Unity Ceremony Ideas
In our last blog, we talked about the order of events for your ceremony and mentioned the additional of a unity ceremony. If this is something you and your partner are considering, then look no further than our list below. We’ve complied some diverse and unique ceremonies for our Moonbeam couples to choose from!
Tree Planting: Consider Mother Nature and allow her to lend a warming hand to your ceremony by planting a tree at the start of your marriage. As you watch it over the years, the plant will bloom, blossom, and strengthen just like you! In this ceremony, you will start with a plant sapling whose meaning is special to you. Each partner will then add soil together from various jars that represent different strengths and values you will give to the marriage. This is an excellent ceremony to perform if you would also like to include close friend and family members.
Unity Candle: One of the more common unity ceremonies, three candles are presented. Each partner will take their respective candle (representing their families), light it, and then together light the larger one in the middle. This signifies the joining of the two families into a newly established branch.
Sand Ceremony: Another frequently seen unity ceremony, is this one. Similar to the unity candle, partners take their colored sand and pour it into a single vial, glass, or (my favorite) hourglass. As the sands combines, they can no longer be separate and are forever entwined. This is also a very popular option if you have children joining your ceremony.
Wine Ceremony: If you are a lover of wine (as I am!), then this could be the ceremony for you! Each partner takes a type of wine (a red and a white OR a dry and a sweet) and blend them together into a single goblet, creating a rosé. Yumm! Each partner will then take a sip from the glass symbolizing them sharing from life experiences together.
Shot of Whiskey, Rum, or Tequila: Like the wine ceremony, this is for all you partier and booze hounds out there! Pour a shot from a single bottle and offer it to your partner to take down!
Branding Ceremony: This is a fairly unique ceremony and perfect for any guys and gals who live that rustic, western lifestyle. Yeehaw! In this ceremony, the couple will brand a piece of cowhide or a wooden stump with a family brand created just for them!
Anniversary Box: There are loads of cool examples of this you can find on Pinterest or Etsy. In this ceremony, the couple will nail together a box filled with wine or letters for a future anniversary, usually to open at the 1 or 5 year anniversary.
Handfasting Ceremony: This unity ceremony ties (hah, yes I did intend that pun) back to ancient Celtic times. It signifies the binding of the families as many couples opt to cross hands as family and friends tie a number of ribbons or cords (some adorned with charms).
Lasso Ceremony: This ceremony is commonly performed in Hispanic or Filipino families. It involves the couple being draped in a floral garland or rosary twisted into the symbol of infinity. The couple then saves the garland as a symbol of their union.
Ring Warming: The ring warming is a great way to involve all your guests into the ceremony. At the start of the wedding, the best man will step forward to present both of the rings to be passed around to each guests. They then get to ‘warm’ and ‘bless’ the rings with love and warm thoughts for the couple and their marriage. Once they have been passed around, they should be back to the front to be held until its time for the ring exchange.
Jumping The Broom: Often seen in the black community, this trend comes from a time when they were not able to be legally wed. However, love always triumphs and together they jump over the broom, leaving behind their single lives and jumping into their married future.
God’s Knot: For our Christian couples that choose to honor their religion, the God’s Knot is a great way of doing so. With one cord represent the God and the other two represent each partner, they braid it into a single cord. A word of advice if choosing this ceremony, teach your man how to braid before hand, lol!
