In the past if a wedding ceremony contained a unity ceremony, it almost always was a unity candle ceremony. However these days, more and more people are branching out into new areas and replacing the traditional ceremony with a newer style.
Unity Candle Ceremony
One of the oldest wedding unity ceremonies, the Unity Candle Ceremony has the mothers of the bride and the groom each light a smaller candle of to the side of a larger candle at the beginning of the wedding ceremony when they enter. At the end of the ceremony the bride and groom each take one of the smaller candles and light the larger candle together symbolizing their unity.
Sand Ceremony
Another popular unity ceremony is a sand ceremony. Most commonly jars/vases of sand are used. There are three different colors of sand each in a small glass jar/vase. At the beginning of the ceremony the mothers of the bride and the groom each pour a small amount of sand into a larger glass container. At the end of the ceremony the pastor pours the third sand on top and then the bride and groom alternate their mothers’ sand until the container is full. I’ve also seen a variation on this only using two different colors of sand. You can also use a picture frame instead of a glass container too.
Tree Planting Ceremony
Some people also do a tree planting ceremony to symbolize their love. This one is not as common as the other ceremonies, but is rising in popularity. This works best if you are getting married at your house. Otherwise you have to plant the tree into a pot and transfer it at a later date.