Joining as one

The unity ceremony symbolizes the bride and groom joining as one. This is usually an integral part of every wedding ceremony. You need to determine what type of ceremony you want to do. Here are few of my favorite unity ceremony traditions:

Warm the rings: Warm the rings by passing a length of ribbon through the rows during the ceremony. Have the rings threaded into the ribbon and allow each of your guests to bless the marriage before you slip them on. Or, set up a station at the entrance of your wedding that has the rings attached to a ribbon. *Photo courtesy of With the Rings Handmade

Unity candle: The bride and groom each have a single taper candle. They use that one candle to light a large unity candle. Leave individual tapers still lit to put emphasis on your individuality. All three lit candles stand as a celebration of the bride and groom as individuals as well as their union. *Photo courtesy of Romantic Italian Weddings

Oh, Holy Night: Have ushers light two candles in the back of the room and then everyone lights their neighbors candle filling the church with candlelight. The bride and groom's mothers come forward and light their children's individual tapers. Then, the bride and groom light the large unity candle. *Photo courtesy of Shelley Paulson Photography

Sand ceremony: The groom has a jar filled with one color of sand while the bride's jar is filled with a different color sand. The two combine the colors into one larger vase. *Photo courtesy of Poems, Candles and More