind them of the endless circle of their union to each other, and be a beautiful reflection of their sacred vows to each other, now and always.

9. Bless this precious circle of gold. Symbol of the sun and the earth and the universe, of wholeness, perfection, peace and love. Because this ring has no end or beginning, it signifies the continuation of true love. May these rings be a symbol of the promises you have made to one another and a reminder of your mutual devotion—a symbol of love that is complete, beautiful, and endless.

10. The circle is a natural symbol of eternity as it has no beginning and no end. We place the ring on the left hand because it constitutes a direct path to the heart, a traditional metaphor for love and devotion. It’s presence reminds us of the vows we have made and their relationship to the emotional seat of the heart. We ask that these rings that will forever grace the hands of (Bride) and (Groom’s) be blessed. May they reside on the hands of the lover, the caregiver, the companion and the guide. May (Bride) and (Groom) wear these rings as a symbol of their unity.

11. Made from metals drawn from deep within the earth, may these rings remind you that your love, also, must be drawn from deep within you. Forged in heat and with great effort, may these rings remind you that your marriage is also crafted daily and tempered in the forge of daily giving and forgiving. Bright like the sun, may these rings remind you that your love is meant to illumine your lives. Round like arms that embrace, may these rings remind you that human love is a gift to this world.

12. The circle has long been a symbol of completeness, a symbol of committed love. It is a symbol of holiness and of perfection and of peace. From time immemorial, the circlet of metal has been an emblem of the sincerity and permanence of a couple’s love and regard for one another and their union. As the precious metal turns again upon itself, so does a good marriage turn upon itself for its refreshment and renewal. May your rings be a reminder of the covenant you have made today.

Photo by Vladimir Yaitskiy