A unity ceremony is a creative way to celebrate love and personalize your wedding service! Unity ceremonies usually take place after the exchanging of vows and rings, and allow for other family members to participate as well, furthering its meaning and representation of two families becoming one.
Which one would you choose? Keep reading to find out more...
*HANDFASTING CEREMONY (AKA Tying the knot ceremony)
This is an ancient Irish tradition, where your hands and your better-half hands are tied together as a symbol of your union. They say this is where the phrase “tying the knot” comes from.
In this ritual, the celebrant will tie your hands with a ribbon/cord or with several ribbons/cords while you are pronouncing your wedding vows, or as she/he says a special poem. You can choose one / several colors depending on what you would like to symbolize with this ceremony:
- White ribbon/cord: purity
- Red ribbon/cord: passion
- Blue ribbon/cord: fidelity
- Green ribbon/cord: fertility and growth
- Purple ribbon/cord: spiritual strength
- Gold ribbon/cord: wisdom
- Black ribbon/cord: pure love and success
- Orange ribbon/cord: kindness
- Gray ribbon/cord: balance
- Yellow ribbon/cord: harmony
- Silver ribbon/cord: protection and creativity
- Brown ribbon/cord: nurturing
Personalize it! How?
Instead of a cord/ribbon ask your florist to make a garland with flowers that represent what you would like to symbolize with this beautiful ceremony. E.g.: baby’s breath equal to purity of heart, yellow rose equal to friendship, etc.
*HOURGLASS SAND CEREMONY
This is a variant of the classic sand ceremony, but in this case, instead of a vase, the couple combines the sand in an hourglass. You can use different colored sand that matches your wedding color, or you can just use sand from the beach!
With this lovely ceremony you symbolize the start of your lives together, and once sealed, the authentic and meaningful hourglass can be part of the décor of your new home.
*LOVE LOCK CEREMONY
This romantic ceremony symbolizes the commitment, strength, and constancy of a relationship.
The couple will lock together two padlocks while the celebrant describes both the action and what it means in the view of the couple. They then throw the key away, ensuring that their love will be unbreakable. A poem or other reading may also be done while joining of the padlocks.
Personalize it! How?
Engrave, paint or scratch your names, initials, and/or the date on the locks.
*WINE CEREMONY
If you want a ritual that symbolizes the blending of two lives, then the wine ceremony is perfect for you!
The couple will pour wine from two different bottles into the same glass, and then, they will both drink from this glass. The celebrant or a relative can read a relevant poem or text that describes the meaning of the ritual for the couple.
Reading sample:
“This ceremony represents your two individual lives, combined like the two wines into one single life. The drinking of the combined wine signifies the commitment you now make to live your lives as one family. May you remember this day of commitment you have sealed with drinking of the new wine joining your lives as one.”
Personalize it! How?
Change the wine for tequila shots, a delicious mojito or any other easy-to-prepare cocktail!
*WINE BOX CEREMONY
It is also called “Love letter ceremony”, and it’s perfect for couples who like wine and who love to write.
It is a ritual to celebrate your love on your wedding day and in the future. You decide when to open the box: it could be in your first anniversary, fifth anniversary or maybe, when for some reason, you are facing a hard time as a couple.
You and your partner will write on a card or in a letter what you love about each other and why you have chosen to get married. The letters must be sealed in separate envelopes, and you cannot see what your better half has written.
Then, during your wedding ceremony, after the vows and exchange of rings, the couple will place both letters in a box containing a bottle of wine, and they will lock the box with the promise to open it in the future.
When the time comes, you both will enjoy the wine together, share your letters and read them. Reading sample:
Reading sample:
“__________ & ___________, this box is to be opened on the occasion of your _____ wedding anniversary, the wine enjoyed together, your letters shared and read together. Display this box in a prominent place in your home as a constant reminder of the vows you have taken today and your commitment to each other.
However, should you find your marriage enduring challenging adversities, then open this box together, drink the wine together and read the letters you wrote to one another when you were first united as a couple in marriage. __________ & ___________, you may now seal the wine box."
Personalize it! How?
You can change the bottle of wine for a bottle of champagne, a beer, a bottle of tequila, whisky, etc. Also, make sure to engrave your wine box a lovely customized label, your names, initials and/or wedding date!
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