Product Spotlight: Hourglass Wedding Unity Sand Ceremony Set

A sand ceremony is a beautiful addition to a wedding. The sand ceremony stemmed from the tradition of lighting a unity candle. The ceremonies both symbolize the joining of two families. More and more people are turning to sand rather than candles because a candle will eventually blow out. The sand, on the other hand, allows a visible, tangible representation of two people joining their lives together – and it can last forever.

Source: Sand Ceremony Hourglass Vase

The ceremony is usually performed during the wedding ceremony itself, to reinforce the vows the bride and groom just promised each other. The bride a groom each pick a color of sand and either take turns layering their sand or pour their sands at the same time, blending the colors together.

The sand can come from a favorite beach or can be chosen for its colors. Ideally, you’ll have two very distinct colors, but if the sand is especially important, the separate colors can take a back seat. You could also dye a portion of the sand, if you want to use sand that is the same or similar colors.

Another option is to perform the sand ceremony during the reception, so you can have your family members join in as well; this could be particularly important for a couple who has children, and even more so if the children are from a previous relationship. The ceremony represents combining the bride’s and groom’s worlds – shouldn’t the next most important part of those worlds be involved too? If you choose to include others in the sand ceremony, you can use a rainbow of colors or different shades of two colors, to represent the two families.

This simply stunning hourglass is a perfect vase for a sand ceremony. While serving as a display for the sand, it also acts as a representation of time: two families joined for the rest of time. If you need another reason to convince you to include a sand ceremony in your wedding, just think of it as the next best thing to a destination wedding – bring the sand to you!

Source: Colored Sands, Hourglass Unity Ceremony Set, Keepsake Hourglass Set

Which kind of unity ceremony will you include in your wedding? Tell us below!

Elizabeth graduated from The University of Findlay with a Master of Arts in Rhetoric and Writing. She now resides in Portland, Oregon where she is employed in the real estate business and is particularly enjoying the local cuisine. As a writer, Elizabeth believes in a quote from one of her favorite TV shows: "We have only two jobs on this Earth. The first: to learn. The second: to cope." A deep desire to learn struck Elizabeth when she was young, and now she hopes to help you cope by sharing information, and helping you apply the knowledge. Weddings and event planning can be overwhelming; sometimes it's okay to take a little advice from a stranger on the internet.

Blended Family Wedding Vows

Including your children in your wedding is the ideal way to reinforce positive feelings about your union and to form new bonds between your children and your new spouse. I myself am married for the second time and I know how hard it can be to make your children feel like a part of your special day. I have, in my years of experience come up with a few ideas of how to incorporate your children to make them feel included and special.

• Have your child play a role in the wedding, such as flowergirl, ringbearer, bridesmaid, usher, male attendant, best man or maid of honor.

• The actual wedding vows are also a way to include your children. You can ask the minister or officiant to add the children's name to the ceremony. By also pledging a vow to love and honor your stepchild, you will indeed make them feel like they are a special part of the day.

• Include your children in the receiving line so that you may be greeted by your guests as a new family instead of just a new couple.

• Sand ceremony kits are one of my favorite ideas for including the children. Using sand ceremony unity sets allows each person to pour a small amount of colored sand into a large cylinder. The mixing of the different colored sand represents the individuals becoming blended in their new lives together. You can even get each small cylinder engraved with your children’s names to give a personal touch.

I recently read a story online about a couple who after they read their vows to each other and exchanged rings, they presented each others children with a necklace that had a special medallion on it representing family. While giving each child the gift, they promised to love and cherish each child and to make a loving family together.

I am lucky to have a very special husband who told me that when he married me he also married my children. Including your children will make them feel important and let them know that marriage is not just about joining a husband and a wife, but it can also be about creating a new family!

Carrie