The lighting of a candle at a wedding has long been a traditional aspect of the wedding ceremony. It went out of favor in the 1950’s and then started to come back big time with the increased frequency of blended families and second marriages.

The history of the wedding candle is fairly straightforward and simplistic. Even guests who have never seen a unity candle ceremony will quickly understand the meaning and sentiment. Placed upon a table near the wedding alter, the side tapers are for each member of the blended family, and the center candle represents the family as one. The flame of each candle represents the love of the person holding the candle. As each person touches the flame from their individual candle to the center family candle, it symbolizes the creation of one strong, loving family. The individual taper candles are then blown out, which represent the start of a unified family life.

Unity candles for wedding ceremonies are nondenominational, and with no specific religious affiliation, it is appropriate in any wedding from Christian and Jewish to African American and Celtic. However, be sure to check with your wedding officiate or the venue where the wedding ceremony is being held; it is important to know ahead of time if candle lighting is permitted. If it does, you can still have the unity candle ceremony at your wedding reception.

The longing to create family unity and express genuine sentiment can be expressed through a family unity ceremony. Be sure to choose the unity song as a family also, so that long after the wedding day, the song holds very special meaning for everyone in the family.

Choosing the Right Unity Candle Set

Unity candles for wedding come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes and colors. You might want to use traditional taper candles in a lovely crystal or silver candelabra holder. Or you might want to go with the larger pillar candles that can be personalized or decorated to match your wedding theme.

The number in your new blended family will probably dictate the size and style you use. For example, if you have two children from a previous marriage and your betrothed has one child, then you need five candles in total so the long, elegant taper candles might work best. However, you can also use the taper candles to light the larger pillar candle as the symbol of family unity.

Keep in mind that for young children under the age of 6 or 7, they will need assistance with lighting their candle and participating in the unity ceremony. Tall, stately pillar candles that have a family circle monogram and are personalized are perfect for any size family unit, and truly let everyone know that “A Circle of Love Unites Us As One”.

Unity candles for wedding are available to match any ceremony theme including black and white, Cinderella’s happily ever after, winter wonder land, flower such as calla lily and rose, and even unity sets that express your heritage such as Celtic or Christian.

No matter what color or style of unity candles you choose for your wedding, the addition of a unity candle ceremony will be the most poignant and memorable aspect of exchanging your nuptials. It is an exceptionally warm and wonderful way to show the world that your new family is one from this day forward.

Unity candles for wedding ceremonies

The Wedding Sand Ceremony

The wedding sand ceremony uses a separate set of vows expressing the couple’s commitment to each other. This lovely ceremony is believed to originate from Apache custom and represents the joining of two lives as one. Different color sands are used based on the wedding couple’s preferences. The bride and groom take turns pouring sand from smaller vases into a large unity vase as they recite their vows. After the ceremony, the unity vase is taken to the couple’s home as a treasured keepsake to display on a table, mantle or shelf. The unity vase is a beautiful symbol celebrating new life together as a couple. Add a romantic touch to your new home with a heart shaped unity sand ceremony set.

Beach Weddings

More couples are choosing beach weddings than ever before. Destination weddings are becoming increasingly popular. Couples and their guests travel to exotic destinations such as Hawaii and the Caribbean to exchange their vows. A wedding sand ceremony seems to be a natural expression of love during a beach wedding. As your toes sink into the silky sand, you can both pour the sands of lives into a unity vase for a seafaring day. The nesting unity sand ceremony set is perfect for outdoor weddings. Place fresh flowers in the distinctive vases after the ceremony and place them next to your unity vase as keepsakes at your marital home. When you both look at your unity vases, you will feel the magic of your outdoor wedding all over again.

Bring a Blended Family Together

Blended families are a common occurrence. When children from previous marriages are united into one new family, a wedding sand ceremony is a touching way to show your togetherness. A family unity ceremony is a modified version of the traditional unity wedding sand ceremony. Children and other different family members may be included in this unique blending ceremony. The bride and groom are the first people to pour sand into the unity vase. Then children and other chosen family members pour their sand into the unity vase with their own small vases. Family sand ceremony miniature nesting vases were made for this purpose. Usually the eldest child or family member pours the sand first and then everyone else pours by chronological age. After the children pour sand into the unity vase, the bride and groom pour the remaining sand into the vase. This wedding sand ceremony is an unforgettable way for new families to bond.

The wedding sand ceremony is performed at different times. Some couples prefer to have the sand ceremony after they exchange vows if their officiator approves it. This is the traditional time to have a wedding ceremony, which is done before the couple is formally presented. Other couples choose to have a unity sand ceremony after the wedding ceremony ends. Another good time for a wedding sand ceremony is at the wedding reception during the cake cutting ceremony.

The wedding sand ceremony is a traditional dating back hundreds or even thousands of years. While this ceremony was performed by other cultures for centuries, it has only recently become popular in North America. This combination of new and traditional is a unique way to incorporate “something old and something” new into your wedding.

The bride and groom can choose any sand colors they prefer for their wedding sand ceremony. The sand color may be the couple’s favorite colors, match the décor of their new home or match the theme of their wedding. Using several colors will give the sand a brown appearance.

The couple exchanges simple vows to express their commitment and togetherness during the wedding sand ceremony. Gentle music is often played in the background.

You can get a small glass heart shaped vase to decorate each wedding reception table and reflect your special wedding sand ceremony theme. Give out small, corked bottles of colorful sand as wedding favors so everyone has a lasting keepsake of your special wedding sand ceremony.