Displaying our memory jar items

For our wedding last year we asked guests to bring a small item (approximately the size of a coin) to place into our memory jar. We originally planned to do this as part of the ceremony, thinking it would replace the more traditional unity candle. In the end we realized the logistics of having everyone place their item into the jar during the ceremony were a bit too complicated, so we instead had the jar on a table and asked that everyone drop their item on their way in and write down their name with a description. At first we planned to display these items in a glass jar in our home, but the diversity of things people brought made that arrangement difficult. Honestly, it just looked like a jar of "junk," which is not at all what we wanted. These items are special to us!

So we got the idea to display them in a typeset tray instead. We learned that David's mother actually had a typeset tray that she planned to give to David, so we brought it home, cleaned it up, and filled it with all of our memory jar items. I think its one of my favorite decor items in the house! Every time my eye catches one of the items I am reminded of our wedding and of the person who brought that item.

The point of the jar was to symbolically represent the union of our friends and family and to give us something small from each guest to remember the special day by. We asked that everyone bring something that had meaning to them. Our guests were so creative! We have had a really fun time looking back through all of the items and smiling at who and what they represent. Some examples are a coin from Russia, seashells from Moody Beach, a rock from Maine, a Lego man, Air Canada Elite membership cards, parts from the FSAE race car, jelly beans, bark rings, a family thimble, a threaded nut & bolt, wrist bands from the 24 Hours of Lemons race, house charms, bottle caps, climbing nuts, colorful or region specific rocks.... the list just goes on and on and every single item is special and thoughtful.