Choosing a Unity Ceremony Part 1

Previously, I wrote about the type of unity ceremony I would like to add to our wedding ceremony.

Here are a few popular choices with my pros and cons.

First is the very traditional Unity Candle Ceremony: 

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The  Unity Candle Ceremony symbolizes the Bride and Groom coming together from two different families or entities and joining to form one.

Three candles are involved in the ceremony and typically the mothers of the Bride and Groom will light the two smaller ones at the beginning of the ceremony or before it starts. The Bride and Groom would then take the respective smaller candle and together light the larger candle.

Sample wording:

Minister:  You will observe that there are three candles on the Unity table. Through the love and illumination of God, your paths have come together, and in this symbolic ceremony, you will each take a lighted candle, representing your previous separate pathways, and together you will light the Unity candle, symbolizing your willingness to walk life's pathways together as one.

You may now proceed in the lighting of the candle.

Bride, Groom light the Unity Candle.

sample source

Pros: I like the symbolism behind this and the idea of showing that we are not only saying vows but showing our union physically.

Candles can be personalized/DIY

Easily displayed later

Cons: Our ceremony will be outdoors which means that the wind would probably blow the candle out. Which is not the symbolism I want portrayed. We could use a hurricane to try and stop this, but there is still a chance that it could blow out.

Also, I kinda think it's too traditional. The whole feel or our wedding is traditional, but for the ceremony, I would like to have a little touch of modern to feel relevant. 

That takes me to the Sand Ceremony: 

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The idea of the sand ceremony is the same as the candle. It too symbolizes the two joining as one. When I first started thinking about our wedding ceremony, I wanted to include the sand ceremony. I have seen this done beautifully online and it can be very personal. Such as using sand from your favorite beach. 

Sample Wording:

As the minister says the following wording, the couple alternately pours sand into the glass vessel to form a layered design with the sand.

“Bride and Groom, today you join your separate lives together. The two separate vessels of sand symbolize your separate lives, separate families and separate sets of friends. They represent all that you have been as an individual. They also represent your lives before today. As these two vessels of sand are poured into the third vessel, the individual vessels of sand will no longer exist, but will be joined together as one. Just as these grains of sand can never be separated and poured again into the individual vessels, so will your marriage be.”

wording sample source

Pros: I like that you can easily close and display the sand vessel after the wedding.

Modern touch lacking in Unity Candle 

You could use your wedding colors or sand from different beaches. 

Like the way the two different colors are visible. 

Easily DIY! Buying the sets can be expensive, but I like the engraving which would add to the cost. 

Cons: Again outdoor wedding, the wind could blow the sand everywhere. 

Vessel is glass which could be broken during moving, etc. Also during moving sand could get mixed up and not look the same again.




Did you use either of these unity ceremonies at your wedding? Do you have pros or cons to add to my list?

Next I'll discuss the wine box, chocolate and wine, and the handfasting ceremonies.