After many years of marriage we still look back fondly at a special gift that was lovingly hand stitched for us by my sister. She must have looked through many cross stitch wedding patterns to find the one that was just right. If you have a family wedding drawing close you may like to think of creating an heirloom to help the new bride and groom remember their special day.

What better gift to give than a personalised sampler. There are many cross stitch wedding patterns available that use the sampler theme. Most include a full alphabet allowing you to personalise your work with the happy couple's names and the date of the wedding. An attractive border and a romantic quote may complete the design.

People of all religions get married but if you are not Christian it might take a little more searching to find suitable cross stitch patterns to include in your sampler. Different cultures have different traditions, which may be worth researching, if the couple tying the knot are of a different denomination to you. For example two glasses of wine are used during the Jewish wedding ceremony and these could be depicted in the stitched piece.

Dimensions offers over 20 different cross stitch wedding patterns, most sold as kits complete with the mat, instructions, and thread. Many are samplers, and the instructions include complete alphabets, while some are complex, photo-realistic pictures. Other companies that produce marriage themed kits or patterns are Bucilla and Janlynn. Some of Bucilla's patterns and kits are cross branded with Mary Engelbreit.

As a keen cross stitcher you are likely to have your own library of needlework books. It is worth looking through these to see if they contain any wedding patterns to cross stitch before buying something new. When you purchased the book a particular pattern may have caught your eye for a different occasion and you may not have noticed the wedding charts.

Cross stitch art can also be used for items used in the wedding ceremony, which then become cherished mementos of the day. From a monogram on the ring bearer's pillow to a stitched handkerchief for the bride to carry, the cross stitch can be used to personalize and beautify the ceremony. Some brides even choose the beauty of cross stitch to embellish their wedding dress.

So whether you choose a sampler, a pillow for the ring bearer, a picture frame or any one of a number of other items, cross stitch wedding patterns are a wonderful piece of artwork that allows you to give a unique wedding gift that will always provide a reflective memory for the bride and groom.