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The Sand Ceremony

Like many wedding traditions, it is hard to pin a history to where the sand ceremony began. It has been attributed to indigenous customs in Hawaii. In Hawaiian ceremonies, sand from two smaller vials is poured into one larger bowl or seashell to symbolize the joining of two lives into one. If the wedding is held on the beach (which is traditional), the sand for the individual vials is taken from beneath the feet of the bride and groom.
Today, the sand ceremony is still a beautiful and unique unification ceremony. Though some couples may prefer to use water, wine, or other elements- the idea of taking two containers and combining them as one, never able to be seperated, is a powerful metaphor for the lasting legacy of the marriage.
The sand ceremony was thought to be made popular recently by its inclusion in a wedding spun from the hit television show The Bachelorette.

The Unity Candle

The act of lighting a unity candle is packed with symbolism, a tradition that joins the families of both the bride and groom in an act meant to show the union of matrimony. The bride and groom's mothers will both light a candle, and occasionally the grandparents will join in, lighting their own candles. Each set of parents will pass their flame on until it reaches the bride and groom. Then the bride and groom will take their own candles and light the unity candle. They may choose to blow out their candles to symbolize the union of a new individual, or leave them lit to symbolize that they retain their personalities even in marriage. The ceremony usually takes place after the vows are read.