Perhaps no other object conveys so perfectly the spirit of unity, joy and friendliness like the wreath. Couples often incorporate wreaths, greenery and leaves into their wedding stationery to encircle their initials. Laurel, olive leaves, lavender and wildflowers are wreath favorites and are a beautiful way to make stationery unique and complete your custom monogram.
What is it about the simple act of cutting a bough, shaping the young, flexible branches into a circle that resonates immediately with us and carries so much meaning?
With origins in ancient times the word comes from old english, writha, meaning band. They have been used throughout history to convey power, personality, blessings and love. Wild ambling evergreen limbs fashioned into something new. Tension, like a spell, forming what was once long, common and tapered into something symbolic, balanced and beautiful.
Gold foil wreath with initials on soft blue handmade paper add elegance to this wedding invitation.
Lavender and wildflower wreaths encircling the table numbers at a summer wedding during California's peak lavender season was a beautiful nod to the local landscape.
Greenery along the edges of this wedding menu creates an elegant transition from paper to plate.
A chameleon of sorts, wreaths have been used for a variety of purposes over the centuries. Ancient rulers wore them to convey power and status, priests blessed long procession lines of harvest wreaths in an act of reverence and hope for fruitful soil and rain. In classical times the laurel wreath, associated with Apollo, became a symbol of joy and victory.
Olive leaves in a pale sand and sage green text set the tone for this gorgeous wine country wedding celebration.
And here we are, thousands of years later, reinventing wreaths in endless ways. The simple shape with its capacity to convey personality and meaning isn’t even slightly diminished.
Couples continue to incorporate the wreath for many reasons, both personal and general. To honor the bond of marriage, to set the tone for a welcoming gathering and perhaps the promise of something perfect and unbreakable.
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