Symbolic Sand Ceremonies

Sand ceremonies are extremely popular in ceremonies and can be used to represent many aspects of union. Unlike Unity Candle ceremonies, these are also ideal and safe for couples wanting young children involved.

The ritual is one full of symbolism. It involves taking two vessels of different coloured sand, or sand from places meaningful to each of the couple. The couple then pour to combine the grains into one vessel to signify their union. It represents two people coming together in marriage – the blending of their lives together. The coloured sand, if poured in layers, also shows their separateness as individuals but merging and overlapping together. The joined vessel symbolises the marriage of both partners’ hopes, dreams and values.  It also creates a wonderful keepsake from the big day.

If the couple have children from previous relationships, they could each have sand, from their special place, or sand could be dyed into different colours, a different colour for each individual. During the ceremony, each child and the bride and groom would pour  the different colours of sand in layers into the vessel which can then be sealed to create a wonderful keepsake with multi-layered coloured sand symbolic of the joining of the two families into one.

The sand ceremony is an alternative to the Unity Candle ceremony and is really popular for wedding ceremonies held outdoors. 

How could you include children in a sand ceremony?

To get your children involved in a sand ceremony, choose sand that is sentimental to you as a family, or from a beach you like to take walks on. A little bit of food colouring could be added to the sand so that each child involved would have a different colour sand to pour into the vessel.  This could create a beautiful keepsake. Your children could also decorate the vessels beforehand and stand beside you while you both pour the sand into the final vessel.