|
Unity ceremonies |
|
Ralph’s Regal Weddings More than just Wedding Officiants |
|
Ralph’s Regal Weddings is proud to be a member of |
|
Wedding Ministers and Ceremony Officiants Providing Ceremony Preparation, Staging and Direction Spokane, Washington and Coeur d’Alene, Idaho |
|
Sand Ceremony — Civil I
(The Ceremony Table is directly behind Officiant. On the Ceremony Table there is a larger center vase with the individual containers of sand on either side.)
Officiant: ___(Groom)_____ and ___(Bride)_____, will you please step forward to the Ceremony Table.
(Officiant steps behind the Ceremony Table. Bride and Groom step to the sides of the Ceremony Table. A musical selection may play softly during the following:)
Officiant: ___(Groom)_____ and ___(Bride)_____, please pick up your containers of sand.
(Bride and Groom each take their own container from the table.)
Officiant: ___(Groom)___ and ___(Bride)____ hold close to your heart the container of sand representing the essence of all that you are and all that you possess. As you do so, embody the grains with all your hopes and dreams for the future. Bring to mind all that you are, all that you aspire to be and all the particles that make you unique and wonderful in the eyes of your beloved.
Officiant: Within a marriage each person is both their own and each others. Their personal integrity does not diminish by their union, in fact it is enhanced. Their hopes and dreams remain their own, as individual as each grain of sand. Yet they have a new life ahead with endless possibilities and new dreams that are theirs together.
Officiant: ___(Groom)___ and ___(Bride)____, you will soon join the contents of that which you hold in the palm of your hand, join your essences, and create this physical representation of the sacred place in which souls touch.
Officiant: You may now pour your sand.
(The volume of the music may be turned up as Bride and Groom intermingle their sand in the center vase.)
(Bride and Groom then return to their previous places in front of Ceremony Table, after which Officiant moves back to his/her previous position in front of couple.) |
|
Sand Ceremonies |
|
Sand Ceremony — Religious I
(The Ceremony Table is directly behind Officiant. On the Ceremony Table there is a larger center vase with the individual containers of sand on either side.)
Officiant: ___(Groom)_____ and ___(Bride)_____, will you please step forward to the Ceremony Table.
Officiant: You will observe that there are three containers on the table. Two are filled with sand, symbolizing your separate lives up to this time. The third symbolizes the future, which God has ordained for you.
Officiant: ___(Groom)_____ and ___(Bride)_____, please pick up your containers of sand.
(Bride and Groom each take their own container from the table.)
Officiant: Through the love and illumination of God, your paths have come together, and in this symbolic ceremony, you will each take a container of sand, representing your previous separate pathways, and together you will fill the center vase, symbolizing your willingness to walk life's pathways together as one.
Officiant: You may now pour your sand.
(The volume of the music may be turned up as Bride and Groom intermingle their sand in the center vase.)
Officiant: May a kind God forever bless this marriage.
(Bride and Groom then return to their previous places in front of Ceremony Table, after which Officiant moves back to his/her previous position in front of couple.) |
|
Sand Ceremony — Civil IV — Parents Included
(The Ceremony Table is directly behind Officiant. On the Ceremony Table there is a larger center vase with the individual containers of sand on either side.)
Officiant: ___(Groom)_____ and ___(Bride)_____, will you please step forward to the Ceremony Table.
(Officiant steps behind the Ceremony Table. Bride and Groom step to the sides of the Ceremony Table. A musical selection may play softly during the following:)
Officiant: Will the parents of the Bride and Groom please step forward.
(The parents come forward, carrying their container of sand for their respective child.)
Officiant: These individual containers of sand, to be presented to the Bride and Groom by their parents, represent their lives to this moment. The individual grains represent the faith, wisdom, and love they have received from their parents.
Officiant: ___(Groom’s Mother & Father’s Name)_____ and ___(Bride’s Mother & Father’s name)_____, please present your containers to your children.
(The parents each hand their container of sand to their respective child. The parents then return to their seats.)
Officiant: ___(Groom)_____ and ___(Bride)_____ will soon combine the sand in their individual containers into one vase to symbolize the union of their lives. As this vase is undivided, so shall their love. From now on their thoughts shall be for each other rather than for their individual selves. Their joys and sorrows shall be shared alike. May the symbolism of this vase be a testimony or their unity.
Officiant: You may now pour your sand.
(The volume of the music may be turned up as Bride and Groom intermingle their sand in the center vase.)
(Bride and Groom then return to their previous places in front of Ceremony Table, after which Officiant moves back to his/her previous position in front of couple.) |
|
Sand Ceremony — Civil III — Children Included
(The Ceremony Table is directly behind Officiant. On the Ceremony Table there is a larger center vase with the individual containers of sand for Bride, Groom and Child (or Children) around it.)
Officiant: ___(Groom)_____ and ___(Bride)_____ and ___ (Child or Children) _____, please step forward.
(Officiant steps behind the Ceremony Table. Bride, Groom and Child (or Children) step to the sides of the Ceremony Table. A musical selection may play softly during the following:)
Officiant: ____(Groom)_________ and ____(Bride)_______ and ___ (Child or Children)_____, the individual containers of sand represent your individual lives before today. They symbolize your separate lives, your separate families and your separate sets of friends.
Officiant: ___(Groom)_____ and ___(Bride)_____ and ___(Child or Children)_____, please pick up your containers of sand.
(Bride, Groom and Child (or Children) each take their designated container of sand from the table.)
Officiant: Each of you will soon join the contents of your individual containers into the center vase. This symbolizes that your lives are now joined to one and also the joining together of your two families and sets of friends to one. The center vase represents not only the union of ___(Groom)_____ and ___(Bride)_____ in marriage, but the unity formed by this new family. ___(Groom)_____ and ___(Bride)_____ and ___ (Child or Children)_____ your separate lives are now joined into one family.
Officiant: You may now pour your sand.
(The volume of the music may be turned up as Bride, Groom and Child (or Children) intermingle their sand in the center vase.)
(Bride and Groom then return to their previous places in front of Ceremony Table, Child (or Children) return to his/her/their previous place(s), after which Officiant moves back to his/her previous position in front of couple.)
|
|
Sand Ceremony — Civil II — Mothers Included
(The Ceremony Table is directly behind Officiant. On the Ceremony Table there is a larger center vase with the individual containers of sand on either side.)
Officiant: ___(Groom)_____ and ___(Bride)_____, will you please step forward to the Ceremony Table.
(Officiant steps behind the ceremony table. Bride and Groom step to the sides of the Ceremony Table. A musical selection may play softly during the following:)
Officiant: Will the mothers of the Bride and Groom please step forward.
(The mothers come forward, each carrying their container of sand for their respective child.)
Officiant: ___(Groom)_____ and ___(Bride)_____ your mothers are bringing two containers of sand each symbolizing your lives before today; your separate lives, separate families and separate sets of friends.
Officiant: ___(Groom’s Mother’s Name)_____ and ___(Bride’s Mother’s name)_____, please present your containers to your children.
(The mothers each hand their container of sand to their respective child. The mothers then return to their seats.)
Officiant: You will soon join the contents of the containers your mothers have given to you. This represents that your two lives are now joined into one, and represents the joining of your two families and circles of friends into one. I ask that now each of you take turns mixing the sand into the one vase.
Officiant: You may now pour your sand.
(The volume of the music may be turned up as Bride and Groom intermingle their sand in the center vase.)
(Bride and Groom then return to their previous places in front of Ceremony Table, after which Officiant moves back to his/her previous position in front of couple.) |
|
Sand Ceremony — Religious II — Mothers Included
(The Ceremony Table is directly behind Officiant. On the Ceremony Table there is a larger center vase with the individual containers of sand on either side.)
Officiant: ___(Groom)_____ and ___(Bride)_____, will you please step forward to the Ceremony Table.
(Officiant steps behind the Ceremony Table. Bride and Groom step to the sides of the Ceremony Table. A musical selection may play softly during the following:)
Officiant: ___(Groom’s Mother’s Name)_____ and ___(Bride’s Mother’s name)_____, mothers of the Bride and Groom, will you now come forward.
(The mothers come forward, each carrying their container of sand for their respective child.)
Officiant: These two individual containers of sand, one representing each family, will demonstrate to us, in a very beautiful way, the symbol of two who become one; as well as the faith, wisdom, and love that ___(Groom)_____ and ___(Bride)_____ have received from their parents. These two containers of sand each symbolize your lives before today; your separate lives, separate families and separate sets of friends.
Officiant: ___(Groom’s Mother’s Name)_____ and ___(Bride’s Mother’s name)_____, please present your containers to your children.
(The mothers each hand their container of sand to their respective child. The mothers then return to their seats.)
Officiant: Through the love and illumination of God, your paths have come together, and in this symbolic ceremony, you will each take your container of sand, representing your previous separate pathways, and together you will fill the center vase, symbolizing your willingness to walk life's pathways together as one and together with God.
Officiant: You may now pour your sand.
(The volume of the music may be turned up as Bride and Groom intermingle their sand in the center vase.)
Officiant: ___(Groom)_____ and ___(Bride)_____ will keep this vase in their home as a reminder of this day. The individual grains of sand symbolize your acceptance of the individuality of each other as a means to fulfilling their commitment to one another. May a kind God forever bless this marriage.
(Bride and Groom then return to their previous places in front of Ceremony Table, after which Officiant moves back to his/her previous position in front of couple.)
|
|
Sand Ceremony — Religious III — Children Included
(The Ceremony Table is directly behind Officiant. On the Ceremony Table there is a larger center vase with the individual containers of sand for Bride, Groom and Child (or Children) around it.)
Officiant: ___(Groom)_____ and ___(Bride)_____ and ___ (Child or Children) _____, please step forward to the Ceremony Table.
(Officiant steps behind the Ceremony Table. Bride, Groom and Child (or Children) step to the sides of the Ceremony Table. A musical selection may play softly during the following:)
Officiant: On this their wedding day, they make this loving commitment, to follow the greatest Commandment of all: “Love one another, as I have loved you.” This they do in the hope that their union shall become a symbol of God's promise to merge two devoted lives into one and to join with these children as one family. The distinct grains of sand represent their lives to this moment; individual and unique. To bring bliss and happiness to their home there must be the merging of these separate individuals into one family.
Officiant: ___(Groom)_____ and ___(Bride)_____ and ___(Child or Children)_____, please pick up your containers of sand.
(Bride, Groom and Child (or Children) each take their designated container of sand from the table.)
Officiant: Together they will fill the center vase with their individual containers of sand. This is what God meant when He said: “On this account a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife and the two shall become one.” From now on their thoughts shall be for each other rather than for their individual selves. Their plans shall be mutual, their joys and sorrows shall be shared alike. May this one vase of sand be a reminder of their faith in the Lord who blesses us each day, for it is He who enriches their marriage and strengthens their family in every possible way. Thus they empty their individual containers of sand and are forever united in the radiant oneness of God's love.
Officiant: You may now pour your sand.
(The volume of the music may be turned up as Bride, Groom and Child (or Children) intermingle their sand in the center vase.)
(Groom and Bride then return to their previous places in front of Ceremony Table, Child (or Children) return to his/her/their previous place(s), after which Officiant moves back to his/her previous position in front of couple.)
|
|
Sand Ceremony — Religious IV — Parents Included
(The Ceremony Table is directly behind Officiant. On the Ceremony Table there is a larger center vase with the individual containers of sand on either side.)
Officiant: ___(Groom)_____ and ___(Bride)_____, will you please step forward to the Ceremony Table.
(Officiant steps behind the Ceremony Table. Bride and Groom step to the sides of the Ceremony Table. A musical selection may play softly during the following:)
Officiant: Will the parents of the Bride and Groom please step forward.
(The parents come forward, carrying their container of sand for their respective child.)
Officiant: The individual containers of sand, to be presented to the Bride and Groom by their parents, represent their lives to this moment.
Officiant: ___(Groom’s Mother & Father’s Name)_____ and ___(Bride’s Mother & Father’s name)_____, please present your containers to your children.
(The parents each hand their container of sand to their respective child. The parents then return to their seats.)
Officiant: These are two distinct containers, each capable of going their separate ways. To bring bliss and happiness to their home there must be the merging of these two containers into one. This is what God meant when He said: “On this account, a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife and the two shall be one flesh.” From now on their thoughts shall be for each other rather than for their individual selves. Their plans shall be mutual, their joys and sorrows shall be shared alike.
Officiant: As they each fill the center vase, they will empty their own container, thus letting the center vase symbolize the union of their lives into one flesh. As the individual grains of sand mingle together, they cannot be divided, neither shall their lives be divided. May the radiance of this symbol be a witness of their unity in Christ.
Officiant: You may now pour your sand.
(The volume of the music may be turned up as Bride and Groom intermingle their sand in the center vase.)
(Bride and Groom then return to their previous places in front of Ceremony Table, after which Officiant moves back to his/her previous position in front of couple.) |
|
Copyright 2012 — Ralph Fishburn & Karen Fishburn |