Unity Sand Ceremony Help

What are you struggling with? We got 2 skinny flower vases from Walmart, then a center sand "holder" to pour the sand into. The sand was bought at a craft store. We told our officiant we were interested in a sand ceremony and they worked it into the wedding.

I'm doing one but it is being taken care of by our wedding coordinator. I saw the kit minus the sand on amazon and at michaels.

Good to know. I think this is what FH and I will do in our ceremony. Thanks, good post.

I'm getting married in October too! I know I am stressed with all the last minute details and shopping that needs to get done (I naively thought the end would be easier because the big decisions would be made already). We decided to do the "blessing of the hands" because it was just picking between two readings to do (both are very similar, one is just more religious) and it required no props. The officiant just askes that you join all four hands and he/she reads the blessing over them.

Nothing to stress over; bud vases and something bigger; my dollar tree has really cute ones. Sand from Michaels. Your officiant should be able to find or write the reading you need. Done!

Im not sure what youre having problems with, but here's what a sand ceremony is:

Each person has a "vessel" of sand that represents who they are. It could be your favourite colour, actual sand from where you grew up... etc. You can purchased coloured sand from Micahels (Thats what we're doing!).

The center vessel has to be large enough as well! I tested out how much/big of a vessel per person i needed for the vase we're using by pouring water into the vessels and then into the bigger vase. Better safe than sorry!

Also, i said each PERSON has sand... i say this because some people have their parents or children etc. involved. For instance: you could have your parents pour white sand at the bottom (representing nurturing and a 'solid' foundation for your new family to build from).

There are several ways to go about pouring in the sand... some couples pour at the same time, creating a random design (this is what we're doing), or if you want a more uniformed look, CONT.

Have your FH pour a small portion in, then you do the same, and keep stacking the sand like that til there's no more. Hope this answered anything you were wondering about!

So far i have the materials but need help with when to insert it in the program and what type of vow/wording should be done. my pastor as his secretary put it "doesn't do rehearsals" so we are alone on how to plan it.

You can insert it practically anywhere you please. Some people do it at the reception (before cake cutting, or before toasts...etc. whichever feels "right") The order of our ceremony will be:

-Processional Song

-Call to Gather (aka Call to Worship)

-Charge to Us

-Wedding Vows

-Ring Vows

-Sand Ceremony

-Blessing

-Recessional Song

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There are several sample vows online, and we edited from the already given sand ceremonies to better fit our personalities. We do not feel like we lose our individualism when marriage occurs Here is our Sand Ceremony vows:

The two vials of sand here represent Brandon and Fatima. As each pours in the sands, they show how the individual colors create a beautiful masterpiece of love and mutual respect. (signal here to start pouring) Just as the sands are forever intermixed, so are the lives of the people being celebrated today. CONT.

As i stated earlier, you can have other people join in this ceremony. We chose to include our mothers so that they feel like they play a big role in the wedding! (But shhh its a surprise!) So we added this as well:

Marriage is a communal event involving families and friends. Therefore, i beseech Michoko W. and Veronica B. to come forth and give blessings to this marriage. As Veronica and Michoko bless these rocks, we are reminded of the solidity and foundation of love by binding these two families together.

We are going to get them a rock (not sure what we're getting really... either a decorative rock, a pile of rocks that go in vases... or maybe some type of STONE that represents something (Turqoise means Luck, Protection, and Love for instance) that they can wedge into the sand. Hope that helps!

I did something similar to a sand ceremony, but they used different colors of beads for the B&G and for the 2 kids. I wasn't sure what to expect when B said beads, but they turned out to be the kind you'd use to make a necklace.

I've done the sand ceremony hundreds of times; the salt covenant once; and a couple of times had the B&G combine containers of water into one and then use it to water a small potted tree that they later planted in their yards.

I usually perform the sand ceremony right after the ring exchange. I love it for it's versatility. Children of the couple are especially encouraged to be participants.

Ok cool thank you!! really appreciate the advice given.

I also do it after the rings unless there are children involved; then I do the pronouncement first. I encourage my couples to pick sand colors that coordinate with their kids' and their personalities.

On occasion, my couples have personalized the sand ceremony further, using their grandmas' gravy boats to pour their sand, as a gesture of the blending of the family history. I had one couple use a big marguerita glass as their family vessel; they got it on the trip to disneyland on which they got engaged. One couple of scientists used test tubes and beakers; another used their starbucks coffee cups (that's where they met)

Unity sand ceremonies are beautiful additions to the wedding ceremony. I myself am planning on having one.

Here are some sample readings you can use for the wedding sand ceremony:

Version 1- non religious:

_______ and ________, you have committed here today to share the rest of your lives with each other. We have witnessed your giving and receiving of rings and the exchange of vows. Now we will observe you create a lasting visual representation of these promises. The (insert color) sand represents (name) and all that you were, all that you are, and all that you will ever be. The (insert color) sand represents (name) and all that you were, all that you are, and all that you will ever be. Your relationship is symbolized through the pouring of these two individual containers of sand into one container. You will note that the individual colors do not cease to exist, but that there are times when the two are blended. It is this blending that is marriage.

Continued:

Version 2 - with God:

_______ and ________, you have committed here today to share the rest of your lives with each other. Now we will observe you create a lasting visual representation of these promises. The (insert color) sand represents (name) and all that you were, all that you are, and all that you will ever be. The (insert color) sand represents (name) and all that you were, all that you are, and all that you will ever be. The third (insert color-usually white or gold) container represents God. (Minister pours the 3rdcontainer) Your spiritual beliefs are the foundation for your marriage. _______, pour some of your sand which will represent you as an individual.______, pour some of your sand which will represent you as an individual. (Minister pours more of the third container) Let God forever support you in your relationship. (name) and (name), now pour your remaining sand into the container together to represent the joining of your two individual lives into this union

Continued:

you can find the rest at:

http://reverendkris.com/unitysand.aspx

For some choices on the unity sand, you can look into:

http://www.sandsationalsparkle.com/unity-sand-ceremony-kits

Hope this helps.

I am not doing one. My cousin did one, and it just seemed to drag on and us BM's were praying for it to end because our feet hurt! My only advice is to poor the sand quickly lol

We did the sand ceremony. I found the perfect kit on ebay . They sketched our names on the individual vases and the main one had our wedding date and location on . I had a hard time finding the sand colors I wanted ,pink and orange , and actually ended up finding the sand colors in the kid's craft section at Michaels. Our Minsiter had a script for the ceremony itself.

Lol i hope to do the ceremony quickly because we have a 8,7, and 4 year old to include in the ceremony. the 4 year old is the one we are worried about. ;-) i will check out the info given online and see what i can find. thanks!!