16 Unity Ceremony Ideas to Consider for Your Wedding

• Consider a handfasting ceremony where you and your partner's hands are bound together, symbolizing your union.
• A time-capsule ceremony allows you to seal away tokens of your love to open on future anniversaries.
• Include friends and family in your wedding by having them participate in a wish lantern ceremony.

Wish Lantern Ceremony

During this unity ritual, the couple releases a paper lantern into the air, allowing their love to pass into the universe as one. Depending on a couple's personal preference, they can either release a paper lantern on their own or invite guests to release lanterns in unison.

Lasso Ceremony

Also called "el lazo," this ritual—traditional in Mexican, Filipino, and Spanish cultures—takes place after the vows have been said. At that time, the officiant (or whomever the couple has designated) drapes a floral garland or rosary around the couple, twisting it into an infinity symbol. At the end of the ceremony, the bestower of the lasso removes it and the couple saves it as a symbol of their love and unity.

Time-Capsule Ceremony

The time-capsule ceremony is a reminder of the durability of love and the lifetime commitment two individuals are making to each other. During the ritual, several tokens of love are sealed up in a box for the spouses to open on their five-year, 10-year, or 20-year anniversary. This ceremony can also include friends and family who'd like to offer photos, letters, or keepsakes to seal in the time capsule.

Handfasting Ceremony

Handfasting comes from an ancient Celtic tradition wherein the right hands of each partner are bound together during a portion of the wedding. Typically, the officiant will read the vows while cords are wrapped around the couple's hands, as this symbolizes their commitment to each other while they literally tie the knot.

Unity Sand Ceremony

This is such a fun ceremony idea for a nautical or beach wedding, but the concept can certainly be utilized for any wedding theme. The couple takes turns pouring colored sand from personal vases into another vase, where they blend their sand together to make a beautiful display. This is one of the best unity ceremony ideas for blended families, as children can also add sand to the family vase.

Circling Ceremony

Although the most well-known Jewish wedding tradition involves breaking a glass, there's another one that gets both soon-to-be spouses involved. Each partner takes a turn circling around the other, typically seven times each. This symbolizes the creation of a new family and the circle of protection and love each is placing around the other. A similar ritual is also performed in some Hindu wedding ceremonies as part of the saptapadi.

Glass Pouring Ceremony

This special unity ceremony has a few steps to it. First, the couple pours colorful glass crystals into a display container, either before or after saying their vows. Then, the combined crystals get sent to a glass-blowing studio of the couple's choice. Once the crystals arrive, an artist uses them to create a one-of-a-kind sculpture, which is then shipped back to the newlyweds for them to cherish forever.

Blending Paint Ceremony

We love this fun idea to add a splash of color—and it's a great option for individuals who want to incorporate a creative element into their ceremony. For this ritual, couples can each choose a different color of paint and pour it onto a single canvas. The two paint colors are meant to blend together and bring life to an empty canvas, creating a modern art representation of their marriage.

Candle-Lighting Ceremony

One of the most common unity ceremonies performed, the candle-lighting ceremony usually involves the couple lighting one large candle from two smaller family candles. Traditionally, the smaller candles are lit by each of their mothers, representing the merging of two families.

Braiding of the Cross Ceremony

This ceremony idea comes from Christian tradition, based on Ecclesiastes 4:12: "Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken." Each strand of the braid represents the bride, groom, and God, and the unending bond and strength between the three. During the ceremony, the groom traditionally holds a ring securing the three strands, while the bride braids them.

Wine or Beer Pouring Ceremony

If you've ever stumbled upon the perfect red blend you couldn't get enough of, this is definitely the unity ceremony for you. The couple chooses two different, yet compatible, wines, pours them into a glass to create a perfect blend, and then drinks the blend together. This can also be done with beer, or it can be done with tea for a dry wedding.

Log Cutting Ceremony

Though this unique ceremony idea isn't that common, it can be incorporated into an outdoor wedding. Derived from an old German wedding tradition, a couple will cut through a log during their nuptials in front of friends and family. This concept serves as a way to symbolize the teamwork and dedication required to overcome the obstacles in a marriage.

Hand or Foot Washing

Typically performed by Christian couples, this unity ceremony serves as a way to symbolize humility and respect in marriage. It is also meant to wash away the past, in favor of starting a new beginning. Couples commonly take turns washing each other's feet or hands as a sign of love, respect, and admiration for each other.

Tree Planting Ceremony

This is such a sweet ceremony option for a woodland-themed or garden-inspired wedding. The creative, nature-inspired idea is to plant a tree together, adding soil (perhaps gathered from both of your hometowns) to a pot to symbolize your union. Like the tree, your relationship will need love and care to grow and bloom.

Wine Box Ceremony

During the wine box ceremony, a couple selects a wine that can age well. They then place their chosen bottle into a box and close the lid, sometimes including other notes or objects. Once sealed, the box isn't opened until a specific date, such as a 10-year wedding anniversary.

Chinese Noodle Eating Ritual

This traditional Chinese ritual is meant to signify longevity in a marriage, as each partner will feed the other noodles from a bowl, representing their devotion and commitment to taking care of each other forever. This practice also often happens during the first look rather than during the ceremony.