The Unity Candle _ To Have, Or To Have Not ?

Happy 15th and thanks for stopping by! Today`s focus is on *THE UNiTY CANDLE* -- one of the most traditional ceremonial elements with a beautiful meaning, but also an element that I see rapidly becoming a way of the past. So let`s explore a little, shall we?

UNiTY

u ni ty |ˈyoōnətē|
noun ( pl. -ties)
1. the state of being united or joined as a whole.
^^
Well, according to the dictionary that came installed on my MacBookPro :)


Other than "love", the word "unity" is the one word I would use to adequately describe the meaning of the entire wedding experience. Regardless of the location, budget, number of guests, or the size of the wedding gown, the wedding itself is the social proclamation of two independent lives *uniting* as one.

The UNiTY CANDLE CEREMONY is a piece of the wedding ceremony that further solidifies this idea. While it`s a relatively young tradition that has only been around arguably since the mid to late 1900s, it is one that took off quickly and became widely synonymous with "something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue."

Traditionally, there is a tri-candle configuration on or near the altar:
→ 1 large pillar candle (the UNiTY CANDLE) flanked by 2 narrow taper candles.
The mother of the Groom (or a representative of the Groom`s family) lights the taper on whichever side of the venue the Groom`s family is seated (typically the RiGHT), and the mother of the Bride (or a representative of the Bride`s family) lights the candle closest to the side on which the Bride`s family is seated (the LEFT). At some point during the wedding ceremony (commonly after the exchanging of the vows/rings but before the kiss), the Bride and Groom will light the large central pillar candle in unison. They use the flames of the flanking taper candles to light the central candle, signifying the act of two lives now joining together as one.

Many couples are doing away with this piece of the ceremony altogether. While it`s 100% your prerogative, I`d love to show you some new ideas for this old classic.

1. | Unity with a Floating Candle

→ The floating center candle can replace the central pillar candle, and you can still have the traditional taper candles flanking it. For another pretty twist, add some colored rocks to the bottom of the glass that accent the colors you chose for your wedding!

2. & 5. | Unity with a Decorated Pillar Candle

→ The monogram is a nice, subtle touch, and would go fabulously with a monogrammed aisle runner from my September 1st blogpost ;-) Or, if the monogram is too over-the-top for your theme, do something more cheeky by decorating it according to your wedding theme!

3. | Unity with a Unique Shape!

→ Of course, since I`m obsessed with everything Disney, y`all already know I LOVE this one!

4. | Decorative Unity Candle Holders

→ This unity candle ceremony still has the traditional tri-candle setup, but with a cute twist. Look at the sweet candle holders!

6. | Sand Ceremony

→ THE MOST POPULAR RENDITION I`VE SEEN! It works the same as the traditional unity candle ceremony, except instead of fire, you have sand. You can choose an array of colors, but I would stick with 3: 1 to represent the Groom, 1 to represent the Bride, and 1 to represent the couple uniting as one.

NOT PiCTURED. | Water Ceremony

→ Works in the same manner as the Sand Ceremony above, but with water instead. While you could incorporate food coloring into the water, I would test it before the big day! You don`t want the colors mixing and making an eyesore in the background of all your pretty wedding photos at the altar!

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I`ll see you again on October 1st!
Until then, feel free to comment or shoot me some questions on my formspring:

http://www.formspring.me/SequinSoirees

♥

Formspring Q&A Corner: Hello Alana, My niece would like to do away with the traditional seating arrangements for the ceremony (Brides family on one side and the Grooms family on the other). What would be an appropriate statement to help intermingle guests?

Thank you so much for your great question! Traditionally, you are correct in referring to the divided seating of the families for the ceremony. The Bride`s family is seated on one side (normally the Left) & the Groom`s family on the other (the Right).

However, I think switching it up is a cool idea, & I`ve done several weddings where the couple has chosen to do it this way. This is also a great option if either the Bride or the Groom is expecting more guests than the other. I would approach it from the perspective of "equally filling out the space".

Is your niece having hosts/hostesses or greeters at her ceremony? If not, I would recommend her selecting a few. This way, when people enter the ceremony venue, the host(ess) can great the guests, and escort them to a seat on one side or the other. If you have an equal number of hosts, you can assign an equal number to each side of the venue. Then, the hosts would alternately seat the guests as they arrive.

Example:
Guests arrive to ceremony venue.
Host #1: Greets & seats guests on the Left
Host #2: Greets & seats next group of guests on the Right
Host #3: Greets & seats next group of guests on the Left
Host #4: Greets & seats next group of guests on the Right
etc. until the venue is full.

The big "I Do" represents 2 separate lives becoming 1 unified life anyway, so why not get your guests in on the action in a similar manner?!

I hope this has answered your question and has given you some helpful ideas to pass along to your niece! Congratulations to her & to your family, & please feel free to use me as a resource if you think of anything else! You have been my first visitor on formspring, & it has been a pleasure meeting you!

Sincerely,
Alana
Sequin Soirees
Owner | Event Coordinator | Blogger <3
http://www.SequinSoirees.blogspot.com | SequinSoirees@gmail.com

Ask me anything weddings, special events, decor, && do-it-yourself design elements !!

Trend Alert: Customizing YOUR Yellow Brick Road

HAPPY SEPTEMBER, KIDDOS :)
If you`re anything like me, you`re still trying to figure out where exactly summer went, but I hope each of you made your summer count.

We are well into the heat of wedding season, and I have noticed an increasingly large trend in wedding ceremonies that I wanted to share with you --

M0DERN AiSLE RUNNER TWiSTS!

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*RUNNER TIPS*

Before taking a peek, there are a few important things to be mindful of when considering using an aisle runner for your special day:

• Not all venues even allow runners →

So ask far enough in advance so you are perfectly clear!

• If the venue DOES allow runners →

Be mindful of the flooring surface the runner will be placed on. Beware of tile or polished floors, and bring a sample piece of your runner with you to one of your venue consultations to make sure you are comfortable. It`s going to be the most important walk of your life where ALL eyes are on you -- let`s make sure your wedding is memorable for the right reasons, not for you slipping down the aisle in your pretty dress!

• If you will be using flower petals →

Make sure your venue is comfortable with this preference, and ask in advance who will be responsible for cleaning the petals up! Why get charged a cleaning fee unnecessarily?

• If you will be using candles →

Make sure you have discussed it with your venue and thoroughly reviewed their fire codes/safety guidelines. We don`t need, you, your dress, your aisle, or your guests going up in flames!

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Now for the fun stuff ...

You could have this:

^^ THE TRADITIONAL AISLE RUNNER
-- With either a delicate paisley/floral/lace/damask pattern or plain with no pattern at all.

_ OR _

You could have these :)

^^ Monograms
-- Such a classy way to make a bold statement. You could either pay to get this printed, or easily do it yourself with a template and a paintbrush! Also, consider accenting your monogram with one of your wedding colors!

^^ Monogrammed aisle runner and petal combination
-- Real petals are more expensive but harder to clean up than false ones, and could actually stain. Beware if using real petals in your venue, especially if it is carpeted!

^^ An aisle runner covered in patterns/textures

^^ Decorative flower petal designs
-- GREAT OPTION for outdoor venues!

^^ Simplistic solid-color aisle runner adorned with complimentary candles

^^ Aisle runner flanked with flower petals and illuminated floral arrangements
-- SO ROMANTIC and great for an evening wedding or a darker venue, indoors or outdoors

^^ 2 Runners
-- 1 large solid color runner with a more narrow traditional aisle runner laid down the middle and flanked with floral designs and petals

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Love and hugs until September 15th, and as always -- stay fabulous.

♥