Wax Seals date back thousands of years as a way of authenticating documents and ensuring they weren’t open and read by an unintended recipient. I found some interesting info on SealMaker.com about how Signet Rings were used to make the impression in wax and how people let friends and family know it was genuine.
After a seal was cut into a ring, the seal engraver made many wax impressions which were given to the owner of the seal along with the signet ring. The owner then distributed the waxes among family, friends and officials, so that when an important document was sent the recipient could check the unbroken seal against the wax impression to ensure that the document was genuine. After the death of the owner of the seal, the signet ring used to produce the seal was cracked to prevent further use.
Want to add a touch of old world class to your wedding invitations? This would be great if you are having a traditional wedding. You don’t have to get a Signet Ring made anymore. I found out about OldSchoolSeals.com in a recent issue of InStyle Weddings! They have the option of purchasing Initial Wax Seals along with sticks of wax to use. Or, if you want the easy way out they even have Peal and Stick Initial Wax Seals as shown in the picture above.