Sand Ceremony
A Sand Ceremony or Blending of the Sand is a unique way to symbolize two lives becoming one. This is also a great way to incorporate children or family into the wedding ceremony.
The Pebble or Rock Ceremony
Have everyone hold a rock and bless it during the ceremony. After the ceremony they place it in a vase or other container for the newlyweds to display in their home.
Handfasting Ceremony
A handfasting ceremony is an ancient marriage ritual. Today, a handfasting ceremony is a beautiful and unique way to represent your union and honor your heritage. The ritual takes place during the ceremony, before the rings are exchanged.
As this knot is tied, so are your lives now bound.
Woven into this cord, imbued into its very fibers, are all the hopes of your friends and family, and of yourselves, for your new life together.
With the fashioning of this knot do I tie all the desires, dreams, love, and happiness wished here in this place to your lives for as long as love shall last.
In the joining of hands and the fashion of a knot, so are your lives now bound, one to another.
By this cord you are thus bound to your vow.
May this knot remain tied for as long as love shall last.
May this cord draw your hands together in love, never to be used in anger.
May the vows you have spoken never grow bitter in your mouths.
As any child discovers when they are learning to tie their own shoes, the first move is to cross the ends.
As your hands are bound by this cord, so is your partnership held by the symbol of this knot.
May it be granted that what is done before the gods be not undone by man.
Two entwined in love, bound by commitment and fear, sadness and joy, by hardship and victory, anger and reconcilliation, all of which brings strength to this union.
Hold tight to one another through both good times and bad, and watch as your strength grows.
Know now before you go further, that since your lives have crossed in this life you have formed ties between each other.
As you seek to enter this state of matrimony you should strive to make real, the ideals which give meaning to both this ceremony and the institution of marriage.
With full awareness, know that within this circle you are not only declaring your intent to be handfasted before your friends and family, but you speak that intent also to your creative higher powers.
The promises made today and the ties that are bound here greatly strengthen your union; they will cross the years and lives of each soul’s growth.
Do you still seek to enter this ceremony?
Bride and Groom say, “Yes, We Seek to Enter.”
In times past it was believed that the human soul shared characteristics with all things divine. It is this belief which assigned virtues to the cardinal directions; East, South, West and North. It is in this tradition that a blessing is offered in support of this ceremony.
Blessed be this union with the gifts of the East. Communication of the heart, mind, and body Fresh beginnings with the rising of each Sun. The knowledge of the growth found in the sharing of silences.
Blessed be this union with the gifts of the South. Warmth of hearth and home The heat of the heart’s passion The light created by both To lighten the darkest of times.
Blessed be this union with the gifts of the West. The deep commitments of the lake The swift excitement of the river The refreshing cleansing of the rain The all encompassing passion of the sea.
Blessed be this union with the gifts of the North Firm foundation on which to build Fertility of the fields to enrich your lives A stable home to which you may always return.
Each of these blessings from the four cardinal directions emphasizes those things which will help you build a happy and successful union. Yet they are only tools. Tools which you must use together in order to create what you seek in this union.
I bid you look into each others eyes.
Groom, Will you cause her pain?
Groom says, “I May.”
Is that your intent?
Groom says, “No.”
Bride, Will you cause him pain?
Bride says, “I may.”
Is that your intent?
Bride says, “No.”
Will you share each other’s pain and seek to ease it?
Bride and Groom say, “Yes.”
First cord is draped across bride and groom’s hands
And so the first binding is made. Join your hands
Bride, Will you share his laughter?
Bride says, “Yes.”
Groom, Will you share her laughter?
Groom says, “Yes.”
Will both of you look for the brightness in life and the positive in each other?
Bride and Groom say, “Yes.”
Second cord is draped across bride and groom’s hands
And so the second binding is made.
Bride, Will you burden him?
Bride says, “I may.”
Is that you intent?
Bride says, “No.”
Groom, Will you burden her?
Groom says, “I May.”
Is that your intent?
Groom says, “No.”
Will you share the burdens of each so that your spirits may grow in this union?
Bride and Groom say, “Yes.”
Third cord is draped across bride and groom’s hands
And so the third binding is made.
Bride, will you share his dreams?
Bride says, “Yes.”
Groom, will you share her dreams?
Yes
*To Both*
Will you dream together to create new realities and hopes?
Yes
Fourth cord is draped across bride and groom’s hands
And so the fourth binding is made.
Groom, will you cause her anger?
Groom says, “I May.”
Is that you intent?
No
Bride, will you cause him anger?
Bride says, “I may.”
Is that your intent?
Bride says, “No.”
*To Both*
Will you take the heat of anger and use it to temper the strength of this union?
Bride and Groom say, “We Will.”
Fifth chord is draped across bride and groom’s hands
And so the fifth binding is made.
Bride, Will you honor him?
Bride says, “I will.”
Groom, Will you honor her?
Groom says, “I will”
Will you seek to never give cause to break that honor?
Bride and Groom say, “We shall never do so.”
Sixth cord is draped across bride and groom’s hands
And so the sixth binding is made.
The knots of this binding are not formed by these chords but instead by your vows. Either of you may drop the chords, for as always, you hold in your own hands the making of breaking of this union.
The cords are removed and placed on altar.
Know now before you go further, that since your lives have crossed in this life you have formed ties between each other.
As you seek to enter this state of matrimony you should strive to make real, the ideals which give meaning to both this ceremony and the institution of marriage.
Do you still seek to enter this ceremony?
Bride and Groom say, “We do.”
Blessing of the Hands
These are the hands that will passionately love you and cherish you through the years, for a lifetime of happiness.
These are the hands that will countless times wipe the tears from your eyes: tears of sorrow and tears of joy.
These are the hands that will comfort you in illness, and hold you when fear or grief racks your mind.
These are the hands that will hold you tight as you struggle through difficult times.
These are the hands that will give you support and encourage you to chase your dreams. Together, everything you wish for can be realized.
Prepare the cords
Back in earlier years, the hands would be bound with whatever was available – vines, colorful cords, or scarf. Today we will use these cords to symbolize the binding, or promises.
The first promise
Groom, Will you be Bride’s faithful partner for life?
Groom says, “I will.”
Bride, will you be Groom’s faithful partner for life?
Bride says, “I will.”
Will you be each other’s constant friends and one true love?
Bride and Groom say, “We will.”
First cord is draped across Bride and Groom’s hands
And so the first binding is made.
The second promise
Bride, do you promise to love Groom without reservation?
Bride says, “I will.”
Groom, do you promise to love Bride without reservation?
Groom says, “I will.”
Will both of you stand by one another in sickness and in health, in plenty and in want?
Bride and Groom say, “We will.”
Second cord is draped across Bride and Groom’s hands
And so the second binding is made.
The third promise
Bride, will you stand together with Groom your times of joy and sorrow?
Bride says, “I will.”
Groom, will you stand together with Bride your times of joy and sorrow?
Groom says, “I will.”
Will you share the burdens of each so that your spirits may grow in this union?
Bride and Groom say, “We will.”
Third cord is draped across Bride and Groom’s hands
And so the third binding is made.
The forth promise
Groom will you always to be open and honest with Bride, for as long as you both shall live?
Groom says, “I will.”
Bride, will you always to be open and honest with Groom, for as long as you both shall live?
Bride says, “I will.”
Will you dream together to create new realities and hopes for this marriage?
Bride and Groom say, “We will.”
Fourth cord is draped across Bride and Groom’s hands
And so the forth binding is made.
The fifth promise
Bride, Will you honor this man?
Bride says, “I will.”
Groom, Will you honor this woman?
Groom says, “I will.”
Will you both seek to cherish and strengthen that honor?
Bride and Groom say, “We will.”
Sixth cord is draped across Bride and Groom’s hands
And so the fifth binding is made.
Binding of all promises
The knots of this binding are not formed by these chords but instead by your vows. Either of you may drop the chords, for as always, you hold in your own hands the making or breaking of this union.
The cords are removed and placed on altar
Sand Ceremony
A Sand Ceremony or Blending of the Sand is a unique way to symbolize two lives becoming one. This is also a great way to incorporate children or family into the wedding ceremony.
BRIDE and GROOM, today you join your separate lives together. The two separate bottles of sand symbolize your separate lives, separate families and separate sets of friends. They represent all that you are and all that you will ever be as an individual. They also represent your lives before today.
As these two containers of sand are poured into the third container, the individual containers of sand will no longer exist, but will be joined together as one. Just as these grains of sand can never be separated and poured again into the individual containers, so will your marriage be.
GROOM and BRIDE you have just sealed your relationship by the giving and receiving of rings and this is a pledge between two people who agree that they will commit themselves to one another throughout their lives.
Today, this relationship is also symbolized through the pouring of these two individual containers of sand. One, representing you, GROOM and One Representing you BRIDE and all that you were, all that you are, and all that you will ever be.
As these two containers of sand are poured into the third container, the individual containers of sand will no longer exist, but will be joined together as one.
Just as these grains of sand can never be separated, our prayer for you today is that your lives together would be blended like the seven seas and may your love swirl around each other like the changing tides.
Today, this relationship is symbolized through the pouring of these two individual containers of sand.
One representing you GROOM and all that you were, all that you are, and all that you will ever be and the other representing you BRIDE and all that you were, all that you are, and all that you will ever be.
As these two containers of sand are poured into the third container, the individual containers of sand will no longer exist, but will be joined together as one.
Just as these grains of sand can never be separated and poured again into the individual containers, so will your marriage be.
Three colors of sand are layered in a vase to symbolize the importance of the individuals within the marriage and the joining of the two lives into one entity.
The sculpture begins with a layer of neutral sand to symbolize that the marriage is grounded.
The next layers are the individual colors representing the bride and groom which symbolizes that the foundation of the marriage is based on the strength of the individuals.
The final layer is the bride and groom’s colors combined to symbolize the joining of their lives as one in marriage.
BRIDE and GROOM, today you are making a life-long commitment to share the rest of your lives with each other and honor your children as well.
Your family relationship is symbolized through the pouring of these individual containers of sand; one, representing you, BRIDE and all that you were, all that you are, and all that you will ever be, one representing you, GROOM, and all that you were and all that you are, and all that you will ever be and another container for each child.
There are children who will share in this marriage.
The gathering of this new family will have a deep influence upon them.
We realize that in order for the home to be a happy one, it is essential that there be love and understanding between the children and the adults being married.
As you each hold your sand the separate containers of sand represent your lives to this moment; individual and unique.
As you now combine your sand together, your lives also join together as one family.
You may now blend the sand together symbolizing the uniting of the children and bride and groom into one.
Just as these grains of sand can never be separated and poured again into the individual containers, so will your marriage and your family be.
Four colors of sand are layered in a vase to symbolize the importance of the individuals within the marriage and the joining of the two lives into one entity.
The sculpture begins with a layer from each mother. This is to symbolize that the marriage is grounded by each of their families.
The next layers are the individual colors representing BRIDE and GROOM, which symbolizes that the foundation of the marriage is based on the strength of each other as individuals.
The final layer is BRIDE and GROOM’s colors combined to symbolize the joining of their lives as one in marriage.
Each of you in attendance this evening were asked to be here because you hold a special place in Groom’s and Bride’s life.
You came to honor and witness their love and commitment. GROOM and BRIDE wanted to make each of you a tangible part of this ceremony therefore, as each of you arrived this evening and entered into this scared space you were asked to spoon a small amount of white sand into a container.
They chose white sand because of the purity of your love and support to them and their family.
GROOM and BRIDE have chosen varying shades of blue sand for themselves and for Children’s names.
Each shade of blue represents each one of them.
These blues stand for the peace and calm they feel when together. It stands for the ocean waters deep and full of mystery and beauty.
Water that sustains all of life…
Water a great conductor of energy…
Water a simple element yet it can change and adapt to any form or environment.
At this time I ask you, GROOM and BRIDE to pour some of your sand into the container because your marriage is the foundation of your family.
Now, I ask that (Children’s names) join you in pouring their sand together with yours to create a beautiful flow of love and energy.
Lastly, I will fill the remainder of the container with more white sand.
This white sand stands for Universal Love…
A love that is eternal and never-ending.
(Family names) please hold hands.
I ask all in attendance to join me in a prayer of blessing upon this beautiful family.
Love Letter and Wine Box Ceremony
A love letter exchange is a romantic ceremony that will serve as a lasting reminder of the commitments made to one another. Heartfelt letters, encapsulating your thoughts and feelings are locked away in a wine box to be revealed several years into your marriage. Whiskey, Scotch or Tequila can easily be switched out for the wine.
BRIDE and GROOM have chosen as a couple to perform a Love Letter & Wine Box ceremony.
This box contains a bottle of wine, two glasses, and a love letter from each to the other.
The letters describe the good qualities they find in one another, the reasons they fell in love, and their reasons for choosing to marry.
The letters are sealed in individual envelopes and they have not seen what the other has written.
Should BRIDE and GROOM ever find their marriage facing hardships, they will open this box, sit and drink the wine together, then read the letters they wrote to one another to be reminded of the reasons why they are together.
The hope is, however, that BRIDE and GROOM will never have a reason to open this box.
And if this is the case, they are to open this box to share and enjoy on their 5th year wedding anniversary, replenish and open on their 10th anniversary, and so on.
BRIDE and GROOM have chosen as a couple to perform a Love Letter & Wine Box ceremony.
This box contains a bottle of wine, two glasses, and a love letter from each to the other.
The letters describe the good qualities they find in one another, the reasons they fell in love, and their reasons for choosing to marry.
The letters are sealed in individual envelopes and they have not seen what the other has written.
You have created your very own “romantic” time capsule to be opened on your 5th wedding anniversary.
I recommend that you keep the box in a place of honor prominently displayed in your home as a constant reminder of your commitment to each other.
BRIDE and GROOM should you ever find your marriage enduring insurmountable hardships, you are to as a couple, open this box, sit and drink the wine together, then separate and read the letters you wrote to one another when you were united as a couple in marriage.
By reading these love letters you will reflect upon the reasons you fell in love and chose to marry each other here today.
The hope is, however, that you will never have a reason to open this box.
And if this is the case, you are to open this box to share and enjoy on your 5th year wedding anniversary!
BRIDE and GROOM, you may now seal the box.