Creative Unity Ceremony Ideas
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Before we get into some unique unity ceremonies, let’s talk about the reason people even want to do one!
What is a Unity Ceremony?
A unity ceremony is an act of two individuals bringing their own unique flare to ONE relationship. Essentially, two people becoming one. Unity ceremonies can also include the fundamental values you want to build your relationship on. They can include family and friends who were and are essential to your relationship. Unity ceremonies honor the people you love most… and the person you want to spend forever with.
So how do you come up with a ceremony that fits your personality? We have some ideas…
Sand Ceremony
One of the most common Unity Ceremonies is the sand ceremony. It’s the act of one color of sand representing the bride and the other color of sand representing the groom. as you both pour the sand into the container, it symbolizes the two of you becoming one. You can also let kids and other family members pour sand into the container, it’s totally up to you! However you want to implement other people into your ceremony, it can definitely be done! There’s also some pretty cute containers out there. :)
Hand Fasting
A Hand-Fasting Ceremony is an ancient Celtic tradition (dating as far back as 7000 B.C.) that binds two hands together as a symbol of steadfast love.
When I’m doing a hand-fasting ceremony, I first explain the ritual. I then ask you to grab hands and begin tying the knot. As I’m tying the knot, I say a blessing or poem and have you repeat after me. You then get to pull the strings and create the knot. It’s a pretty neat experience. I have a template of different vows/poems/blessings to choose from and offer complete customization for this ceremony.
There are different chords or ribbons to choose from. There are also many different knots that can be tied. This one can be as unique as you are while also adding an element of the sacred.
Building a Cairn
For the couple who loves to hike, building a cairn is so symbolic to building a relationship. The foundational rocks can represent whatever you’d like- family, discipline, play, commitment. The cool thing about this is that you get to decide what your marriage and life is built around. You get to support each other and grow together. And that’s pretty special.
If you choose to do this, you probably love to hike. Go grab some rocks from your favorite hikes! If you have any fun adventures planned before your wedding, make a point to stop and look for some cool rocks along the way! You can also grab a rock from your actual wedding location if applicable, but I would definitely recommend not waiting until the last second to do this ;)
Another option is finding some fun larger crystals to incorporate if that’s your thing.
There’s always room to add personal touches! :)
Locking in Your Love
The act of taking two cool locks representing your two souls and locking them together is a pretty special moment. You can also put your locks in a shadow box with other special keep sakes from your wedding day.
Another way to do this is to lock your vows in a “lock box” where you fold up your vows and put them in a special box and lock them up. You can then take them out every year and read on your anniversary. This is something Rich and I do and it’s pretty beautiful. We end up looking at pics and laughing and crying. 😆💕
Make a Mixed-Drink
One of the funnest unity ceremonies. There’s a lot to play on with a mixed drink. Adding each element into a cocktail to symbolize what keeps your relationship flavorful is one of my faves. Salty, sweet, sour, whatever you want to add in that reflects your personalities, this is usually a pretty joyful experience! You can also invite your guests to take a shot with you by having pre-made mason jars to hand out to people or put under their seat as a special surprise at the end of the ceremony!
Champagne Toast
A champagne toast is a pretty easy way to honor a large group of people while keeping it classy and simple. You can toast one another, then toast your beloved guests. Your guests could even take part in the champagne toast if the venue allows.
Create Your Own Seasoning
This is such a fun idea! If you love to cook or want to cook together, this could be a great option. You can even prepare your own special blend ahead of time and give it out as party favors to your guests. They will be able to have a taste of your love for many days to come! You can also get creative in the spice container you choose. There are many beautiful wooden, metal, or glass containers. Choose something symbolic of your love for one another and have fun with it!
Plant a Tree or Succulent
Planting a tree or succulent is pretty symbolic of nourishing something new together. But you can make this more personal by the pot you choose, the soil it needs, and of course the plant. Different plants can represent different things! Have fun choosing what you want to plant with your partner! We recommend going to your local nursery and choosing one together. Plants that are VERY hard to kill but still look awesome:
ZZ Plant (low light, water once a month)
Snake Plant (low light, water once a month)
Pothos Vine (medium light, water once every 1-2wks)
We just want your plant to live as long as your marriage and these are the BEST for that!! These are also all our personal plants that we’ve kept alive!
ZZ Plant
Snake Plant
Pothos Vine
Paint Pour
You can get as creative or as simple as you want with this one! You can put a monogram sticker on the canvas (pre-ceremony) and then pour the paint on! Once the paint dries, take off the sticker and you have your own monogram canvas and a keep sake of your special day. This one is also super easy to involve kids in :)
Hobby Lobby or Michaels usually has good deals on canvases. Especially if you only want one and don’t want to buy in bulk.
