UNITY CANDLE CEREMONY
These three candles represent this very special occasion. The two lighted candles represent each of you, as individuals; your spirit; your passion; your masculinity and your femininity. As you light the center candle, you are entering into one of the great mysteries of life. And that is that you are one in marriage, and yet always very unique and very special. And it is this uniqueness and special ness that each of you brings to this marriage. And that needs to honored.
(During the actual lighting of the unity candle, you can have special music or a reading, but it should be short. If not I usually say the following…)
And now you will feel no cold. For each will be warmth to the other.
And now you will feel no rain. For each will be a shelter to the other.
And now there are two persons, but one life together.
Enter into the days of your togetherness. And may your days be long and very good together.
(If you have both mothers in attendance, you can have them light the two side candles at the beginning of the ceremony. Then I usually will say the following: As your mothers have given life to each of you, they now give light to this ceremony.)
TODAY IS A DAY YOU WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER
Today is a day you will always remember
The greatest in anyone's life
You'll start off the day just two people in love
And end it as Husband and Wife
It's a brand new beginning the start of a journey
With moments to cherish and treasure
And although there'll be time when you both disagree
These will surely be outweighed by pleasure
You'll have heard many words of advice in the past
When the secrets of marriage were spoken
But you know that the answers lie hidden inside
Where the bond of true love lies unbroken
So live happy forever as lovers and friends
It's the dawn of a new life for you
As you stand there together with love in your eyes
From the moment you whisper 'I do'
And with luck, all you hopes, and your dreams can be real
May success find its way to your hearts
Tomorrow can bring you the greatest of joys
But today is the day it all starts.
AND WHAT OF MARRIAGE
You were born together, and together you shall be forevermore.
You shall be together when the white wings of death scatter your days.
Aye, you shall be together even in the silent memory of God.
But let there be spaces in your togetherness’
And let the winds of the heavens dance between you.
Love one another but make not a bond of love:
Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls.
Fill each other’s cup but drink not from one cup.
Give one another of your bread but eat not from the same loaf.
Sing and dance together and be joyous, but let each of you be alone.
Even as the strings of the lute are alone though they quiver with the same music.
Give you hearts, but not into each other’s keeping.
For only the hand of Life can contain your hearts.
And stand together, yet not to near together.
For the pillars of the temple stand apart,
And the oak tree and the cypress grow not in each other’s shadow.
Kahlil Gibran