Even while planning for a wedding, most couples have an eye keenly fixed to the future—with visions for their marriage, their family and their legacy. The relationship between traditions and legacies is much the same. Often inextricably linked, traditions are the experiences we get to share and enjoy with loved ones. All put together, these traditions help weave the fabric of our legacies.
With traditions, we all have the opportunity to take meaningful action toward building the legacies we hope to leave behind. It’s like hoping to run a marathon, but knowing you need to start with the very first step. By starting a special tradition from the very first day of your marriage, you are already off to a great start—and that’s exactly what The Art of Etiquette’s line of products is designed to help you accomplish.
Our business was created out of a deep appreciation for all the ways our stories are told. Our mission has always been to make that storytelling, legacy-creating magic possible for all couples. So, here’s to starting a new tradition that will grow into a cherished legacy.
What is the difference between a tradition and a legacy?
At the basic level, traditions are the events or actions while legacies are the values and emotions. For most families, the two are bound—like mine, where the tradition of baking holiday sweets with my grandmother was also an opportunity to learn from her wisdom. I still picture my grandmother standing over her kitchen island in her flour-dusted apron with her one and only tin gingerbread man cookie cutter in hand.
She had a way of making me feel completely seen and heard. With her, nothing mattered more than the conversation at hand. It was over that counter that many stories of joy were shared and problems solved.
While I am lucky to have learned the secrets behind her most treasured recipes, the biggest lesson I took away—and have passed down to my children—is the importance of creating time to be with loved ones. That’s a legacy: Not something you leave in someone’s hands, but what you leave in their hearts.
The past year especially has given many of us a new, deeper appreciation for authentic connection and the notion of remembrance. Thinking of the legacy you want to leave is one way to feel a sense of connection, even when time and space keep us separated.
Why ‘Something Old, Something New’ is about more than luck–it’s a legacy in the making.
As a focal point in so many of our lives (and in our families’ developing stories), the wedding day is a perfect opportunity to introduce a new tradition that can become part of a legacy. One of the most time-honored wedding traditions is to include “something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue,” the magic formula (supposedly!) for good luck. As luck would have it, our heirloom vow books can even propel this time-honored wedding tradition into a family legacy that all began when you and your beloved documented your vows.
Here’s How…
Something Old: Designed to stand the test of time with archival paper and the finest book cloth, the current author is merely a temporary keeper of the story as it gets passed down from generation to generation, each adding their own chapters to an ever-evolving love story.
Something New: Start a new tradition with the vow book and then give it a space in your home as something you can see daily and return to as the North Star for your marriage. More than sweet nothings, the words in your vows can help set the tone for your lives together.
Something Borrowed: The book is a facilitator that helps words travel through time and generations. Each following couple can have a moment of reflection while reading the promises of the past—taking what resonates and adding with new, fresh perspectives.
Something Blue: With pale blue and navy color options available (along with more!), you can personalize the book in a way that complements your special day. When you stand beside your beloved at your wedding, you’re making a promise not only to them as they are today, but also to the versions of yourselves that you are yet to become. By starting a tradition, you can also grow that into a beautiful, enduring legacy—and what is a better wedding gift than that?
Start a New Family Tradition by Exploring the AofE Wedding Vow Books.