How and when to do a Wedding Ring Ceremony as part of your perfect LDS Wedding Day

How and when to do a Wedding Ring Ceremony as part of your LDS Wedding Day

Since exchanging rings isn’t part of the LDS Temple Sealing, Latter-day Saint couples have two options. Either they can exchange rings at the conclusion of the sealing after they have stepped away from the altar, or they can exchange them at a separate ring ceremony during the wedding reception. Keep reading to learn why a ring ceremony may be right for you, get current guidelines from general authorities, and get ideas for a sample program for a Mormon Ring Ceremony on WeddingLDS.com.

Reasons for an LDS Wedding Ring Ceremony

Having a ring ceremony after a LDS Temple wedding is beneficial for many reasons. Latter-day Saint couples often choose to hold a separate ring ceremony during their wedding reception because it:

1. Allows parents, bishops, or other special people to be involved as speakers during the ceremony
2. Lets a larger group of guests witness a part of the special day (it is only appropriate to invite family and close friends to the sealing)
3. Includes family members who don’t qualify for temple recommends and can’t see the sealing

Why a Wedding Ring Ceremony is Good for Part-Member Families

It’s hard to imagine what less-active or non-member parents and family members must feel when they are unable to witness the temple sealing. A ring ceremony can lessen the hurt by helping them feel that they didn’t completely “miss” the wedding. Of course the rings are simply symbols of the covenants you’ve already made in the temple sealing, but exchanging them in a ring ceremony is a simple way to include everyone and publicly acknowledge the love and hard work that non-member or inactive LDS family members have put into this special day.

LDS Guidelines for doing Ring Ceremonies as part of your Wedding Day

If you decide that a ring ceremony is right for you, then you need to know how to perform one in keeping with LDS church guidelines. Ring ceremonies are not appropriate on LDS temple grounds, and should instead be performed at another location.

The LDS church’s most recent statement on ring ceremony protocol in 1984 reads that “the circumstances should be consistent with the dignity of [the] temple marriage. The exchange should not appear to replicate any part of the marriage ceremony. For instance, there should be no exchanging of vows on that occasion.” A 1987 article in the New Era repeats that “the sanctity and impressiveness of the [sealing] marriage ceremony should not be overshadowed by any other procedure.” So as long as the ring ceremony doesn’t take place on LDS temple grounds, replace the importance of the sealing, or turn into a “second wedding” brides and grooms can enjoy the freedom to plan their ring ceremony however they see fit. When done correctly, a ring ceremony is a great way to include your entire family and all your friends in the happiness of your LDS Temple wedding day!

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