Add extra personality into your Wedding with a Unity Ceremony!

So what exactly is a unity ceremony?

Unity ceremonies symbolise the joining of two people together as one, they offer magical moments within a wedding ceremony where two separate journeys come together onto a single pathway. They allow couples the opportunity to be individual and creative within their ceremony and provide a beautiful keepsake of the day.

I love to add beautiful unity ceremonies into wedding ceremonies and how many I add is completely up to the couple I’m working with, there are lots of lovely ones to choose from!

Many of my unity ceremonies take place in the Algarve and due to the beautiful natural resources available you don’t have to worry about taking excess baggage…think sand, shells, lace, exotic flowers and delicious wines. 

If you do plan to include one or more unity ceremonies, then choose ceremonies that are a reflection of you both, your personalities and the special location where you have chosen to say ‘I do’. There are wonderful words to accompany your chosen ceremonies and your children, family and friends, will love getting involved.

Having a unique wedding ceremony written especially for you, will be talked about and remembered long after the sun has set over your very special day.

A few of my favourites… 

The Shell/Marble/Pebble Ceremony

This ceremony is great whatever the size of your guest list. Your groomsmen, bridesmaids or friends hand out shells from a basket (or marbles or pebbles), to your guests as they are arriving at the ceremony area. Your celebrant then asks everyone during the ceremony to warm them with their loving thoughts and good wishes. At the end of the ceremony they can then be popped into a jar to be taken home to keep forever…a perfect reminder of your amazing day!

Collecting the marbles back into the jar, photo courtesy of Blush Photography

The Sand Ceremony

This gorgeous ceremony can involve just you as a couple, or other family members as well and it’s particularly lovely for including younger children. Coloured sand or sand from your favourite beach can be added together from two vessels into one, symbolising the blending of your love, lives and families, unable to be parted…wonderful for beach locations!

Choose sand from your favourite beach, photo courtesy of of Married Morenos

The Rose/Flower Ceremony

The rose is considered a symbol of love, so it’s the perfect first gift to give to each other during the ceremony and then again on future anniversaries (also a great excuse for a lovely vase of fresh flowers every year!). However, why not choose a stunning exotic flower from the area instead, perhaps a bird of paradise or an orchid…always very romantic!

Choose an exotic flower from the area as your first gift to each other

The Hand Fasting Ceremony

This meaningful ceremony of tying your hands together with traditional local laces, coloured ribbons or braids, signifies the ‘Tying of the Knot’. The colours often represent the characteristics of your relationship, for example, love, strength, passion, faithfulness and humour. You can also include a beautiful hand blessing reading whilst you are looking into each other eyes…a real sense of coming together as a couple!

Traditional local lace is perfect for a ‘Hand Fasting’ ceremony

The Wine Ceremony

Your first shared glass of wine is always a very special way to finish your ceremony and to celebrate your love for each other. As the grapes have been blended and warmed under the blue skies and sunshine, so have your stories, lives and futures…a wonderful ceremony if you both share a passion for wine!

Choose your favourite local wine to share!