Alternative Unity Ceremony Ideas

We're doing a unity heart. My mom found it at Hobby Lobby. His family will have the outside heart, my family will have the inside heart and the minister will have the middle piece to symbolize Christ.

http://shop.hobbylobby.com/products/pearlescent-white-unity-heart-277889/

If you don't want to go that route, consider tying the knot. See Fisherman's knot.

http://weddingtraditions.about.com/od/MarriageTraditions/a/Tying-the-Knot.htm

We are very strong Christians and are making our own cross. Not a huge one, but one that's probably about 14" tall or so. His vows will be written on the upright part and my vows will be written on the crossbar. For the unity part, we are putting his half up and securing my half onto it with a stake that will go through the middle, if that makes sense.

Not sure if you are Christian or not, but that's what we plan on doing. Then we can hang the cross on the wall in our living room as decoration after the wedding and it can be passed down.

My mother passed away from breast cancer so I'm going to wrap my candle with a pink ribbon so you can still see the white portion of it and i guess have my step mother light the candle. We are also having a interfaith ceremony so we will have his mother read a scripture from the Quran and my step mother read a scripture from the bible. You can find a way to still incorporate his mother by placing a little picture attached to the candle like they do with the bouquets and have his father light it so its like they are both there to symbolize the union.

I considered doing a unity cross. Not sure if you're religious, but I think it has a more resonating symbolism than sand.

I am doing the unity cross. Just received it yesterday and its beautiful.

It also has like a little drawer so maybe you guys can put a picture inside...

Sand ceremony. I have two kids from a previous marriage. This ceremony unites us all. It is about the mixing of two lives and two familes. The kids get to pour in sand as do we. The song that plays is a woman singing about how she was "found" it is a Christain artist and she is talking about God but it fits and allows us to fully have that moment.

We're doing a balloon release! It'll be four or five of those large balloons and at the end will be letters/prayers from our parents and his grandparents that relate to marriage and relationships. My niece who is a flower girl will end up bringing the balloons and letters that are attached down the aisle, some words will be said and the letters will be taken off, then my FH and I will release the balloons together!

My FH, our 3 kids, and I are planting a tree together with soil from our childhood homes.

We did a unity painting.

Oh my god Michelle, I LOVE that idea. We are doing the tree planting, but I love that you are using soil from your childhood homes!! I am staling that idea!!!

I was going to do the sand, but my FSIL and twin bro are doing it. So I figured get soil from the house I grew up in, FH grew up in, the house my daughter was raised in, as well as the apt my 1st son was raised for a few years, and our house now for my last lil guy. It is definitely a way to incorporate our lives as a family and our past.

We are planning to do the cord of 3 strands.

We are doing a unity volcano- like those ones you made in fourth grade. We will already have the baking soda inside, and we will put on lab coats, lab glasses and both pour our own vinegar into the volcano. Then I will quickly run away so as to not get it in my dress- lol! It goes with the main reading we will have:

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fiwm2FlSOUA/TBof_0YXEUI/AAAAAAAABkg/GilGWuN2fmI/s1600/A+lovely+love+story.jpg

I really wish i would have known about the unity cross before I bought the stuff for a sand ceremony

You could light the candles yourselves instead of the mothers lighting them. Would really represent both of you as individuals becoming one.

We're doing more of a unity thing with everyone there, where we'll stand in the middle of the aisle and everyone will gather around us and lay hands on us (or the person next to them). FH's father is the pastor, so he'll say a blessing during this time. I like that it involves everyone.

We are planning the unity cross before the wedding vows and the sand representing. The mixing of families after the vows.