spice up your ceremony with a unity tradition. Flavors come from all over the world, sharing the universal theme: Two lives becoming one, forever changed into something new, strong, and beautiful. Pick one, adapt one, or get inspired to invent your own!
time-honored traditions from around the world:
Bow to your ancestors, your parents, your guests, and, finally, each other China
Light a unity candle together United States
Exchange floral garlands India
Bind your wrists together with ribbon or cord Celtic
Break a wineglass underfoot Jewish
Get Henna tattoos India
Bind your little fingers together with the “red thread of fate” Japan
two lives becoming one, forever changed into something new, strong, and beautiful.
blending two families? Speak vows to your own and each other’s children. Kids can also help light a family candle, take turns ringing a peace bell, or share in a ceremonial nibble or sip from a family goblet.
modern unity rituals are evolving every day. here are some we love:
- Place a bottle of wine that will age well in a time capsule, with love letters to each other. (Tastier than year-old wedding cake?)
- Ring a peace bell, which you can then display at home and ring as needed.
- Feed each other fine chocolates.
- Tie a fisherman’s knot together—it grows stronger under stress.
- Pour wine from two decanters into a single glass to sip.
- Pour two different colors of sand or water into a single vase.
- Pass your rings around so that each guest can hold them for a moment and pray, meditate, or wish you well.
- Have a bowl of pebbles or beads at the doorway and have each guest hold one during the ceremony.
Hudson Valley Ceremonies
Rhinebeck, 845-244-1482, hudsonvalleyceremonies.com
Preparing for your wedding needs to be an enjoyable time. Hudson Valley Ceremonies works with you to design your ceremony with minimal stress, guaranteed laughs, and tears of joy. Their officiants personalize each ceremony to make it “you.” Your desired rituals can be incorporated, such as the unity candle, breaking of the glass, the Celtic tartan wrap, or jumping the broom, and the ceremony can be of many different faiths or none at all. They have both male and female officiants, which also include officiants that speak Spanish and Hebrew.
reverend myriam bouchard, interfaith minister
Hudson Valley, 845-489-6518, myrbou.org
Each wedding ceremony is tailored and customized to your needs as each relationship is unique. The ceremony and its rituals are either rooted in a religion of your choice, based on your personal spiritual beliefs, or created around the values that are deeply important to both of you. Rev. Myriam can officiate your engagement, wedding, anniversary, or vow renewal.
Peter Sonnenberg
Hudson Valley/New York City, 914-522-9118
Peter is a non-denominational, interfaith officiant who provides customized wedding ceremonies that reflect couples’ personalities, beliefs, and passions. His specialties are in combining cultural and faith traditions as well as incorporating unique and distinctive ritual elements to create a truly personalized and meaningful ceremony. As a spiritual director of a Westchester holistic healing center, Peter has been in the healing arts field for over 25 years.
