Understanding The Unity Sand Ceremony

The significance of the unity sand ceremony came into focus thanks to a popular reality television program called The Bachelorette. The couple, Ryan Sutter and Trista Rehn, substituted the unity sand ritual for the unity candle ritual, inspiring thousands of other couples to incorporate the observance into their own wedding ceremonies. The sand ritual provides couples with a memento of the beginning of their marriage, which may be handed down to their children.

Some people suggest that the ritual started in Native American culture. To symbolize two lives becoming one, the sands flow together into a central cup. After pouring the sands into the cup, the bride and groom can never pour the sands back into their individual vases. Bride and groom, along with extended friends and family members, become one unit.

The groom pours the first sands into a central cup. Next, the bride pours some of the contents of her vase over the layer of the groom\’s sand. The groom pours again, adding a third layer; the bride pours again, adding a fourth layer. The remaining sands are then poured into the cup simultaneously, until each individual vase is empty.

During the steps, bride and groom recite their vows. Some couples choose to write their own vows, to express the power of their commitment and the unique life they will live together. Other couples prefer to use vows written by others, when they feel that those vows better express the sentiments in their hearts.

Some couples utilize the sands as a symbol of unifying a blended family. When children participate, they see a visual reminder that they play a part in the new family\’s success. When the ritual is performed together, the cup is transformed into a true family heirloom, to be passed down to future generations.

Couples may choose three or four-piece kits. Some couples choose to add a third sand vase, which symbolizes the spiritual foundation of their marriage. The spiritual sands are poured into the cup first, followed by the groom\’s and the bride\’s sands, to create an additional foundational layer symbolizing the importance of their spiritual commitment.

Sand comes in a wide variety of colors, and couples may choose sands from among their favorite colors, or from among their wedding colors. Individual retailers sell books containing vows, along with kits. The right frame of mind, the right kit, and the right vows will make the unity sand ceremony something that couples will remember for a lifetime.

If you found this article helpful, you might want to visit www.theforeverframe.com where you\’ll find a variety of unique unity sand vessels along with various colors of sand to choose from. From experience as newly weds, Elaine knows how difficult it is to find a sand vessel for unity ceremonies so they created their own unity sand ceremony making life easier for you.