Unity Candle with Children

This will be slightly different as you are getting married, but when my parents rennewed their wedding vows, they lit a candle for each of the kids. They had the center candle already lit. My mother then spoke a few words about each of the kids and then my dad lit our candles. You could lite one for each child with their respective parents candle then light the center candle. Or you could have all the kids candles lit (and depending on age) and the kids together light the parents candle before lighting the unity candle.

My brother and his now-wife did something similar, but instead of doing the unity candle, they had a sand ceremony. Everyone (kids, bride, groom) had a different color sand and all went up and poured them into a larger vase or glass container. All the different colors of sand mixed, and it symbolized that they were all one unit now, and it would be impossible to separate out the sand again. I thought it was really neat, and it could be an idea similar to a unity candle.

Great ideas! And the sand ceremony sounds beautiful, but I think I'm going to be a bit of an emotional mess that day, and I don't trust myself with all that sand in the sanctuary, lol...

I know that the unity candle is more traditional but the unity sand ceremony is just as if not more beautiful and it is much easier to include your children- there is a large center vase (lots of different ones to choose from) and there are smaller containers of colored sand, one color for each member of your family. at the bottom of the main vase there is a layer of white sand pour in before the ceremony starts

This sand is used to represent God as the foundation for the marriage. the minister will say something about how the two family will become one today and that the containers of sand represent each individuals life before this day and that as the containers are poured into center vase the individual containers will no longer exist, but will be joined together as one. and just as the grains of sand can never be separated and poured again into the individual containers, so will your family be, We both have have children too and plan to use this cermony to include them.

The unity sand celebration is very popular with my beach weddings. One family had each child and grandchild add a small seashell.

Pouring the sand is easy! We didn't have children involved but we did a sand ceremony with our parents. Here is a pic to give you an idea.

You can also do a Rose Ceremony at the end. It is where you exchange your first gifts as husband and wife. Make it for the whole family. One rose for each. It is quite beautiful.

Lovely.

Can the grooms mom light both candles since I do not have family?? Or who would you suggest?

Just wanted to tack on instead of making my own post: I want to use 3 tapers to light the center candle. I want my son to be involved in the ceremony. We considered doing other unity ceremony ideas that were more friendly for more than the couple but due to sentimental reasons we kinda have to do the candle. I also don’t want my son to be in my taper, I want us each to have our own. Has anyone done this or seen this or have any tips?