Ringing wedding bells to celebrate the newly married couple are as traditional as wedding cake, the bouquet toss and the first song. This tradition started many centuries ago when it was believed that ringing bells or making loud noises would chase the evil spirits away from the couple’s good fortune. Although we now believe that spirits won’t invade our wedding day, the tradition of ringing wedding bells to signify good wishes has remained long after this old wives’ tale was laid to rest.

Traditionally, wedding bells were distributed in silver, gold or crystal. The tradition has extended in modern times for couples to kiss whenever a wedding bell was rung. Ringing of bells has evolved to be the upscale, classy choice versus clinking of glasses with tableware. It is a fun tradition and guaranteed to bring many loving smooches on your wedding day.

If you would like to incorporate this cute custom there are many ways to do so. You can choose to add wedding bells as table decorations to your reception, you can add mini wedding bells to each place setting as an inexpensive option, you can distribute them to your guests to ring as you leave the ceremony, or you can use them as traditional wedding favors.

If you would like to give them to guests to ring in your nuptials as you leave your ceremony, place them in baskets by the end of the pews and post a sign to “please take one”. Alternatively, you can have younger members who are not in your wedding party hand them out to guests as they enter the location.

For table decorations, it is suggested to scatter a few onto each table so that you’re guests can chime in on the activity without giving one to everyone. If you decide to scatter them, you will only need 2 to 4 bells per table depending on how many guests are seated at each table. Should you choose to purchase the mini kissing bells, one per guest is recommended due to their small size.

To incorporate wedding bells as traditional wedding favors, we would recommend one per couple or one per single guest. You can use these as place card holders, by attaching your escort cards to each wedding bell (Wrap them around the stems or use ribbon to tie them to each bell). Or you can choose to purchase formally boxed bells which come in display boxes that you could put at each place setting.

Whatever way you choose to incorporate wedding bells into your day it is a classic wedding tradition which will bring wonderful memories in years to come.