Before we get into creative unity ceremony options, let’s talk about the reason people even want to do one on their wedding day!
WHAT IS A UNITY CEREMONY?
A unity ceremony is an act of two individuals bringing their own unique flare to ONE relationship. Essentially, two people becoming one. Unity ceremonies can also include the fundamental values you want to build your relationship on. They can include family and friends who were and are essential to your relationship. Unity ceremonies honor the people you love most… and the person you want to spend forever with.
So how do you come up with a ceremony that fits your personality? We have some ideas…
Hand-Fasting
A Hand-Fasting Ceremony is an ancient Celtic tradition (dating as far back as 7000 B.C.) that binds two hands together as a symbol of steadfast love.
When I’m doing a hand-fasting ceremony, I first explain the ritual. I then ask you to grab hands and begin tying the knot. As I’m tying the knot, I say a blessing over your hands and your marriage. You then get to pull the strings and create an infinity knot.
There are different chords or ribbons to choose from. There are also many different knots that can be tied. This one can be as unique as you are while also adding an element of the sacred.
Blanket Ceremony
A Blanket Ceremony comes from a Native American tradition that represents the two of you covered in protection and love as you embark on your new chapter together. It is believed that the words of the ceremony and your commitments to one another are woven into the blanket. The blanket then serves as a reminder of all the beautiful promises you’ve made to one another.
Building a Cairn
For the couple who loves to hike, building a cairn is so symbolic to building a relationship. The foundational rocks can represent whatever you’d like- family, discipline, play, commitment. The cool thing about this is that you get to decide what your marriage and life is built around. You get to support each other and grow together. And that’s pretty special.
If you choose to do this, you probably love to hike. Go grab some rocks from your favorite hikes! If you have any fun adventures planned before your wedding, make a point to stop and look for some cool rocks along the way! You can also grab a rock from your actual wedding location if applicable, but I would definitely recommend not waiting until the last second to do this 😉
Another option is finding some fun larger crystals to incorporate if that’s your thing.
There’s always room to add personal touches when it comes to creative unity ceremony ideas!
Wine Box
Some things just get better with time, like the perfect bottle of wine. And what better way to plan ahead for your anniversary than to bring a love for wine into your ceremony? During the ceremony, you place the bottle of wine in a box and lock the box, including your vows and other notes or objects. Once sealed, the box isn’t opened until a specific date chosen, such as your 5-year wedding anniversary. Another aspect to this creative unity ceremony is having your loved ones write letters to you, even if you are eloping! It adds a bit of a personal touch and includes your guests or friends/family that want to celebrate you.
Cleansing of the Rings
Ring Cleansing is a beautiful ritual done right before the ring exchange. Rich will say a blessing honoring every moment that brought you to the present moment. This ritual honors the past which brought you to exactly where you are right now. It honors the darkness that brought you into the light. And it’s a beautiful recognition of your two souls finding one another and creating a new, clean, fresh start as you step into this new chapter of marriage.
Different Variations:
- Within this ritual you also have the option to sage each other.
- You can use any cleansing herb that you would like. Cedar, Sage, Palo Santo, Juniper… there are many options to choose from.
- You can find pretty boxes, different crystals that mean something to you, or make it more special by having one of your favorite songs played for you while this is happening.
LOCKING IN YOUR LOVE
The act of taking two cool locks representing your two souls and locking them together is a pretty special moment. You can also put your locks in a shadow box with other special keep sakes from your wedding day.
Another way to do this is to lock your vows in a “lock box” where you fold up your vows and put them in a special box and lock them up. You can then take them out every year and read on your anniversary.
Mixing a Cocktail
There’s a lot to play on with a mixed drink! This Creative Unity Ceremony comes to play with the ingredients you choose to add and the symbolism behind each one. Adding each element into a cocktail to symbolize what keeps your relationship flavorful is one of our faves. Salty, sweet, sour, whatever you want to add in that reflects your personalities, this is usually a pretty joyful experience! You can also invite your guests to take a shot with you by having pre-made mason jars (or containers) to hand out to people or put under their seat as a special surprise at the end of the ceremony!
Ceremonial Shot
Who says you can’t take shots of Tequila during the ceremony? The couple below got a custom tequila shot board with their last name on it, their favorite tequila, and (as a salut to their first date) took a shot of tequila together.
Champagne Toast
If taking a shot of whiskey or tequila isn’t your thing, a champagne toast is a pretty easy way to honor a large group of people while keeping it classy and simple. You can toast one another, then toast your beloved guests. Your guests could even take part in the champagne toast if the venue allows.
Create Your Own Seasoning
This is such a fun idea! If you love to cook or want to cook together, this could be a great option. You can even prepare your own special blend ahead of time and give it out as party favors to your guests. They will be able to have a taste of your love for many days to come! You can also get creative in the spice container you choose. There are many beautiful wooden, metal, or glass containers. Choose something symbolic of your love for one another and have fun with it! One of the most creative unity ceremonies!
Planting a Tree or Succulent
This Creative Unity Ceremony is for those who love plants and value nature. Planting a tree or succulent is pretty symbolic of nourishing something new together. But you can make this more personal by the pot you choose, the soil it needs, and of course the plant. Different plants can represent different things! Have fun choosing what you want to plant with your partner! We recommend going to your local nursery and choosing one together. Plants that are VERY hard to kill but still look awesome:
- ZZ Plant (low light, water once a month)
- Snake Plant (low light, water once a month)
- Pothos Vine (medium light, water once every 1-2wks)
We just want your plant to live as long as your marriage and these are the BEST for that!! These are also all our personal plants that we’ve kept alive!
Paint Pour
You can get as creative or as simple as you want with this one! You can put a monogram sticker on the canvas (pre-ceremony) and then pour the paint on! Once the paint dries, take off the sticker and you have your own monogram canvas and a keep sake of your special day. This one is also super easy to involve kids in 🙂 Each child can pick a paint color that represents them and pour it on the canvas.
Hobby Lobby or Michaels usually has good deals on canvases. Especially if you only want one and don’t want to buy in bulk.
Do Something Unique to You!
We have given you a few ideas, but there are endless possibilities when it comes to Unity Ceremonies! We have had couples put together auto parts or do a Ceremonial Hockey Puck Drop! The point is, if it’s significant to your relationship and represents the two of you becoming one, you can truly do whatever you want.
Rich Satnam, co-owner and creator of Let’s Knot and Say We Did, creates intentional wedding ceremonies that are unique and authentic to each couple. Not one of his wedding ceremonies look the same because each ceremony is hand crafted to reflect the bride and groom’s personalities, connection, and love story.
Let’s Knot and Say We Did is based in Arizona, but Rich and Shelby travel anywhere with epic views. In the summer, they create, plan, and capture unique wedding ceremonies in Colorado, Montana, California, Oregon + more!
