What is the Family Medallion Ceremony?

The Family Medallion ceremony is a meaningful way to bring children into a wedding ceremony. It is typically performed when there are children or stepchildren on either side who's parents are getting married or remarried.

It is an easy and straightforward ceremony and can have a powerful affect on children. It shows children that the parents have a real commitment to them in their new marriage and shows that the parents are thinking about the children. The ceremony gives a small token, a family medallion, to all of the children to represent that they are part of the new family and marriage.

The Family Medallion itself has a symbol of three interlocking circles and represents the new commitment between the husband, wife and child. Similar to a wedding ring between husband and wife, the family medallion is a reminder to children that they are a loved and integral part of both parents lives. 

This kind of visual gift and ceremonial affirmation can be powerful. Frequently, children are excited or happy when they first hear their parent is getting remarried, but that can gradually change into more negative emotions — disinterest, anxiety, even antagonism. What they see in the wedding planning process is their parent moving onto a new life that may not visibly include them. They know life is going to change after the marriage – and they need to be comforted in how that change is going to affect them.

The Family Medallion ceremony shows clearly that everyone is being integrated into a new family together. The Family Medallion ceremony parallels the ring ceremony; like it sounds, the Family Medallion ceremony is a simple ceremony that involves giving a token – a lapel pin, pendant, or ring – to a children during the marriage ceremony, with spoken recognition of the new and existing relationships that the family medallion symbolizes.