Sand Ceremony
I've never liked the whole Unity Candle ceremony. I think it's because the flame that's supposed to represent the couple's coming together as a family and as a whole is so easily extinguished. Possibly also because I've got a slight pyrophobia. (I'd probably worry about dropping my candle and lighting my wedding dress on fire...)
Anyway, I heard about the Sand Ceremony, and the more I read up on it, the more I like it. Basically, you have two containers, each filled with a different color of sand. The bride and groom each take a container, and pour the sand into a vase or bottle at the same time. The lovely piece of sand art you've just created is a symbol of your coming together as one, and how you can never be separated into what you once were. Then you close the vase/bottle, which you later save, seal with wax, and place on your mantle as a constant reminder of your unity. Cute, huh?
So I'll talk with Sam and our deacon about maybe doing that. It shouldn't cost that much either, with like $5-6 for all the containers/bottles and maybe another $4 for colored sand. (I suppose I could just go to the beach, get some sand, and color it myself, but I'd probably spend $4 in gas driving to the beach and back anyway.) It might be nice. What do you think?
posted by Kristine N. @ 10:32 AM
5 comments
5 Comments:
I like it, I say go do it.
I wandered over here from a link on Better Off Wed. I have seen this done before with more colors, like one representing family, one friends and one God (I think... it's early): all things you need to help support you as you journey forward.
Thanks everyone! My deacon likes it too, but he thinks there might be a religious significance to the Unity Candle, so he's not sure if we should get rid of it. (Even though I read that the tradition didn't even begin as a Christian thing...) So he thinks we should do both, which even he thinks is overkill... And I really don't want to buy a Unity Candle set if I don't have to. I wonder if the church coordinator has an email address (she has the final say). I think this might be hard to explain over the phone.
And welcome, Chrissie! I read about the different variations too. Maybe I could convince my deacon the sand ceremony has a relgious basis if we add a sand for God in there? Hrm... Oh, and do you have a link to that site that linked me? I've never heard of it and I'd like to take a look!
If he is dead set on doing the candle, another idea would be have the Unity candle during the ceremony, and maybe the sand ceremony at some point during the reception.
Better Off Wed: http://www.mkeonline.com/people/blogs.asp?id=80
Got married in Maui on April 21st. During the ceremony we had a sand ceremony. Practiced beforehand in order to confirm the amount of sand used, layering, etc. Worked quite well. Biggest challenge has been trying to seal the vase. Initially used gel wax. Good thing, too. The sand settled (and continues to settle). We hand-carried the vase (very carefully) and are leaving it open to complete the settling process (who knows how long that will be?) I want to complete the sealing process but I'm looking for a material that will be able to deal with possible further settling of the sand. Don't know if it's that's practical or not.
Hope this helps.
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