sand ceremony, hand ceremony

I'm clueless... I've never heard of these before (or maybe I just never paid attention at the weddings I've been to??)

but what is the sand ceremony and what is the hand ceremony??

do you do this at a catholic ceremony?

TIA

We are doing the sand ceremony instead of the candle ceremony. I like the idea because you take two different colored sands and pour them into one. If you look it up online there are several different readings for the ceremony talking about how the two sands are separate and now they are joining as one. This may sound stupid but i am doing the sand ceremony because i can leave it in my hose for people to see more so then i would leave a unity candle displayed.

Not sure about the hand ceremony...never heard of it.

are you talking about Hand Fasting?

it's the old traditional way of getting married. it's where the term Tie the Knot comes from.

Handfasting is a betrothal or wedding ritual in which the couple's clasped hands are tied together by a cord or ribbon — hence the phrase 'tying the knot'. The tying of the hands may be done by the officiant of the ceremony, by the wedding guests, or by the couple themselves.
more at...
Handfasting/wiki link

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Posted by MrsT08
do you do this at a catholic ceremony?
TIA

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Neither are a part of the nuptial mass/ceremony, most priests do not allow them.

Yeh I am thinking about doing the sand ceremony also. Kind of like a 'and now we unity as one'

The Unity Sand Ceremony is a novel alternative for the popular “unity candle ceremony” incorporated into many of today’s weddings. The essence is to symbolize the union of “two into one.” This unity sand for wedding version is not only beautiful and interesting but also more appropriate for an outdoor wedding. With the addition of fresh flowers, these distinctive vases will make an intriguing addition to a home’s decor.

The Unity Sand Ceremony is an up to date and yet very old version of Family Unity Ceremonies. In some places, the Unity Sand Ceremony has been around for hundreds or even thousands of years. It’s a way for couples to display the joining of the flow of two lives into a single stream, or a meaningful ceremony that joins existing families into a single bond of love. They can be done using candles or sand, but the meaning is the same. But if you have a beach wedding idea in mind what could be more appropriate than the Unity Sand Ceremony. And the sand pouring into a unity vase can’t be blown out by the breeze during an outdoor or beach wedding. You can get unity sand vases for weddings here.

Some believe that the Unity Sand Ceremony began with Native Americans and some insist the Hawaiians were the ancestors of the legend. Both sources are spiritual mystic and romantic. May be both are right and the Unity Sand Ceremony arose in both places. Whatever its origin, the Unity Sand Ceremony is fast becoming a worldwide wedding ceremony trend. The Unity Sand Ceremony is both romantic in its meaning and spiritual in its mysticism.

Hand Ceremony

In the hand ceremony, the officiant invites the
bride and groom to view the hands of the other as a
gift.

The bride takes the groom’s hands, palm side up.

Officiant says:
'These are the hands that will work along side
yours, as together you build your future, as
together you laugh and cry, and together you share
your innermost secrets and dreams.'

The groom then takes the bride's hands, palm side
up.

Officiant says:
'They are the hands that will passionately love you
and cherish you through the years, for a lifetime of
happiness, as she promises her love and commitment
to you all the days of her life.'


OR

“ These are the hands of your best friend, young and
strong and full of love for you, that are holding
yours on your wedding day, as you promise to love
each other today, tomorrow, and forever. These are
the hands that will work alongside yours, as
together you build your future. These are the hands
that will passionately love you and cherish you
through the years, and with the slightest touch, will
comfort you like no other. These are the hands that
will hold you when fear or grief fills your mind.
These are the hands that will countless times wipe
the tears from your eyes; tears of sorrow, and
tears of joy. These are the hands that will give you
strength when you need it. And lastly, these are the
hands that even when wrinkled and aged, will still be
reaching for yours, still giving you the same
unspoken tenderness with just a touch.”



Blessing after:
“Our prayer for you today is that both of you will
use these hands to build a marriage where all your
dreams come true.”