Unity Sand Ceremony
For many couples who choose the beach as the backdrop for the exchanging of their vows, a unity sand ceremony provides a unique and memorable way to commemorate their love and loyalty. Instead of the traditional merging of flames in a unity candle, the couple symbolically joins their lives with the blending of sand.
Unity sand ceremonies are typically short in length, lasting only a couple of minutes, but are long on meaning. During the ceremony, the bride and groom each have separate containers holding different colors of sand, and then pour their sand into a shared unity vase where the grains are forever intermingled. The container with the combined sand is then kept as a keepsake of the couple’s love, loyalty, and devotion.
History of the Sand Ceremony
Although it’s been practiced for hundreds of years in other nations, unity sand ceremonies have just recently increased in popularity in the United States. Although there’s some debate as to which culture first began the ritual, the Native Americans and the Hawaiians have both used it as a symbol of spiritual love for decades.
A Blending of Old & New
The appeal of the unity sand ceremony is that it’s a hybrid of tradition and innovation. Similar to the traditional unity candle, the sand ritual marks two individual lives blending into one, putting a modern twist on a classic ceremony that has endured for centuries. Some couples choose to leave some of the original sand in their respective containers, symbolizing that their individuality will live on even after they’re married.
Blended Sand for Blended Families
When weddings bring together more than just the bride and groom, other family members can take part in the sand ceremony. Children, parents, and close relatives and friends may also be invited to pour their own ceremonial sand into the unity container to demonstrate their love and support of the bride and groom. Each member of the family or wedding party can choose their own color to symbolize the spirit of their contribution.
A variety of different unity sand ceremonies are widely practiced throughout the country. In addition to choosing the ceremony that’s right for you, you can also hand-pick the sand colors, the sand containers, and the vows you’ll recite during your unity sand ritual.
Sand Ceremony
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