Ritual Spotlight: Sand Ceremonies
When planning your wedding, you might be looking at ways you can make your ceremony personal, and symbolic. A sand ceremony is a perfect option!
A sand ceremony is a ritual where couples pour different types of sand from two separate vessels combining them into one. This represents two people uniting as one and the sand can symbolise their hopes and dreams for their marriage. This ritual is very visual, romantic and traditional.
So where did this ritual come from? Sand ceremonies stem from religious ceremonies, however this ritual has evolved and now couples of all walks of life can do it. This ritual became most popular in the 1980’s and is a similar concept to the ‘candle ceremony’ where couples light a candle each then together light a central candle using their two flames. As more weddings took place outdoors, the popularity of sand ceremonies increased, because we all know that wind can be a pest on your special day!
You can personalise the ceremony however you like however it is usually performed by a celebrant. The great thing about the sand ritual, is that it is very straightforward and simple to organize. Your celebrant can make their sand ceremony really unique to the couple and even weave their love story into the ritual ceremony itself.
You can personalize your sand ceremony by choosing your own vessels or even picking the sand - it might be a beach of significant importance to you! It’s also really easy to involve other family members in your sand ceremony. If you have children, they could choose a colourful sand to add. If you have a blended family, the sand ceremony can solidify the coming together and joining as one.
Wherever you get your sand from, remember to make sure the sand is dry for easy pouring!
To organize a sand ceremony, you will need sand, two small vessels and one main vessel and a table where the ritual can be performed. Remember, the main vessel is one you will likely keep forever so ensure it is carefully chosen and durable.
