Unity candles have continued to grow in popularity ever since their initial inception into American culture in the early 1980's, offering a wide variety of different ways to go about this now common tradition. And for those that would like to incorporate the symbolism of unity candles into their wedding, but don't want to deal with the specific conditions that are often required, a sand unity candle ceremony may be just the way to go.
For the most part, a sand unity candle ceremony is the same as a traditional ceremony, with only a few slight twists. Instead of the mixing of flames, the bride and groom have individual taper containers of sand that they pour into a singular pillar container to symbolize the intertwining of the grains of their lives. Just as with a traditional ceremony, a sand ceremony can be personalized at nearly every step of the way to ensure that the meaning is special to the bride and groom. The glass containers used to hold the sand can vary in size, shape and even be fashioned with engravings, and the sand used can be a variety of colors as well. In short, there really aren't any set rules in regards to the paraphernalia so long as it is meaningful to the bride and groom.
On first thought, traditional unity candles may not seem to be much of a hassle, and really they aren't, though there are a few conditions to take into account with a traditional candle ceremony that will never come up when using sand candles. And though sand unity candles largely bypass the planning and mess that can accompany a traditional unity candle ceremony, a sand unity candle ceremony still manages to retain symbolism.
The major advantage to using sand unity candles over traditional candles is that you won't be controlled by the whim of weather. Even on the sunniest of days, a mild breeze can throw all sorts of problems into the procedure of burning a candle. However, with a sand unity candle you'll never have to take into account the fragile nature of a flame, and can easily have the area you plan to hold the ceremony picked well in advance.
Sand unity candle ceremonies can prove to be more accommodating indoors as well. Again, as there is nothing to burn in a sand candle ceremony, you'll never have to worry about billowing smoke or catching the wax as it drips.
Not only is a sand unity candle ceremony a simple, effective way to commemorate two lives combining as one during your wedding, but the ceremonial taper set and pillar filled with sand can make a truly unique memento of your special day as well.