A very popular alternative to the Unity Candle during a wedding is the Sand Ceremony. While no one is quite certain whether this tradition began with the Native Hawaiians or the Native Americans, the symbolism of the ceremony is identical to that of the Unity Candle. It symbolizes the joining of two lives into one.
The way the ceremony works is this: there are 3 glass vases, the outer two containing two different colors of sand, one representing the bride and the other representing the groom. When the officiant comes to the part of the wedding ceremony where he talks about the joining of lives, the bride and groom pour their sand into the middle vase. The groom traditionally pours a little of his first to represent the fact that the man builds a strong foundation for the marriage. The bride then pours a little of hers to represent her commitment to the support of the marriage. The two of them then pour the remainder of their sand together to show the blending of their lives and their equality in the marriage. Sometimes a bride & groom will choose to leave some sand in the original vases to represent the fact that, while joined as husband & wife, they are still individuals.
The outcome is a beautiful, lasting reminder of the couple's commitment to one another. It is something that can be saved and displayed forever in their home. There are many Sand Ceremony vases that come with some kind of lid or cork so that there are no issues with the sand ever spilling out. And almost all of these special vases can be engraved.
While the Sand Ceremony is a beautiful alternative in any setting, it is especially fitting for outdoor weddings (where wind could extinguish a Unity Candle) and in venues where candles are prohibited. Because this tradition is gaining so much popularity, it is easy to find sand in almost any color you can imagine.
The Sand Ceremony is also great when there are children from a previous marriage or relationship. It is easy to create a Family Sand Ceremony where each member of the new family has their own vase of colored sand they can pour into the blended family vase.
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