6 Unity Ceremony Ideas That Haven't Been Overdone
With weddings moving more and more away from tradition and more toward creating your own perfect wedding, it can be overwhelming trying to come up with something you want to add into your ceremony. Your ceremony is the entire reason why everyone is there, so making it special for the two of you and your guests is important. Many people still do a traditional unity candle lighting ceremony, but if that’s not really your style, there are plenty of other ideas out there. Here are a few of our favorite unity ceremony ideas! SALT CEREMONY
Originally mentioned in the Old Testament, the Covenant of Salt has a beautiful concept behind it. Salt is essential to life and adds a flair to food, just as your partner adds zest to your life. This ceremony is best done with two different colors or grain sizes of salt and can be layered in a glass container, just as a sand ceremony would be done. The concept behind the salt ceremony is that the the bond between these two people at marriage cannot be broken unless one person can separate their own grains of salt after they are mixed.
You and your partner will take a small pouch of salt and combine the two bags inside a container. The salt ceremony is very practical since you can actually use the salt after it’s mixed in your every day life.
UNITY PAINTING CEREMONY
If you’re both into art, why not create your own at your ceremony? Unity paintings are a great way to blend your two unique takes on life. Invest in a large canvas (at least 18 x 24) and when it comes time to do your unity ceremony, each pick up a brush, some paint, and create an abstract painting you can hang on a wall of your home as a reminder of that special day. This unity ceremony is also great if you’re blending your families because the kiddos can pick up brushes, too!
Lori and Sagar were both lovers of the outdoors so decided to plant a tree to commemorate their big day!
TREE PLANTING CEREMONY
Whether you’re hiking, fishing, or star gazing out in the wilderness, the two of you always seem to bond through nature. If this sounds like you and your soon to be husband or wife, then a tree planting ceremony may be the perfect way to unite yourselves in marriage. Taking a tree and planting it together in a pot is a great option for ceremonies that aren’t held at your home (if held at your home, you can plant it right in the ground if you want!). Make sure you get a large enough pot and plant the tree not long after you get back from the honeymoon.
KNOT TYING CEREMONY
Rose and David decided to have a hand tying ceremony.
What could be more symbolic than tying a knot on the day you tie the knot as a couple! There are a few variations of this ceremony, so it depends on what you’d like to do. The first version we have seen is the fisherman’s knot tying. A fisherman’s knot is the strongest knot there is, and as more pressure and stress is applied to the knot, it only becomes stronger. Your finished knot can be framed in a shadow box as a constant reminder of the bond you two forged on your wedding day.
The other version we have seen is the hand tying or fasting ceremony. Usually this ceremony is done with a beautiful ribbon or cloth, and the couple, with the help of the officiant, winds the cloth around their hands. Another take on hand fasting is where each wedding guest takes a turn to wind the ribbon around the couple’s clasped hands.
Carla and Joe decided to have all of their guests light candles during the ceremony. Photo by The Wiebners.
CANDLE LIGHTING CEREMONY
Another popular spin on the unity candle lighting is to include every wedding guest in the celebration. Upon arriving at the ceremony, everyone will receive a candle. Have the officiant light one person’s candle, and then have that person pass the flame along to the next person, and so on.
Once the candles of all of the guests are lit, the couple should take the candle last lit from the guest to have that flame light their candles to light the unity candle. This ceremony is very symbolic, showing that each guest plays an important part in the union of the couple. For outdoor ceremonies, it may be best to pick a location away from wind!
ETERNITY CEREMONY
In every marriage, eternity is a symbolic thread that winds through them all. We found this idea on Offbeat Bride and loved this idea for a unity ceremony! At the ceremony site, guests will be able to come forward one or two at a time, pluck a flower out of a vase, and place it at the couple’s feet to create an eternity symbol. The couple will stand in each circle and be joined in marriage after the flower eternity symbol is created!
Would you do one of these more nontraditional unity ceremonies at your wedding? If so, which one matches your style? We’d love to hear other ideas, too!