Ring Box, Mark I
When we first started talking about building something mechanical and theatrical for the ring delivery, we were having the ceremony in George's workshop. We had all the time and space we wanted, and the installation wouldn't even have to be moved.
I originally started planning something along the lines of a vertical cuckoo clock, but instead of a cuckoo, a platform bearing our rings would pop up. I rapidly an up against my own mechanical limitations, but George had ideas, so I left the inner workings to him, and began to wok on the plan for a Rube Goldberg machine for the outside of the box. We had decided that we would adapt our plans to whatever piece of furniture we found to contain George's mechanism, so I couldn't plan in any detail, but I did want to make sure that the elements of my Rube Goldberg machine were able to be easily re-set. I did a great deal of research, and started planning some ambitious electronic and mechanical elements (lights, a bubble machine, smoke from dry ice, a complex marble run with a winch to bring the marbles back up again, even a bell), when we found out that we had a last-minute change of venue.
I originally started planning something along the lines of a vertical cuckoo clock, but instead of a cuckoo, a platform bearing our rings would pop up. I rapidly an up against my own mechanical limitations, but George had ideas, so I left the inner workings to him, and began to wok on the plan for a Rube Goldberg machine for the outside of the box. We had decided that we would adapt our plans to whatever piece of furniture we found to contain George's mechanism, so I couldn't plan in any detail, but I did want to make sure that the elements of my Rube Goldberg machine were able to be easily re-set. I did a great deal of research, and started planning some ambitious electronic and mechanical elements (lights, a bubble machine, smoke from dry ice, a complex marble run with a winch to bring the marbles back up again, even a bell), when we found out that we had a last-minute change of venue.
Ring Box, Mark II
With the change of venue, we lost the luxury of having the ceremony at our home, and thus we had to make everything transportable. We rapidly streamlined our plans, taking the design back to the bare essentials - a box that opened at the top, and revealed a platform of some sort, holding our rings.
By this time, we had sourced a cheap (and decrepit) chest of drawers from an op-shop, an amazing steamer that opens like a flower, and a beautiful little brass box, just like these ones, from Hanley Soloway, Sutlers.
George took over the project entirely at this point. The bases of the drawers had to be removed, and the top cut in half to allow it to open upwards, so the whole structure had to be strengthened to compensate, so there was a lot of work involved in getting it to look pretty much exactly the same from the outside.
By this time, we had sourced a cheap (and decrepit) chest of drawers from an op-shop, an amazing steamer that opens like a flower, and a beautiful little brass box, just like these ones, from Hanley Soloway, Sutlers.
George took over the project entirely at this point. The bases of the drawers had to be removed, and the top cut in half to allow it to open upwards, so the whole structure had to be strengthened to compensate, so there was a lot of work involved in getting it to look pretty much exactly the same from the outside.
After the mechanical side was sorted, George installed a light fitting and a small, remote-controlled smoke machine. It passed its test with flying colours at the technical rehearsal, but sadly, for the ceremony, the celebrant stepped on the remote pedal, but it didn't quite trigger to smoke. The light worked really well, though, and the audience still sounded suitably appreciative.
At the ceremony, the ring-bearer, our nephew Culain, brought in a special key, which George inserted into the 'lock'. George then turned the ornate re-purposed door handle, triggering the internal mechanism, and the lid opened, bringing the ring platform up with it. As the flaps of the lid opened, they pulled open the petals of the metal flower, revealing the smaller box within. The celebrant then reached in and retrieved the rings from the little trinket box.