Nowadays, a unification ceremony takes place in nearly every wedding, and whether it is the joining of just the bride and groom or the joining of two large families, unification ceremonies are a beautiful touch to your wedding day. Another great thing about them; they can be as unique as you are! Here are just a few suggestions to look over if you’re considering having one on your big day:
1.) Sand-mixing ceremony. In this ceremony, the bride and groom both have individual vases full of sand. Typically, the sands are of different colors, usually along the lines of the wedding colors. The groom may have blue, for example, while the bride has white. They then pour their sand into a collective vase, symbolizing their union.
This is an interesting one because children and other family members are often involved. Each family member, like the bride’s son and the husband’s two little girls, are all given a vase with different colored sand. When everyone pours their sand into the main vase, it symbolized the combination of the entire family, not just the bride and groom.
2.) Beverage ceremony. This can be done with water, wine, or really any kind of beverage you see fit. Basically, both beverages are combined (wine from her cup and the same wine from his) into a cup, from which both parties drink. Feel free to have a little fun with this one at your wedding.
3.) Candle-lighting ceremony, also known as the Unity Candle. In this ceremony, the bride and the groom each have their own lit candle, and together they use their flames to light a single candle, representing the coming together of two people to one. As one of the most popular ceremonies, the third candle often represents “love’s eternal flame.”
4.) Flower ceremony. In this option, the bride and groom each give each other a flower. This flower represents the first gift them give each other during their married life. More traditionally, a flower ceremony is called a “rose ceremony”, simply because a rose is often used. In more recent times, however, couples have begun using whatever flower is most personal to them.
5.) Knot Ceremony. Believed to have originated in Irish culture, the ceremony consists of a rope (or ribbon, or anything else you would like to use) that is wrapped around the bride and groom’s clasped hands. The rope is then tied into a “lover’s knot”, forever binding the bride and groom for eternity.
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