Finding the Perfect Unity Ceremony for Your Wedding

Just about every wedding ceremony features a point in the service where the couple uses a visual image to represent their union. Whether they use candles, sand, or something else, this unity ceremony symbolizes the joining of their lives to everyone in attendance.

Often, couples struggle with which unity ceremony to choose. While there is no single correct answer, thersome guidelines that can help narrow your choicee are .

At Adagio, we have seen all kinds of unity ceremonies at weddings. We are happy to help facilitate the tradition you choose.

Types of Unity Ceremonies

Paint A Canvas

If, as a couple, you enjoy artistic elements or are artists yourselves, consider painting a canvas together at your wedding ceremony. The bride and groom each choose their own color and brush or pour their paints onto one canvas, creating a modern and artistic representation of your shared love.

This ceremony is excellent for couples who already have children. Each of the kids can pick their own colors to add to the family canvas. Imagine what a magnificent mantelpiece this would be in your new, blended home.

Light a Unity Candle

Unity candles are a common element in a lot of ceremonies. During this ritual, members from each of the families, often the parents of the couple, light a smaller candle. The couple then uses these two smaller candles to light a single larger candle.

Also Read : Blending Multicultural Wedding Traditions

This lighting of a single candle from the family candles represents their families merging. This ceremony is a good one if the families get along and want to participate. However, be aware that an outdoor wedding might pose a problem if inclement weather or wind occurs. Even a slight breeze can prevent candles from lighting or staying lit.

Create A Time Capsule

In this unity ceremony, the couple places unique items into a time capsule. Before the service, each partner collects significant things, such as ticket stubs, letters, cards, etc. Writing a love note to each other is also a nice touch.

During the ceremony, both people place the items into a time capsule to open on a specific anniversary. The idea is the time-capsule is a visual representation of how durable their love is. If desired, the couple can invite friends or family to participate as well.

Lasso Ceremony

This ceremony is a traditional Mexican, Filipino, or Spanish ritual. In “el lazo,” the officiant will drape a garland or rosary around the couple after they have finished their vows. The strand is shaped into the infinity symbol to represent the couple’s everlasting love.

The couple can then keep the lasso after as a memory from their wedding.

Handfasting

This tradition has its roots in Celtic lore. During the unity ceremony, the officiant binds the right hand of each partner, leaving them connected through a portion of the service. This binding represents their attachment in their new life as a married couple.

Sand Pouring

In this relatively common but meaningful tradition, the bride and groom each pour different colored sand into a glass bottle or vase. As their sand blends, they create a design that represents their joining life. The grains of sand intermingle and become inseparable, which is a beautiful metaphor for the couple’s life together.

Couples can extend this tradition to include parents or other family members. If the partners have children, this is a fantastic way to symbolize the blending family by having children pour sand of own into the new family vase.

Release a Wishing Lantern

During this ceremony, the couple lights and releases a paper lantern. The floating away of the lamp represents their love floating into the universe.

No input from other friends or family is necessary. However, some couples opt to select members of the family to launch a lantern, or for all the guests to release one simultaneously. Save this tradition for an outdoor wedding, though, and be sure to check your local ordinances. Some states and localities forbid lantern launching.

Circling

This traditional Jewish ceremony is not as well-known as the breaking of the glass, but it is special for many families. Depending on the tradition, either the bride circles the groom, or both partners circle each other, usually seven times, but sometimes three. The circling symbolizes entering into each other’s spheres and promises love and protection to each other.

Braiding the Cross

This tradition comes from the Christian idea that “a cord of three strands is not quickly broken” (Ecclesiastes 4:12). Each of the strands in the braid is intended to represent those involved in the marriage: the bride, the groom, and God. The braid is a visual representation of the strength the union will have with God included.

Beer or Wine Pouring

If you and your partner are wine or beer enthusiasts, this can be a fun ceremony. The bride and groom choose two different wines or beers; the key being they are compatible. Each partner pours their selection into a shared glass that the couple then drinks from. The visual representation is that the couple is the perfect blend.

Also Read : Live Music or DJ? Which is Right for Your Wedding or Event

Something to consider for outdoor ceremonies–keep your alcohol covered until it is used. Bees and bugs have been known to partake in open beverages, and they don’t need to be part of your unity ceremony!

Tree Planting

If you and your partner have a green thumb or enjoy the outdoors, a unique unity ceremony is to plant a tree together. To make it entirely your own, bring soil from each of your hometowns to plant the tree or plant.

Planting a tree demonstrates visually the care and dedication a marriage takes to be successful. Like caring for a plant, marriage takes work to survive.

If you are having a church wedding or an indoor ceremony, consider planting the tree into a pot or choose a smaller house plant to bring in to your home as a symbol of your love.

Foot Washing

Another ceremony with Christian roots is foot washing. In this ritual, the bride and groom each wash each other’s feet to represent the selfless service a marriage takes. Similar to Jesus washing the feet of his disciples, the couple washes each other’s feet.

Call Adagio

If you are looking for a DJ service that will ensure your wedding ceremony goes smoothly, call Adagio today. We will work with you to understand your vision for your wedding and make sure the day is everything you imagined. Our experienced DJs follow cues throughout the entire day and during your unity ceremony. Adagio’s DJs will seamlessly fade your music in and out at the appropriate times providing a beautiful musical background. We have the experience you deserve. Call us today.