Planning a Sand Ceremony For a Wedding
A Unity Candle Alternative For Brides and Grooms
May 27, 2009
Sand ceremonies in weddings have been around for hundreds of years, with the popular belief that the custom began with the people indigenous to Hawaii. When marrying on the beach, the barefoot couple would say their vows, each picking up a handful of sand and pouring it into one container, symbolizing their union.
This tradition is chosen by many couples to do as an alternative to a unity candle in a wedding. Sand ceremonies are easily incorporated into beach weddings, where sand is abundant and the natural environment may not be conducive to a candle staying lit. Some non-religious couples may also choose to incorporate a sand ceremony in a wedding. Regardless, the sand ceremony offers a keepsake from the wedding that is easy to display in the couple's home after the wedding.
A sand ceremony typically involves three decorative vessels. One of the sand ceremony vessels is empty, and is the container into which the bride and groom will pour. One container holds the sand that represents the bride, and the third container holds the sand that represents the groom. Typically, the bride and groom choose two different colors.
Setting Up a Sand Ceremony in a Wedding
When it comes to setting up the sand ceremony in the wedding there are a few things to keep in mind. Many brides and grooms overlook the fact that their guests will be staring at their backs through most of the wedding ceremony. Because a sand ceremony is so visually appealing, choosing a setup so the guests can watch is a nice choice.
One option for a sand ceremony setup is to choose a small table where the officiant can stand facing the wedding guests, with the bride and groom on either side of the table, with the sand vessel in the center of the table. This also allows the wedding photographer to easily photograph the sand ceremony.
Another option would be to have the bride and groom face the wedding guests, with the officiant off to the side.
Incorporating a Sand Ceremony in a Wedding
Though the easiest way to incorporate a sand ceremony into a wedding ceremony is to perform the ritual after the vows, a sand ceremony can be done at any time through the ceremony. Some people may choose to perform the ceremony after the vows but before the rings, or after both the vows and the rings.
If using the sand ceremony to replace a unity candle ritual, couples may want to incorporate their families into ceremony, as well. This can be done by having the mothers of the bride and groom each pour sand representative of their families into the bottom of the vessel, or by asking the mothers to give the sand to their child before the ceremony.
Other Sand Ceremony Tips
When planning a sand ceremony in a wedding, there are some points to consider that go beyond the location, theme, or style of wedding.
- Is the mouth of the sand ceremony vessel wide enough for the bride and groom to pour sand at the same time? If not, consider creating a lacy, paper funnel for the officiant to hold so the sand fills the vase and doesn't create a mess.
- Is the wedding in a humid area? Sand clumps when exposed to moisture, so the sand should be stored in an airtight container until just before the wedding.
- What does the ceremony table look like? A bare table with the just the sand ceremony vase looks unplanned. Consider adding flowers that match the wedding theme, some rose petals, or other decorations to make the ceremony more visually interesting.
- Purchase extra sand to practice the ceremony prior to the wedding. This will allow the couple to see how fast the sand should be poured and iron out any wrinkles in the sand ceremony before the real wedding.
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