Unity Candle??

Question

Do you have to have a Unity candle?? And what is the tradition of it? I'm religious (very very) but I didn't want to have anything extra in the wedding unless it was something sacred!! So is this a necessity or an option?

Answer 1

I just added Unity candles to my eBay store a couple of days ago! Feel free to check them out. http://stores.ebay.com/Aphrodites-Creations If you are interested, the prices listed are suggested retail, but I'm willing to offer discounts, if needed.

For more information regarding the ceremony pertaining to the use of the Unity candle, check out this link (it's a rather long article) http://www.weddingchannel.com/ui/buildArticle.action?assetUID=3880&c=1154&s=1086&t=10&p=1001

Good luck!

Answer 2

The answer to your question is no. You do not have to have a unity candle. The unity candle is a RECENT tradition of symbolism... the union of two individuals becoming one in commitment. It is NOT a religious tradition. Though commonly performed in Christian weddings, the unity candle ceremony is not Christian in origin and is in fact prohibited in many churches.

I am having a Catholic wedding and also want a sacred wedding. My fiance and I have opted to NOT have a unity candle because there are other parts of the liturgy that we find to be more sacred. An option that we are performing, is presenting a flower bouquet to Our Lady after communion.

Check out the link below for more information on unity candle and its origin.

I hope this answers your question!

Answer 3

you don't have to, but it is a pretty religious tradition. the mothers light the 2 small candles on the side, and then you and your groom light the one in the middle with the 2lit smaller ones. this signifies the union of the two of you together. it's a symbol, just like the tradition of exchanging rings, of the unity into one entity. you aren't seperate people anymore, and lighting the unity candle is a way of publicly saying that you belong only to each other for the rest of your lives. it's not absolutely necessary, but i do think it's a key part of the marriage ceremony.
if you don't want to spend a huge chunk, just go buy a tall, large, white candle at walmart, and 2 smaller ones. then find cheap but pretty holders for the 2 small ones and put all 3 on a pretty table. hope this helps!

Answer 4

its a beautiful option.. i had one with my second marriage.. it was on a stand up by the minister.. theres the unity candle then a regular candle on each side so a total of 3 candles all together, u choose one person from your side of the family to represent ur side, they light the candle on the left.. then a person from his side lights the candle on the right to represent him.. then part way through the ceremony u and your husband will take the candles on the side and light the candle in the middle together to show an eternal flame of unity.. now because this is my second marriage, and his second marriage.. we both have children from our previous marriage.. (they were our wedding party) and when we went to light the unity candle.. we all got into a circle around the candle holding hands as me and my husband lit the unity candle.. signifing not only that we are united, but We as a Family them included are united.. it was my favorite part of the whole ceremony..

Answer 5

I think it is totally up to the individual. I personally think it is beautiful. Here is some information I found on the unity candle

The 5 W's of Unity Candles
If you want to include a unity candle in your wedding ceremony, here's how it works. Here are some great tips to get that candle lit without a hitch!

If you want to include a unity candle in your wedding ceremony, here's how it works. Here are some great tips to get that candle lit without a hitch!

Who?
The obvious answer is the bride and groom, but many choose to have more people involved. You can include your parents, your grandparents, and your children in the lighting of candles before the Unity Candle ceremony.

What?
The Unity Candle, according to ministers we interviewed, hit the wedding scene about 8 or 10 years ago. Couples use two lit taper candles (symbolizing their individuality) to light one big candle as a symbol of their two lives becoming one in commitment. Most Unity Candles were used in Protestant churches or in wedding ceremonies not conducted in church. Although more accepting of it today, many Catholic or Jewish ceremonies ask that couples not include the candle in the ceremony, since the Unity Candle is not a part of the traditional wedding liturgy.

Usually during the processional, the mothers of the bride and groom light a taper candle in honor of their son or daughter at the altar or a small table at the front of the church. They return to their seats, and the tapers remain lit throughout the ceremony. After the vows and rings have been exchanged, the minister will explain to the guests the symbolism of the Unity Candle. He asks the bride and the groom to take their "individual" lives (the individual taper candles) and bring them both to the large center candle, lighting one flame with their two individual flames. During the lighting of the Unity Candle, many times couple will have a song sung or played, or the minister will recite an appropriate poem to accompany the symbolism of the ceremony.

Whether or not to extinguish the individual tapers after the lighting of the Unity Candle is up to the couple. Many couples believe that putting out individual flames appears as if their individual lives have been snuffed out for the benefit of the marriage, while some believe extinguishing individual candles only shows their devotion to the commitment they've just made. According to most ministers, the decision is left entirely up to the couple.

Where?
The Unity Candle ceremony can be performed at the altar, off to the side of the altar at the front of the church, not in a church at all, and last but not least, outside. Many officiants worry about performing such a delicate ceremony outside, because the "forces of nature" may provide obstacles to lighting the candles. As Judge Carolyn Hayek told us, "Unity candles pose a number of challenges. Will the wind blow out the candles? Will there be a problem lighting the candles? Sometimes candles quite stubbornly refuse to be lit, especially if it is difficult to get the lighting candle close to the wick of the candle to be lit. What's the backup plan if the candles go out or refuse to be lit?" If you're planning on performing your Unity Candle ceremony outside, be sure to practice with your hurricanes on a day with plenty of wind to make sure you can finish the ceremony without frustration.

When?
Where you place the Unity Candle ceremony within the wedding ceremony is up to you although most officiants we spoke with suggested waiting until after you've said your vows and exchanged your rings to light the candle. Reverend Gerald Montgomery comments, "Every so often I encounter a bride who wants to begin the wedding ceremony with a unity candle. That's the equivalent of putting a cart in front of a horse. First, the marriage must be created, then it can be celebrated. A unity candle moment in a wedding ceremony is a liturgical celebration of this new relationship between the bride and groom."

But, Rabbi David Roller made a great point: "I like the use of a unity candle as a beginning for a wedidng ceremony as it symbolically shows the couple as coming together. It is not particularly religious as fire is a universal element. I also like the unity candle at the end. It really does add a nice element to all ceremonies."

Why?
The reasons why to include the Unity Candle in your ceremony, at least the reasons we received from the officiants we interviewed, were varied but all had a central theme: a symbol of unity is always a beautiful thing. Rev. Dr. Bill Levering says, "It is a nice counterpoint to the rings: some things in a marriage are more ephemeral and need tending and protection like a flame." Rev. Colleen McLain insists on each ceremony being different: "I always urge them to make the candle lighting unique in some way, such as inviting the mothers or grandmothers up to the altar to light the individual candles, sometimes the moms and dads light them together. I think by making the ceremony unique, it means more in the long run."

We believe, though, that Reverend Maureen Jones-Ryan's explanation put it best: The Unity Candle Ceremony - like so many candle ceremonies - is a meaningful, spiritual symbol of Life, Light, and the Eternal Spirit of love and caring." Enough said.

Answer 6

The unity candle is optional. In fact, some churches don't even allow it.

Answer 7

its more of a personal preferance type thing. Out of all the weddings ive been to (and its alot) i only saw one unity candle. Im getting married in three weeks, and we never planned on having one.

good luck and congrats on the wedding!!!

Answer 8

no you don't have to have a unity candle, yes it is a nice addition but it's a time thing. One day someone said we are only in the church 30 min+/- we need to add something to make the service last longer. maybe you can do something for god, like have the groom wash your feet or something like that.

Answer 9

A unity candle signifys the bond between man and wife uniting as one with the lighting of the candle, which represents them becoming one for more info. try te link below

http://www.weddingchannel.com/ui/buildArticle.action?assetUID=3880&c=1154&s=1086&t=10&p=1001

Answer 10

Most times unity candles are meant to represent dead loved ones.iT IS AN OPTION.