According to My Dream Wedding[1] , the tradition of using a ring pillow in a wedding dates back to ancient Rome or Egypt, when jewels were displayed on pillows during the ceremony. European weddings first introduced the idea of exchanging rings, and the role of the ring bearer was introduced. Today, it is a wedding tradition for the ring bearer, a young boy chosen by the wedding couple, to carry in the rings attached to a ring pillow as part of the ceremony. A common wedding accessory, ring pillows may be purchased at bridal shops, department stores or from online retailers.
Typical costs:
An inexpensive ring pillow typically costs $10 to $25. These simple pillows are typically made of satin material and adorned with a bow on top. For example, Target[2] sells a white satin ring pillow with a large bow for $20.
An expensive ring pillow typically costs $25 to $60. These pillows are often customized to match the wedding colors or may be heavily adorned with jewels or fresh flowers. FTD[3] sells a white pillow topped with fresh flowers for $50.
Smaller than an average throw pillow, square-shaped ring pillows are typically 7 to 9 inches long and wide.
Most ring pillows have two ribbons coming out of the top that can be used to tie the rings to it before the ceremony.
Some pillows include an elastic strap on the bottom to make it easier for little hands to carry.
Additional costs:
If purchased online, a ring pillow typically incurs a standard shipping charge of $7 to $10.
Discounts:
For do-it-yourselfers, Save on Crafts[4] offers a tutorial for making a ring pillow from satin, ribbon and tassels, with materials costing $20 or less.
Customers may receive free shipping on ring pillows at Target[5] when spending $50 or more and Amazon[6] when spending $25 or more on qualifying items.
Shopping for a ring pillow:
Wedding Accessories and Wedding Mountain[7] are two online retailers offering many styles of ring pillows ranging from inexpensive to elaborate, to fit with various wedding themes and colors.
Couples worried about the ring bearer losing the rings can still carry on the ring bearer tradition by attaching fake rings to the ring pillow, but giving the real rings to the best man for safekeeping, according to The Wedding Channel[8] .
The Knot[9] suggests several options for revamped ring pillows, offering creative alternatives to the standard white satin pillow with ribbon. They also suggest using an old book[10] for a nostalgic twist on the ring pillow tradition.
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