Ideas
UNITY CANDLE
Now, _____&_____ commemorate their marriage by lighting a Unity Candle.
Each one of us possesses an inner glow that represents
our hopes, our dreams and aspirations in life.
_____&_____, the two distinct candle flames represent
your lives before this day, individual, unique and special.
Please take your candle and together light the center candle
to symbolize the union of your individual lives.
As this new flame burns undivided, so shall your lives now be one.
From now on your thoughts will always be for each other
rather than just your individual selves.
Your plans will be mutual, your joys and sorrows both will be shared alike.
Although you are now entering into a marriage, you do not lose your personal identity. Rather, you will use your individuality to create and strengthen your marriage
so all three candles will remain glowing. The individual candles represent all that makes you the wonderful and unique people the other admires and respects.
The Unity candle symbolizes the union of your lives, families, and friends,
as well as your commitment to each other, and to a lasting and loving marriage.
SAND CERMONY
This sand ceremony represents the beautiful joining of two families
and leaves the new couple with a visual reminder of the
commitment that has been made today.
As you each hold your sand in separate vessels,
the sand represents your lives up to this moment, individual and unique.
_____, please pour some of your sand into the center vase.
_____, please pour some of your sand into the center vase.
By combining your sand together, it will symbolize your lives being joined together as one. (They both pour in the sand.)
Always keep in mind the love that brought you together
because it is this love that will keep your marriage strong.
THE LOVE LETTER AND/OR WINE BOX CEREMONY
You will need:
- A wooden wine box
- A bottle of your favorite wine or drink (optional)
- Two love letters sealed in separate envelopes.
_____&_____ have chosen to perform a Love Letter & Wine Box ceremony.
For those of you who have never seen this before, this box contains
a bottle of wine and love letters that they have written for each other.
The letters describe the good qualities they find in one another,
the reasons they fell in love, and their hopes for their future together.
The letters are sealed and in individual envelopes. They have not seen what the other has written. Should they ever find their marriage facing hardships, they will open this box and they will drink this wine! Then they will read the letters they wrote to one another to be reminded of the reasons why they are together. The hope is that _____&_____ will never have a reason to open this box and if this is the case, they are to open this box to celebrate their 5th year wedding anniversary. Then they will replenish it and open it again on their 10th Anniversary, 15th Anniversary, and so on, and so on.
The romantic sentiments you wrote, the declaration of love, the clear thoughts about why you chose this person as your life partner will help to bring you back to each other.
This is the perfect ritual to remind you both of your wedding day and your intention to love and cherish each other in good times and bad for as long as you both shall live.
HAND FASTING:
_____ and _____ will you please join hands to form an infinity circle,
symbolizing the entirety of the universe and the love you have for one another.
The ribbons symbolize your life, your love, and the eternal connection that the two of you have found with one another. The ties of this hand fasting are not formed by these ribbons, or even by the knots connecting them. They are formed instead by your vows, by your pledge, your souls, and your hearts that are now bound together as one.
(Suggested colors and meanings. You can also have family and friends involved too.)
Red- For Passion and Strength
Orange- For Encouragement
Yellow- For Joy
Green- For Prosperity and Health
Blue- For Patience
Purple - For Sentimentality
Black- For Wisdom
White- For Peace
Grey- For Balance
Pink- For Unity, Honor and Truth
Brown- For Grounding
Silver- For Values
Gold- For Longevity
As this knot is tied, so are your lives now bound. Woven into these ribbons, into its very fibers, are all the hopes of your friends and family, and of yourselves, for your new life together. With the tying of this knot, it bounds all the dreams, love, and happiness that are wished to you for as long as you both shall live.
ROSE CEREMONY FOR EACH OTHER:
Your first gift to each other, as husband and wife, is a single rose.
The rose is a symbol of love so it is a perfect first gift.
Please exchange your first gift as husband and wife.
(BRIDE & GROOM GIVE A ROSE TO EACH OTHER.)
_____&_____, as a remembrance of your love and of the vows you have spoken here today, please give each other a single rose each year on your anniversary.
In the best of marriages there are difficult times. There are times of hurtful words,
times of neglect, times when we must wait patiently to be together again.
Those may be times when the words you really need to speak are difficult.
Remember this moment and that when words fail you, place a single rose on their pillow as a way to say, I remember our vows and I love you.
Let this exchanging of roses be the beginning of a lifelong tradition of unspoken love.
ROSE CEREMONY FOR THE COUPLE'S MOTHERS:
This wedding celebration is a joining of two families who stood separate until today. Today we unite these families by the marriage of _____&_____
_____&_____ would each like to honor their families by giving of a rose to their mothers. They would like to acknowledge the love and sacrifice that each mother has made to make her children who they are today, a couple that is ready to be in a committed and loving marriage of their own.
(Bride and Groom, together, present a rose to each mother)
WARMING OF THE RINGS CEREMONY
To begin this ceremony, we ask that everyone gathered here today take part in the warming of the rings. Around the world, wedding rings are the strongest
and most visible sign of the bond two people have made,
a commitment to life, to each other, and to their future together.
We ask that you, their family and friends, wish them health, happiness
and all that is good in life. As the rings are passed around to each of you,
I ask that you hold them for a moment, warm them with your love,
voice a silent wish or prayer for _____&_____ then pass them on to the next person. When these rings come back to us, they will contain in their precious metal
your love, best wishes and support for their union.
STONE OR SEASHELL BLESSING FOR WEDDINGS NEAR WATER:
Everyone has been given a stone/seashell.
As you hold the stone/seashell tightly in your hand, please take a moment
to think of a wish or blessing for _____&_____ of love, happiness & prosperity
for all the years ahead of them.
Will everyone please throw your stones/seashells into the water.