Here are just a few unity ceremonies that you could include in your wedding ceremony. There are no rules when it comes to wedding unity ideas. Combining cultural traditions is a great way to create a unique aspect of your wedding that no one else has done before.
Unity Candle
Traditionally, the mothers of the bride and groom, or a person of significant importance in their lives, each light a taper candle and place it beside the larger unity candle at the beginning of the wedding ceremony. The unity candle is later lit by the bride and groom from the two separate family candles, representing the union of your families and the fact that you and your fiancé are creating a family of your own. They then extinguish the taper candles to symbolize the united flame is stronger than the individual flames.
Sand Ceremony
Other than the unity candle, the sand ceremony may be the most well-known wedding unity ceremony. It involves both partners pouring sand from separate vessels into a unified, central one, symbolizing their life-long commitment and the joining of their two lives. Once combined, it would be extremely difficult to separate the sand out again, just as the couple are so joined together. Children also love to participate in this ceremony as they get to choose their own colour of sand and have a direct role in the ceremony. It usually takes place after the exchange of rings and vows (although it can go before), and lasts just a couple of minutes. Many couples display their vessels of blended sand in their new homes as a reminder of their union.
Unity Puzzle Ceremony
A Unity Puzzle Ceremony is a unique Unity Ceremony alternative. For couples it tells your love story and symbolizes that your two lives have now become one newly formed family. It has pieces that are different shapes and sizes just as each family member is unique with their own special qualities. For blended families, each child also has a unique puzzle piece and when the individual pieces are all perfectly aligned, it completes the puzzle signifying the bond and love of the family as a whole.
Harmony Glass Ceremony
The harmony glass ceremony is similar to the sand ceremony, but you use coloured crystals instead of sand. After the ceremony, the crystals can be blended into a meaningfully designed, blown and sculpted glass art to treasure forever. Couples can choose the combination of colours and a personalized shape for the resulting glass art and family members and guests can also participate in pouring and blending the crystals.
Flower Ceremony
One of the most popular, flower-inspired alternative unity ceremony ideas, is the rose ceremony. Roses are a traditional symbol of love and are therefore perfect to feature in a wedding ceremony. The ceremony can also feature family members the couple wish to take part. The couple each has a rose, and so does every family member they wish to take part in the ceremony. (Red roses are usually used due to their colour symbolism of love, and the family members can have the same colour or a different one.) Then the bride and groom swap their roses as a first gift to each other before placing them together into a vase. Then all of the family members add their roses to the mix.
Of course, you don’t have to use roses for your ceremony. Use any flower that has a special meaning to you!
Red Rose Ceremony
Red Roses are a traditional symbol of love and romance, and in this ceremony, the mothers of the bride and groom, or a person of significant importance in their lives, are each invited to bring up a red rose. I then explain the symbolism of the flower and the mothers are asked to give the rose to their child’s future spouse to welcome them into the family. After a hug and well wishes to their respective children, they return to their seats and I would then explain how to use this flower in your marriage to help you through tough times.
Handfasting (Tying the Knot) Ceremony
One of the oldest of these alternative unity ceremony ideas, handfasting is the joining of the bride and groom’s hands and wrists using vines, cord, rope, or ribbon tied into a knot to symbolize the binding of two lives.
It’s often said that this is where we get the expression “tying the knot” from, and it often takes place at the end of the wedding ceremony as a final promise from one person to the other to bind their lives together.
Lasso Wedding Ceremony
The wedding lasso tradition is a unity ceremony performed after the exchange of vows where a floral garland or rosary beads are twisted in a figure eight, the symbol of infinity, and placed over the couple’s shoulders, to symbolize their everlasting union. Some families pass their lassos down from generation to generation, making it an extra impactful moment.
Love Letter & Wine Box Ceremony
For this alternative unity ceremony the couple write love letters to each other and these letters are sealed in individual envelopes and they have not seen what the other has written. The letters are placed in a wine box along with a good bottle of wine and they will then seal the box closed. Should the couple ever find their marriage facing hardships, they will open this box, sit and drink the wine together, then read the letters they wrote to one another to be reminded of the reasons why they are together. The hope is, however, that the couple will never have a reason to open this box. And if this is the case, they are to open this box to share and enjoy on their 5th year wedding anniversary, and the tradition can continue for their 10th, 25th, etc.
Wine Ceremony
Before the wedding begins, red wine and white wine, each in a small carafe, are placed next to a larger empty carafe with one or two wineglasses on a small table near the couple. The center carafe, called the “Marriage Carafe” is usually a bit larger than the two outside “individual” carafes.
Much like the blending of sand, a blending of wine is becoming a trendy way for couples to symbolize the blending of their lives. In a wine ceremony, the bride and groom will combine a red wine and a white wine to create a rose-colored wine. The result is a delicate pink, the color of blush and love. The exchange typically takes place after the exchange of rings to a backdrop of music as opposed to speeches or readings.
Unity Tea Ceremony
Similar to the Wine Ceremony, in a unity tea ceremony the couple blend a mix of teas that represent themselves as an original way for them to symbolize the blending of their lives. Using two small tea pots containing their tea of choice, the couple simultaneously pour their tea into a small cup and then drink the blended tea together.
Blanket Unity Ceremony
A blanket unity ceremony symbolizes the comfort and love the couple will bring each other. This unity ceremony idea traditionally includes blue and white blankets because the colors represent the couple’s past and future together. Similar to the lasso unity ceremony, the blanket is placed over the couple’s shoulders to symbolize their everlasting union and status as one.
Ring Warming Ceremony
Before you say your vows and exchange your rings, I will ask everyone, including your wedding party, to participate in a ring warming. This is an opportunity for your guests to send you their best wishes and love, through a silent wish or prayer as they hold the rings when passed to them. One or two people in your wedding party help out with the process of moving the rings from row to row of your guests. At the end of the ring warming, your rings are brought back up to the front, until the exchange of rings.
* It is a great idea to have the rings in a box or tied together, as you don’t want them to get lost.