In honor of the commitment that the couple makes to one another on the day of their wedding, this ceremony symbolizes the special union by having the couple blend different sands together.
The first step in this ritual is to honor the foundation which has been laid- by the couple’s families, friends, communities, and faith.
In a special container, the couple places some special stones or objects to represent their core values: for example, unconditional love, well-being, adventure, connection or growth.
The second step in the ritual is for the officiant to pour a scoop of sand from the area in which the couple is being married or even from a beach that is special to them, to represent the foundation of community and faith, and to provide a reminder of the place where they have experienced deep love for one another.
In the third step of the ritual, the bride and groom pick up two containers of sand which represent all that each has been, that each is, and that each is becoming. Each container of sand holds its own unique beauty, strength, and character. They can stand on their own and be whole, without the need of anything else. When the two are blended together they represent an entirely new and extraordinary relationship. Each grain of sand brings to the mixture a lasting beauty that forever enriches the combination.
The couple is then instructed to pour the sands into the vessel together. As the sands are blended together, the couple is encouraged to recognize that the lives that each has experienced until this point, individually, will hereafter be inseparably united, as the two shall become one. Just as the grains of sand can never be separated and returned again into their individual containers, so will the marriage be.