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Skipping the unity candle/sand/etc?

posted 4 months ago in Ceremony
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    1.
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    Blushing bee
    dec09bride   12/05/2009  Texas

    Has anyone skipped this part of the ceremony? We are considering omitting it from ours. It isn't a traditional part of the ceremony, and I have seen many unity candle lightings gone wrong.

    Just wasnted to see if anyone noticed that you left it out, or if it was no big deal.

     
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    Sugar bee
    Jessie516   May 16, 2009  Ann Arbor, MI

    We didn't do either of these traditions during our ceremony.  We just wanted to keep things kind of "short and sweet" and created our own ceremony with our officiant's help.  No one mentioned anything to us, so I don't think it was a big deal.

     
    3.
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    Wannabee
    eventsbytamar     Jamaica

    As a wedding planner you can skip thesse forms of ceremony. They are just symbols but It like a mini representation of 2 hearts being joined as one. Instead of these ceremony why not incorporate cultural traditions into your wedding. E.g feeding each other bread, or breaking a glass, jumping over a broom stick, driniking wine.

     
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    Sugar bee
    tessabella76   September 12, 2009  Ohio

    I don't think we are going to do either the unity candle or the sand ceremony. The sand ceremony sounds good in theory but I'm pretty clutzy and I know at some point the sand will get spilled or the glass vase get broken. As for the unity candle, my mom passes away 5 and a half years ago and I have two sisters-in-law and four aunts and I would feel really weird about picking just one of them to stand in for my mom.

    What I want to do his have my FMIL do a meaningful reading during the ceremony.

     
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    Bumble bee
    Mrs. Spring   5/10/2009  California

    Actually, our priest said that he would not allow additional ceremonies like unity candles unless it was a cultural thing (like the lasso and the jaras for a Latino wedding).  I think these ceremonies are popular, but not necessary, so nobody will notice if you don't have one.

     
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    Busy bee
    bluespurrs   08/07/09  South-central PA, USA, Earth

    No candles or sand for us! However, we are honoring the Native American part of my heritage by doing a honoring the 4 directions ceremony.

     
    7.
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    Bumble bee
    Chantellamus   August 22, 2009  

    we wont be doing any type of 'tradition' at our ceremony, like jessie516 were keeping it 'short and sweet' the only think we are doing is short vows for one another but no candles, sand, rocks, string etc...

     
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    Helper bee
    katrinab   July 11, 2009  Boston, MA

    we aren't doing any unity candle/wine/etc ceremony. keeping it very simple.

     
    9.
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    Helper bee
    Mermaid1082   9/4/10  St Louis, MO

    We're skipping it too!  It's a very new tradition and not necessary.

     
    10.
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    Busy bee
    Gilneas   October 10, 2010  Live in NJ, Marrying in NY

    Unity rituals, though lovely and personal and fun, are not a required part of a wedding ceremony - in fact, most places, the only requirement is that you, at some point, agree to marry the other person. 

     
    11.
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    Honey bee
    bellenga   Next Summer..2010! Can't wait!  North of Atlanta, Georgia

    I have never wanted the unity candle thing ever since I saw a friend of mine (back in college) catch her nail on fire doing that. 

    Sand?  Not sure about that either unless we're at the beach.

     

     
    12.
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    Buzzing bee
    krissycake   11/21/09  orlando,fl

    We are not doing either of them, I am a major klutz and just see the sand toppling all over, or catching my dress on fire...we'll just keep it simple and sweet.

     
    13.
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    Helper bee
    BridetoBee2010   October 9th, 2010  Georgia

    I'm not doing the unity candle or the sand either.  I just attended a wedding where they did sand and they took turns pouring the sand it, and it... took... forever.  Instead, we are doing a "wish stone" type deal where everyone makes a well wish for the couple (kind of cheesy I know) and places a stone into a vase.  Then, during the ceremony, my FH and I will place our stones into the vase and it will represent us coming together, but also everyone who was present on our special day.  Just a little something different...

     
    14.
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    Buzzing bee
    tea     norcal

    my best friend skipped it but i don't think anyone noticed. i only knew because i helped her plan the wedding and we had discussed the logistics beforehand. if you're not feeling it, just leave it out. no worries!

     
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    Newbee
    mandirex   october 10, 2009  Wisconsin

    we have battled over this for awhile, org. we were going to do it simply because all of our family has, then we realized they've all had church wedding and are pretty tradition in general.... we however are not. not at all so we've decided to skip it! The fiance is still trying to convince me to replace this portion of the ceremony with a 'party popper' ceremony. 

     
    16.
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    Bumble bee
    KellyV   September 12 2009  New York, NY, wedding in Skaneateles, NY

    i dont think we're doing it either.

     
    17.
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    Helper bee
    beachwedding92509   09/25/2009  Southwest Michigan

    We aren't doing a candle or the sand ceremony. My fiancee insisted that we jump the broom and I have been against it until up about a month ago. I thought it was overdone, but when I did the research, I felt that it really would be cool, considering our story (it's a same sex ceremony which is not legal in this state; in the times of slavery, slaves would jump the broom and would be considered married in the eyes of their loved ones as it was not legal to marry another slave). So, I've come around on the whole idea. My friend did the sand ceremony--I thought it was nice. They had a bare bones wedding, so it wasn't overkill.

     
    18.
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    Helper bee
    VegasBaby   October 2010  Chicago

    We're not planning on doing either of those either, short and simple for us!

     
    19.
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    Busy bee
    poli2b   10-11-09  Aliso Viejo

    We aren't doing any 'unity' symbolism, as I am a total spaz and will probably spill sand, light something on fire etc.

    Instead we are doing a "bouquet of life" which involves our wedding party and parents adding a single flower to a vase, then our officiant explaining how these people contribute to our lives as a couple.

     
    20.
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    Helper bee
    Noelle-a-Belle   October 16 2009  Southern CA

    We are not doing a unity candle, sand, or any other symbolic ritual.  Initially I wanted to san san kudo (I am Japanese) but decided it would simply take too long.  The unity candle is actually a rather new 'custom' in weddings; it became popluar in the 90's, I read due to it's inclusion in soap opera weddings, of all things.  So I don't think it would be an issue excluding some such thing from your wedding.  Besides, I don't know anyone who has ever said that the unity candle is what touched them most during a ceremony.  I think the shorter and sweeter the ceremony, the better.  Guests want to get on to the party!

     
    21.
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    Helper bee
    dereksbride2b   10/23/09  Denver

    We are not including these in our ceremony, and I am sure everyone in the ceremony will b glad because the less we do the sooner they can drink some beer!

     
    22.
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    Blushing bee
    fontgoddess   August 8, 2009  British Columbia, Canada

    I don't even know what the sand thing is, and we are definitely not doing the unity candle. Most people seem to do it, but I certainly wouldn't feel there was something missing if I went to a wedding and it wasn't done. I'd actually be impressed because somebody had dared to think for themselves! My feeling is that rituals are beautiful if they mean something to you, and pointless otherwise. Avoiding catching nails, hair, veils etc. on fire is also an important consideration. :-)

     
    23.
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    Blushing bee
    futurejet   6/12/10  

    We are not incorporating any kind of tradition like the unity candle or sand ceremony.  The main reason is that my mother is the most anti-unity candle person ever.  She said she didn't want to do it and I was okay with that too. My MOH did one at her ceremony and everyone was just confused about when to go and what to do.  I think you will be ok doing whatever is right for you and your FI and people will understand!

     
    24.
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    Sugar bee
    RecessionistaBride   July 10, 2010  

    We're not doing it either... I understand the meaning behind it, but it's really just a time waster IMO. We don't need colored sand to remind us that our two hearts & lives have been joined.

    I've only seen the sand done at one ceremony & it turned me off of it forever. The bride & groom took FOREVER to pour the sand into their vase because apparently someone forgot the funnel. At first we all giggled at their clumsiness, but then it was like (5 minutes later) really? you still haven't figured it out? lol

     
    25.
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    Bumble bee
    amysue   6/6/09  

    Skipped it; I've seen too many Unity Candles that refuse to light. We did the German Wedding Cup to honor our German heritage, but that was it. http://www.german-toasting-glasses.com/german_wedding_cups.html

     

     

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