If you want to add a nice meaningful touch to your wedding ceremony, consider adding a sand ceremony. It is popular down here on the beach and is much like the unity candle ceremony that you may have seen in a church wedding.

The idea behind it goes back to biblical times when covenants were made between two parties and the blending of each parties’ sand indicated their pledge to the covenant they made.

Just as it would be impossible to undue and extract the individual grains of sand back to their original vessel, so it would be impossible to undue the covenant and its change upon the lives involved.

The sand ceremony isn’t just for a beach wedding, but is also good for formal or indoor ceremony. Unlike the unity candle, the blended sand remains in your vase, just you poured it during your ceremony, so you can preserve it at home to tell the story to your grandchildren.

There is no additional cost for me to add the sand ceremony into your wedding. The only cost for the sand ceremony is whatever it may cost you to purchase the containers and/or color sand. The sand ceremony also fits perfectly into the flow of the overall wedding right after the vows and ring exchange.

Beach Sand or Color Sand?

Most couples use the sand at the beach and bring glass containers with them. However, you can use color sand and even involve children by using several colors of sand.

Arts and craft stores like Micheal’s, Hobby Lobby, have color sand. You can get a nice vase or glass vessel at Wal-Mart, or that big Pottery store, whatever its name is, but the one with miles of glass, wood, and metal stuff.

Ceremony Script…

I generally begin with an introduction to the sand ceremony that goes like this:

“The sand ceremony actually dates back to Old Testament times when covenants were made between individuals by the blending of sand or salt, with the idea that just as it would be impossible to separate the individual grains of sand back to their original state, it would be impossible to undo the covenant agreed upon, together.”

After saying that, I quietly ask the couple or family to begin pouring their individual sand into the main vase, while I say this…

“Each bottle of sand you hold in your hand symbolizes your life before today. As you join the individual grains of sand into one vessel, your lives will merge as two individuals, yet one in covenant, one in pledge, one in purpose, one in heart, and one in soul. Just as it would be impossible to separate the individual sand, so from this moment on it will be impossible to undo the persons you will become together.”

Now I should say that I don’t always use this exact wording. Sometimes a wedding may be a little laid-back and may just say the same thing with fewer words.

Video Explanation…

About half way through this video I will talk about the sand ceremony. In the first half I just give a general overview on getting married at the beach in Gulf Shores.