Prior to the ceremony, the Unity Candle area is set up. Some people have them already burning before the ceremony starts, to symbolize the bride and groom as individuals. You can opt to have the mother of the bride and groom each light one candle with special music playing while this is going on. The mother of the groom is escorted in by either an usher or a male member of the brides family, where she will then light a taper then is ushered to her seat. The mother of the bride is escorted by the groom himself, an usher or a male member of the groom’s family, where she will light the other taper, then gets escorted to her seat. If the couple is bringing children into the marriage, you can opt to have the children light the tapers.
Another idea for the Unity Candle Ceremony is while the music is playing, after the Unity candles have been lit, the bride and groom walk over to the bride’s mother and father and give a rose from the bride’s bouquet to the bride’s mother. Then the bride and groom walk over to the grooms mother and father and give the groom’s mother a rose from the bride’s bouquet. This is known as the Rose Ceremony. It is a very intimate and emotional experience for both sets of parents in the bridal party. It signifies the unity of both families coming together as one.
One idea that has not been seen in many weddings is after the lighting of the candles, the best man, the maid of honor, the minister, and the bride and groom gather around the alter to sign the marriage certificate. All the guests are included as witnesses to their union. This is a very effective way to fill the time for the song to finish.
The Unity Candle Ceremony is non-denominational, which means it has no religious significance. This makes it a popular choice for both religious and non-religious ceremonies alike. One thing to keep in mind; many houses of worship may not allow this ceremony, so if you have your heart set on it, you may need to check with the appropriate people to see if this is allowed.
No comments:
Post a Comment