Weddingbee Blog

Family history has been something that has always intrigued me. I am in love with family heirlooms, names, ancestry, and most of all, where we all came from. My grandma is particularly interested in this as well. In fact, she has traced back our family so far that it blows my mind. I could sit for hours and listen to all that she has discovered. My grandpa has the most interesting and funny stories about my past relatives as well. He is a fantastic story teller.

I am very fortunate to have had the opportunity to know and very much love my great grandparents. They have since passed, but are incredibly important to me and I knew I had to include them somehow. When my family found out I was looking for something to honor them by, they all came to the rescue. Each of my great grandparents had very long and loving marriages.

My grandma is letting me use her mother’s ring at the wedding. Funny story about how my great grandparents met.

My great grandpa decided to join the Army during the ’30s. He often would receive letters from his father while he was in the Army. His father lived next door to the Nunn family and he would write to my great grandpa about this “Nunn girl.” My great grandpa always figured that his father was referring to a “Catholic Sister,” and he had no clue that was their last name. While on leave from the Army he came home to learn of his mistake and 30 days later in January of 1938 he married my great grandma—that “Nunn Girl.” She was only 16 years old at the time. They were married 46 years.

The next ring that I will have with me was sent to me by my aunt. It belonged to my great-great grandma. This ring is most definitely an antique. She was married in 1905 which marks this ring at almost 107 years old.

Last but not least my aunt also sent me a few more items that belonged to my other great grandma. She is the daughter of my aforementioned great-great grandma.  I was especially close with this particular great grandma. In fact, my first name comes from her maiden name. My great grandpa and her met when she was working at the lunch counter of a Woolworth’s store. He would come in to have lunch and my great grandma would become so nervous and excited that it usually led to her dropping things and making a mess. Not soon after they were married in 1935 and led a life of happiness and love together. They passed away one year apart from each other—almost exactly to the day. “Til Death Do Us Part” rang loud and clear for them. They were married for 71 years. My grandpa told me, “Theirs was a true, long-lasting love story. The kind everyone should have.” What beautiful words and boy, that sure is the truth. Everyone that knew them knew the love that they shared was one that fairy tales could only dream of. I miss my great grandma’s baking and playing tic-tac-toe with my great grandpa—he was the master of tic-tac-toe. When my great grandma hugged you, she hugged you with purpose. Their stories, recipes, humor, and love live on through all of my family.

I was given her handkerchiefs and her second wedding ring. My great grandpa got her a second wedding ring on their 25th anniversary when they were living in England in the ’60s. I am incredibly thankful and honored to have been given such beautiful heirlooms that remind me of her grace, kindness and love that she had for all people.

Now I have both of my great-grandmothers’ rings, my great grandma’s hankies and my great-great grandma’s ring. Isn’t this great?! (Okay, had to do it.) This means between all three rings I will have combined 256 years of family history at the time of the wedding. I can only hope that these rings will bring us the same blessing of a long and happy marriage.

I have been researching how to properly display all of these heirlooms. Most of the pictures I have found and ideas I have thought have yet to excite me. Until one day I was relaxing at Dillon Beach up here on the Pacific Coast. Okay, I might have stopped to take a few cat naps. I got busted.

Nonetheless, I was browsing through my many bridal magazines and something caught my eye.

{Image via: Brides Magazine/Photo by: Suzy Clement}

Perfection. So simple yet so elegant. I am thrilled to finally have narrowed down how to attach the rings and handkerchiefs to my bouquet. Also, my florist (that I haven’t introduced you to yet) is the bomb-diggity and I just know she will jump all over this idea and make it look incredible.

Is anyone else using family heirlooms as their Something Old?

{Unless otherwise noted, all photos are personal}