When searching for wedding ideas, people generally try to find ceremonies that will be memorable, unique, and symbolic of the love they share with their partner. There are various parts of a wedding program including an introduction to love, vows, a blessing, and these all have limitless variation. But one part of the program that can be fun to design and carry out is a symbolic expression of unity between the couple. These ceremonies can be limited by certain factors, for example, if the ceremony is being held outside or if the wedding is religious. There are many traditional unity ceremonies, and here are just a few. Before, during or after these ceremonies, the wedding officiant speaks about what the acts represent.
Showing Unity at Your Wedding Ceremony with Candles
One great symbolic part of your wedding program could be a Unity Candle Ceremony. This ceremony is very popular because it is easy to do and easy to understand. During the beginning of the wedding and before the unity ceremony, two outer candles stay lit with one in the middle that is unlit. These two candles represent the two individuals before they get married. The couple steps forward and they each pick up their respective candle. They then light the middle candle with flame from both candles representing how two fires, or lives, make one. Then the couple replace their candles in the holders without blowing them out. This represents that while the couple is making one life together, they still have two separate lives.
The Unity Sand Ceremony
Another popular method to show unity of a bride and groom at a wedding is the Unity Sand Ceremony. This is similar to the candle ceremony, and it can be done in various ways in order to include other members of the families. The basic concept is to have anyone who will be included, let's say the couple's parents, each have their own colors. The parents each pour their sand into a bottle to create a layered effect and represent the base of the bride and groom's relationship. Then the bride and groom pour their sand in at the same time which mixes the sand. This represents unity and eternity because the grains of sand can never be separated. The couple then can pour wax on top to seal the bottle. This keepsake can be kept for a long time and will be a memento of the wedding day.
Other Ways to Show Unity in Your Wedding Ceremony
There are many other symbolic ways to show unity in a wedding ceremony. For instance, a bride and groom can each pour wine into one glass from two wine bottles and then drink from the one glass. They could also exchange roses or another flower that may be symbolic to them. The couple could also start with one loaf of bread and each tear off a piece and eat. They could then, if they chose to, pass the bread to their family members who would also eat.
In any of these unity ceremonies, the key will be to find the right words that go along with the actions. Have fun with it. It can be romantic, funny, or serious. Have the person who will be conducting the ceremony work with you to find the right words and actions that will symbolize the love you feel for your partner and the life that you want to live together. This will be a day that you and your guests will remember forever, and it is important that everyone remembers it as something that fit well for the couple.
Hannah Olson - Hi! My name is Hannah Olson. I am a graduate of The University of Minnesota with a BA in Global Studies and Anthropology. I also have two ...
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