Will you be having someone present your rings during the wedding ceremony? Typically, a ring bearer is a young child that walks down the aisle with the couple’s wedding rings on a pillow to hand off to the officiant or member of the wedding party. Weddings are all about making your own traditions, so if you don’t want to have a traditional ring bearer, put a spin on the common practice with these nontraditional ring bearer ideas.

Signs

Trusting a child with expensive, sentimental jewelry can be a big risk. If you like the idea of a ring bearer but don’t want to give them such a huge responsibility, consider having them wear a special sign that will make guests laugh or let out an “Awww.”

Photo via The Knot
Photo via The Knot

Ring boxes

Place your rings in a special box for your ring bearer to carry so there’s no need to worry about the rings being dropped or rolling away. Like signs, your ring box can be customized with a special message or decorated to match the theme of your wedding.

Elegant airline-themed wedding in Oregon (48)
Photo by Colin Cohen @ Cohen & Park via Equally Wed

 

Multiple ring bearer

Choosing between multiple children can be hard, and you don’t want anyone’s feelings to be hurt, especially at such a young age. If there are multiple choices for a possible ring bearer, ask them all to participate. They can all walk together with one carrying the rings, or each can carry a special sign or item.

Photo via The Overwhelmed Bride
Photo via The Overwhelmed Bride

 

Adult

Forget the young child tradition, all that matters is that the rings make it onto your fingers, it doesn’t matter how they get there. Whether your family is small or you don’t have any children to ask, having a young person as your ring bearer may be out of the question. If you want someone to present the rings at your wedding ceremony, give this role to an adult. Not only will you have to worry about the ring, the odds are good that your wedding guest list has at least one person who secretly wishes they’d gotten to be a ring bearer in their lifetime. This is also a great compromising factor if you want to fill the ring bearer role but have too many children in your family and don’t want to play favorites. Add a humorous spin like this ring bearer who put took this title seriously and wore a bear hat.

Photo by Kate's Captures Photography via Huffington Post
Photo by Kate’s Captures Photography via Huffington Post

 

Four-legged friend

Whoever said your ring bearer had to be a human? Strap your rings on to your dog (tightly) and let them walk down the aisle. Have a member of your wedding party or a guest hold the leash if your dog is a risk for running off with your rings. Be sure you have someone designated to watch your dog during the ceremony after they have fulfilled their ring bearer duties so they are not a distraction to the ceremony.