Why are sand ceremonies disliked? (updated w/pic)

Stacelynn, you or FH could give your son a ring or other token of family unity and/or say vows to him.

The kids really do like pouring the sand. Gives them something to do besides fidgeting.

I've been to a few weddings and I have never seen the sand ceremony or the unity candle done. I personally don;t see why there is the need for this, especially since it adds another cost. I think with Pinterest, more people are seeing it for the first time and seeing it done over and over again as if it were a new trend. If you want to do one, definitely go ahead!

I don't have a problem with the sand ceremony it just did not match us. I think sand can be messy if the wind is blowing and I don't like colored sand. We are doing the tree planting ceremony because it matches us. In my area couples do the sand because they don't always know of all the other options and don't want to do the candle but they have been told they need the unity ceremony because everyone does it.

Mrscountry lace, what exactly is a tree planting ceremony? exactly as it sounds? never heard of that for a wedding, I wouldn't want to get dirty!

I just added a pic of the simple set I have. It has our names on each, and on the one in the middle it has our names and wedding date and "Like the Ocean Loves the Moon" which was a phrase our engagement photographer nicknamed our gallery. Happen to love it and I'm using that on the inside our guest book instead of the standard template that said something like "words of wisdom for the newly married"

We will have a tree already in a pot and us plus are mentors will pour glasses of dirt in the pot to plant it so are hand never touch the dirt and we don't get dirty. After it grows some we will plant it our yard. We wanted something Eco-friendly. This is what will be said during the ceremony:

Lee and Kelly, will you please step forward to the Ceremony Table. Lee and Kelly with the help of dear friends Randy and Angel will now take part in a Tree Planting Ceremony to symbolize the roots of their relationship, and the continued growth of their love, as they become each others family today. Love is the essence of human experience and emotion. It is the root of all and everything we, as humans, do.

Love enriches our experience, and fills our lives with meaning. It gives us a firm base from which to grow, to learn, and change. Lee and Kelly, please plant the tree. Let you relationship and your love for each other be like this tree plant today. Let it grow tall and strong. Let it stand tall during the harsh winds and rains and storms, and come through unscathed. Like a tree, your marriage must be resilient. It must weather the challenges of daily life and the passage of time.

And just like the tree you are planting, marriage requires constant nurturing and nourishment. Lee and Kelly, please water the three. Remember to nourish each other, with words of encouragement, trust, and love. This is needed on a daily basis so you each can grow and reach your fullest potential – just like this tree.

I've seen it on tv but honestly never seen it in person. People just like to hate, it's no more overdone than anything else done during a ceremony!

We're doing sand unity but since both of us were raised in single parent homes. We're having our mothers to pour the sand to unite the families

I personally don't like any unity ceremony. I find it take a long time, is really awkward, and makes for a weird pause in the ceremony

@ Rachey- where did you get that set? If we were to do one, I think I'd like something like yours. We're undecided at the moment on the unity ceremony. We may do a hand fasting to honor my Irish roots, but that's still pending haha.

@champagne dream- I bought it from Etch Art off etsy

I'm doing the shadow box frame version. I don't care whatever people think. It works for me, our wedding and my family. I want to include our kids.

I think for a beach wedding it is really perfect, however the only reason I'm not a fan of it is because I know we'll be moving a lot in our lives because of our jobs and I just can't imagine packing up sand every time I move and then having it get all messed up and possibly break and to me I see it as a hassle in the future. If I knew I wouldn't be moving much in my life I think it'd be okay but I just see it too logically and it wouldn't work. However I think unity ceremonies are nice and I think it's great to do what represents you and goes with the feel of a wedding. We're personally doing a lei exchange as a type of unity.

My FH's brother did a sand ceremony at his wedding and we are doing one at ours. His brother and his bride each had kids of their own so they included the kids in the pouring of the sand and it was absolutely beautiful to watch the coming together of the two families

If you can watch this without cringing maybe a sand ceremony is for you! Nothing against them but I just YouTube them and it does make people awkward watching it lol or maybe just me http://youtu.be/-aFbRap4vT4

I think that the only thing that matters is that it matters to you and your husband.

Who cares what people on a website think, because they aren't the ones that are doing it. You do it because it is meaningful to you and that is all that matters!!

I have never seen one, and I think the picture frame one is pretty cool.

<3

We did it because my parents really wanted a unity candle because they had one. Our ceremony was outdoors so we threw in the sand ceremony instead. Hey...it took like two minutes and made them happy. It was a win win. Also we used the same set Chrissy posted. Our colors were black and white so it worked.

@Debra yikes…I did cringe. Mostly at the awkward officiant and intrusive photographer.

For the record, it takes less than a minute.

...Oh lord is that video ever awkward