A Unity Ceremony adds a symbolic element to any Celebration of Commitment or Naming Ceremony. It is visually engaging and can be a great way to involve other members of the family in the ceremony. The ceremony symbolises two people or two families becoming one.
There are many different Unity Ceremonies; here are three of the more popular ones.
1. Unity Sand Ceremony
Each person involved in the ceremony has a bottle of coloured sand. In turn they add their sand to a larger bottle, creating a beautiful layered pattern. Sometimes the ceremony just involves the bride and groom, the sand symbolising their union. If there are children they can add further colours, or whole families can add many colours of sand together to symbolise the joining of the two families.
2. Unity Candle Ceremony
This ritual has long been used in Catholic weddings, but as a traditional ceremony option it also holds a universal meaning. It symbolises the joining of a couple in marriage as well as the joining of their two original families. The ceremony can be adapted in a number of ways - for example, the couples' families can light the candles of the couple who then light the Unity Candle together, or the couple can light their candles from the Unity Candle then light the families' candles.
3. Wine Ceremony
In the wine ceremony the couple pour two different drinks into a glass which they then drink from - often red and white wines are blended to create a blush. Alternatively, other drinks could be used, for example Gin and Tonic or coloured water.
To find out more about these ceremony elements and how they can be incorporated into your ceremony, please contact me!