Wedding Traditions are Better with Ribbons

custom blue ribbons around tealight candles used for a wedding

A wedding is a day for celebrating love, joy and the families that come together. And, what better way to bring two families together than wedding traditions? Whether it is a tradition handed down for many generations or something the special couple has chosen for themselves, it is a time to celebrate their love for each other.

Every detail should be just right, from finding the perfect dress to picking the right venue. While there is much to do, here are a few fun traditions we discovered that will have added meaning when you incorporate custom ribbons. So try these out, or suggest them to a friend about to tie the knot.

Handfasting Ceremony Traditions

handfasting ceremonies are just one of the many traditions performed at weddings

This particular ceremony is becoming increasingly popular but has strong, traditional roots. No matter why the bride and groom chose this ceremony, it always involves cords or ribbons. The word handfasting has given us phrases such as “tying the knot” and “bonds of matrimony.” It signifies the joining of the individuals involved. During the ceremony, the bride and groom weave ribbons together using their chosen colors, messages and symbols.

Make sure everyone feels involved by including small trinkets, such as charms, into the ribbon weave or braid. Each trinket should be unique, from favorite colors to symbols representing different events in the couple’s lives. Another way to include everyone is to have various family members, such as mom/dad or grandma/grandpa, place different parts of the ribbons around the couple’s hands.

Why not make this an even more unique and individualized experience? Customize your ribbon rolls before braiding them together in the traditional manner. Choose names, dates, sayings or anything involving the couple getting married. Consistent with tradition, the bride and groom will have individual ribbons wrapped around their clasped hands. So, the ribbon imprint should be unique to the couple and individualized to the person. This personalization will help signify the joining of the two in marriage.

The Cake Pull

While this tradition is often found in the American South, it still fits in for nearly any wedding. Customizing the ribbons to match the pulls adds a specific and unforgettable charm. So, what is a cake pull?

cake pulls are a fun way to incorporate southern traditions into your wedding

A cake pull, sometimes also known as a ribbon pull, is a New Orleans wedding tradition not unlike the bouquet toss. The bride gathers a number of her single or eligible female friends around the wedding cake. Inserted into the wedding cake are various charms with ribbon tails. After a count of three, each of the women pulls a ribbon, exposing a charm. The charm is meant to signify the puller’s future.

There are eight classic charms historically used for ribbon pulls, each with its own meaning. The ring (which indicates the next to get married), the horseshoe or the four-leaf clover (signifying good luck), the telephone (offering good news), the anchor (encouraging hope), the heart (indicating impending love), the thimble or the button (revealing the old maid), and the penny (meaning poverty). While these are the charms used most often, a cake pull can have up to twenty different charms for the various single friends of the bride.

The charms are usually inserted into the bottom layer of the cake (after it is baked, but before it is frosted) and are often made of sterling silver to be a keepsake for the woman who pulled it. Many brides provide bracelets as gifts for the charm to be worn on.

Now, you can take this fun filled tradition and make it your own. Personalize small ribbons attached to each charm with memorable, custom text before baking them into the wedding cake.

Accessories & Traditions

From trading out traditional flowers for a ribbon filled embroidery hoop to adding custom ribbons to jewelry, every wedding will be perfect with personalized ribbons. Here are some great ideas to add to your new traditions.

add something blue and keep in line with wedding traditions using custom ribbons on shoes

Make a statement during the wedding by braiding custom ribbons into the bride’s hair instead of a veil. And remember the bride’s maids and flower girls. Let them in on some of the ribbon fun. Give them ribbons to carry with their flowers, or weave some custom ribbons into jewelry as a statement piece.

Need something blue for the bride? Order custom blue ribbon rolls and tie big, beautiful bows to her wedding shoes. Keep the traditions alive with blue ribbons in the bride’s bouquet or throughout her accessories. From the garter to a small piece of ribbon tacked inside the hem of her wedding dress, help that special gal find something blue for her special day.

And don’t stop there! Add these pretty ribbons to embellishments for all the dresses and suits for the wedding party. Yes, it is traditional to use flowers, but incorporate ribbons to make everything even better. Even the men at the wedding party can be part of these fun traditions.

two ribbon rolls designed with bride and groom names for weddings

So, no matter what traditions you plan on having at your wedding, remember that custom ribbons make everything better.

3 Color Filled Ways to Brand with Ribbons

From Ford blue to Target red, color is what makes a brand.

Every brand tells a story, and in the same way, every color helps the story gain power. And isn’t that what brand recognition is all about?

full color ribbon is perfect for corporate brandingNo matter your business, branding with your name and logo shouldn’t be enough. Branding typically comes with a color attached. And what better way to make sure that sticks than with colorful personalized ribbons.

Making sure your brand is immediately recognizable is what the correct color choice can accomplish. And, here are three great ways to make sure your color choice will help you on your way to excellent brand recognition.

First, pay attention to the details.

According to many surveys, most often corporate gifting includes significant clients, employees and prospective clients. A company’s brand is what they are, what they want to be, and what they aim to become as a whole. And when gift giving, branding is essential for all corporations.

Now, what does color have to do with corporate gifting? When custom ribbons are concerned, everything! It is never just what is put into the bag or box that counts. It’s also about the amount of time that when into the wrapping. When giving a corporate gift, it’s about who gave it to you. And what a better way to remember just that than by a personalized and colorful ribbon. So add your text and logo to any ribbon, but don’t forget your brand color!

Second, give your audience an incentive.

Everyone asks the question, “what’s in it for me?” Give them a great answer with your stand-out brand! From blue to red and even to yellow, every color can be associated with a specific brand. Wouldn’t you want to be on that list?

By providing a colorful incentive, you give consumers a way to recognize your company immediately. And in turn, the motivation is that they remember you, your quality service and how much they liked you. So, wrap that up with a colorful bow and not only show your customer how much you like them, but help them to like you even more.adding color to your brand for immediate recognition

Third, remember that every color has a meaning.

When it comes to branding, the power of color is both emotional and practical. On an emotional level, it can affect how consumers feel when they look at a brand, while on a practical level it can help a brand stand out in the crowd.

So, no matter how colorful you choose your brand to be, make sure you pick the right scheme to match your services. Because red is great for a security company, but maybe not for a dentist!

Flower Bouquets and 4 Easy Ways to Tie Them

From school dances to weddings, personalized ribbons and flower bouquets are almost synonymous. No matter the occasion, flowers wrapped with ribbons are a great accessory. Adding flair and dressing up bouquets may seem like a daunting task. However, with these simple ideas, you can make any floral arrangement even more elegant than you thought possible. From tying simple bows to wrapping long stems together, these ideas are perfectly paired with personalized ribbons.

using single face satin ribbon to tie flower bouquets for weddings and other events

Simple Knot or Bow

It is amazing what a simple bow can accomplish. From a simple floral arrangement with only a few flowers to an abundance of flowers and other additions, a small bow will make any bouquet perfect. And, there are multiple ways of presenting this simple bow. Use a small and simple ribbon tied around the bulk of the bouquet stems. Or layer several ribbons together. Organza and satin faced ribbons are great for this effect.

Wrapped Stems

Make your flowers perfect with custom ribbon rolls. Start at the top of the stems and simply wrap a ribbon around your bouquet or boutonniere stems from top to bottom. Yes, it is just as easy as it sounds. Once you have the stems wrapped secure the ribbon with a simple tuck or glue it down. Wrapping stems is an elegant way to make your bouquet a bit more formal. This tying method is commonly used for wedding bouquets.

using custom ribbon rolls to tie flower bouquets for weddings and other events

Integrated Ribbons and Bouquets

Start this tying method by cutting strips from your custom ribbon rolls. Then, work these strips into the bouquet. Arrange them however you want to make your bouquet even more unique. Once you have worked in all the ribbon strips you want, secure the flower stems with another ribbon strip tied around them. Make this method even better with multiple colors or ribbon types. And once you have the stems secured, tie multiple bows or weave the ribbons together around the bouquet.

Long Flowing Streamers in Bouquets

Currently, floral cascades are trending in the wedding industry. Try taking this lovely idea to the next level with long flowing ribbon streamers to match the length of your bouquet. From delicate ribbons such as organza to flowing lengths of satin faced ribbons, customize these rolls with dates, names and any other important information about your special day. They will make a stunning difference and truly make your bouquet perfect.

Remember to make your ribbons match your bouquet.

using long streamers to tie flower bouquets for weddings and other events

No matter the method you choose for tying your perfect bouquet, make sure you choose the right color as well. Each ribbon roll option comes with multiple color choices that will match nearly any floral arrangement you can imagine. And, don’t forget to make sure you customization matches your needs as well.

How To: Gift Bow Tying

Gift bow tied around a box for a thank you present.

Gift wrapping keeps the secret of what is in the package until the perfect moment of unveiling, and we all love that moment of surprise when a present is unwrapped. Whether the gift is for a wedding, a baby shower, a birthday or some other get together does not matter. We all like receiving and giving presents with flair and finesse. So, here are a few suggestions for tying that perfect gift bow using personalized ribbons.

Classic Gift Bow

The first bow, and probably the easiest to tie, is a classic one seen on many gifts. It is similar to the bow we all learned when we tied our shoes as children. Start by taking a length of ribbon and creating two loops. Second, cross the loops, one in front and one behind. Third, bring one of the loops through the resulting hole (almost a third loop at the bottom). Finally, pull both loops tight and adjust, forming the bow. You will most likely make this bow with the same ribbon you wrap around the present or gift box.

Two Colored Gift Bow

The second bow is a two colored gift bow. Make this bow separately and then secure it to the present or gift box. For this bow, you will need two widths and two colors of ribbon; let your imagination go wild! Place the skinnier ribbon on top of the wider ribbon and secure it in place, either by stitching or gluing it down. When completed, you should have a solid, single piece of ribbon. Fold the two edges into the middle of the ribbon to create a continual loop and glue the edges together. To hide these edges, take a smaller length of either ribbon and tie it around the middle. Pulling this ribbon tight will also gather the center to help create the look of a bow. Tie this off, or secure it with a small amount of glue.

Classic Pom-Pom Gift Bow

The third bow is a classic pom-pom bow with tails. Again, make this bow and then secure it to the present or gift bow. Pom-pom bows have many loops and are typically quite large, making them perfect for bigger gifts. To make this bow, you will need one very long piece of ribbon. Two sided (each side is a different color) or printed ribbon is beautiful when used for this type of bow. The longer the piece of ribbon, the fuller and bigger the bow will be.

Start by folding the ribbon in half to find the middle of the ribbon. Once you have the center, twist the ribbon and create a loop on one side. Do this for both sides until you have the same number of loops on each side with some ribbon remaining for the tails. Once you reach this step, take a smaller length of the same ribbon and tie it around the center of the bow (where you were twisting the loops) to secure the whole thing. Once it is secure, trim the tails so they are the same length, and then gently pull the loops apart to make the pom-pom.

Classic Gift Bow:

Two Colored Gift Bow:

Classic Pom-Pom:

Personalized Ribbons for Your Bow Tying

Decorate your gifts with the perfect ribbons. Order imprinted ribbons with your custom message for wedding and baby showers, birthdays, anniversaries and so much more. You can also add logos for product branding, corporate advertising or retail packaging.