Recently, I’ve come across people looking for the family medallion to exchange with children during a wedding ceremony. The medallion contains three linked rings to connect the adults with the children in the new family. The ceremony can also be done with the other jewelry, including religious jewelry. The important part of the ceremony is that the acceptance of the children from previous marriages is included, making the children feel as if they are an important part of the new union.

A friend of mine had her son and his new step-sister exchange gold crosses. I think this is a wonderful way to have older children acknowledge their role as participants in a blended family rather than simply as children who need to be cared for by adults.

The wording for such a ceremony could be as simple as:

Officiant: Today, we celebrate not just the union of John and Mary, but of the creation of a new family that includes their children. Would Joseph and Emily please step forward?

John: Emily, today I welcome you as part of the family I have chosen. Please wear this token of your mother’s and my love, and let it remind you of the new bond we share.

Mary: Joseph, I am proud to have you as part of my family. Your father and I give you this token as a symbol of the love we have for you, and of the new bond we all share. Wear it in good health, and let it be a reminder of our new family.