What is a handfasting?
A spell jar ceremony is a modern symbolic ritual where meaningful objects and ingredients are gathered together and sealed within a jar.
Each item represents something personal — intentions, wishes, memories, or qualities you want to carry into your marriage — creating a keepsake that reflects the ceremony long after the day itself.
WHAT IS A SPELL JAR CEREMONY?
A spell jar ceremony is a symbolic way to create something tangible from your vows — a keepsake filled with meaning, intentions, and memories from the day.
During the ceremony, carefully chosen items are added into a jar, each one representing something you want to carry into your life together.
These might include herbs, crystals, written notes, dried flowers, or small symbolic objects. Some couples also choose to invite friends and family to contribute something to the jar, adding their own wishes and intentions as part of the ceremony.
Once complete, the jar is sealed — sometimes with wax — becoming a lasting reminder of the promises, hopes, and meaning held within it.
WHAT CAN I PUT IN A SPELL JAR?
There are no fixed rules around what to include in a spell jar.
You might choose herbs or dried flowers, crystals or stones, handwritten notes or vows, or small personal objects connected to your relationship and the life you’re building together.
Some couples choose items based on traditional symbolism, particularly with herbs and crystals, while others focus simply on what each object means to them personally. There’s no right or wrong approach — only what feels meaningful to you.
HERBS & THEIR MEANINGS
While the spell jar itself is a modern ritual, many of the meanings associated with herbs are rooted in older traditions — bringing a sense of history and symbolism into the ceremony.
Each herb you choose becomes part of the ritual itself, adding its own associations, intentions, and significance to the jar you create together.
CRYSTALS & THEIR MEANINGS
Crystals are often chosen for their symbolism and the meanings traditionally associated with them, with many linked to intention, protection, clarity, or emotional balance.
Rather than following strict rules, you may simply feel drawn to certain stones over others. Each one becomes part of the ceremony in a way that feels personal and meaningful to you.
FLOWERS & THEIR MEANINGS
Flowers have long been used to express meaning and emotion, with many carrying symbolism that has been passed down through generations.
Within a modern ritual like the spell jar, they bring a softer, more expressive layer — adding beauty as well as symbolism to the elements you choose.
You may be drawn to certain flowers for their traditional meanings, or simply for what they represent to you personally. Each one becomes part of the ceremony in its own way, adding another layer to the story and atmosphere of the ritual.
READY TO PLAN?
If you’re thinking of holding an alternative ceremony, we’d love to help you explore how it could come together at The Olde England Kiosk.
Whether you already have a clear idea, or are just beginning to consider something a little different, we’re here to support you in creating a ceremony that feels natural, meaningful, and entirely your own.