The Sand Ceremony

The unity sand ceremony is a contemporary alternative to the unity candle ceremony. Instead of lighting a candle, the couple pours different colors of sand into a unity vase. It’s a beautiful representation of union, which couples can keep long after the wedding.

The flowing sands and blending colors of the Unity Sand Ceremony symbolize the bringing together of two lives into one. The two separate sands symbolize everything that the bride and groom have been in the past combining into a bright future.

Sand Ceremony Vows

Officiant:

“Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and clings to his wife, and they become one flesh” (Genesis 2:24). God created you as an individual, perfect by His glory and love. But God also said that it was not good for man to be alone, and so he created woman to be his partner and helper. Today as you make a covenant before God to join in marriage, you become one flesh. You have chosen to symbolize that union with a sand ceremony.

First, I will pour in white sand, representing your faith in God as the foundation of who you are as individuals. Now _____, pour some of your sand, representing yourself as an individual before you came to this union. Now _____, also pour some of your sand, representing yourself as an individual before you came to this union. I will then pour some more white sand, representing your faith in God as the foundation of your marriage.

Then, _____ and _____ pour your remaining sand together to represent your joining as one in marriage completely and eternally.

Lastly, another layer of white sand represents God watching over you and protecting you with his everlasting love.

May God bless this marriage so that you are as inseparable as these grains of sand. Amen.