What is the Meaning of the Unity Candle?

From Erik Michaels and June Hoffman of Megasound

The Unity Candle is the most common wedding ceremony tradition and is generally held after the ring exchange vows and before the blessing. The Unity Candle symbolizes family unity and the joining together of the Bride and Groom and their families. In the past this was usually done by the Mother of the Bride and the Mother of the Groom lighting their child’s respective candles and then the Bride and Groom together lighting the Unity Candle. Nowadays it is still done that way occasionally, but more often the Bride and Groom light their own candles.

Many different traditions may be used in place of the Unity Candle tradition in the event of your ceremony taking place in a location where candles are impractical, such as an outside wedding or a wedding taking place in a facility that doesn’t allow open flames such as a museum. One alternative tradition is called “The Blending of the Sands” and originated in Hawaii. The Bride and Groom each have their own containers of colored sand and then blend them together in one container during the ceremony signifying their joining together.

Another tradition which can be used instead of candles is called “Handfasting”. “Handfasting” is the binding of the Bride's and Groom's hands with rope, tied with a special knot during the wedding ceremony. Again, a symbol of binding two individuals as a whole.

Still, many other traditions exist such as the “Jumping of the Broom”. This particular tradition is believed to have originated in African tribes. Originally, sticks were placed on the ground, representing the couple's new home. However, it became popular among African-American slaves who could not legally marry, so they created their own rituals to honor their unions. The Bride and Groom are sweeping together in a circle to signify the sweeping away of their former single lives, their past problems, and their previous cares. The broom represents a threshold between past and present, and “jumping the broom” symbolizes the crossing of this threshold into a new relationship as husband and wife. Starting a new life with another person requires a leap of faith, and by taking this leap, the couple shows their dedication to work together through all of life’s circumstances. This tradition can be done either at the ceremony or afterwards at the reception.

At Megasound, we can help you determine which tradition fits you best for your wedding, so give us a call today to set up a visit with us. We would love to hear about your plans and ideas for your wedding so that we can help you build your ceremony and/or reception to be just what YOU want it to be!

Are You “Tying the Knot”?

from Erik Michaels and June Hoffman of Megasound

Most people are familiar with the phrase "tying the knot" although relatively few know the origins of the saying. For much of history, rope has been the most powerful way of connecting things and people. “Hand-fasting” is an ancient custom of binding together the hands of the bride and groom during the wedding ceremony, and a special knot was used for this. As such, the expression of "tying the knot" supposedly came from this tradition according to some historians.

Another story about how this expression came to be actually dates back to Roman Times when the bride wore a girdle secured by a knot. After all the festivities of their wedding night, the groom had the honor of "untying the knot." The couple's lives were then "tied together."

Other stories of ritual binding were also popular in ancient Carthage where the couple's thumbs were laced together with a strip of leather. In India, the Hindu groom knotted a ribbon around his bride's neck, and once tied, the marriage was legal and binding.

Get the inside scoop about other wedding traditions and ways for less stressful wedding planning by contacting Megasound. Don’t wait too long as there is limited availability on many key wedding dates in 2010!

Day #20: Rehearsal Tips To Save The Day

From Erik Michaels and June Hoffman of Megasound

Wow, here we are almost to Christmas!! Today, we will focus on tips to help you avoid troubles during your wedding rehearsal. “Practice makes perfect”, as they say. Rehearsals are all about practicing; and proper planning ahead of time will eliminate potential issues the day of both your rehearsal AND your wedding. Here are the top ten tips for your rehearsal:

1. Ask all attending the rehearsal to arrive on time. This would include all members of the wedding party. It is helpful to have the musician(s) or DJ to attend as well as any readers, ushers, and parents so cues and timing can be coordinated for the event.

2. Know in advance of the rehearsal any logistical obstacles (wedding arch, planters, urns, bodies of water).

3. If possible, have a few chairs to represent the front row. This will show the amount of space needed as well as give a chance for your Ushers to practice seating mothers for the ceremony.

4. Bring a mock bouquet and veil/train (if wearing them) to the rehearsal. This will help showing the girls all about carrying a bouquet as well as how things will look for the ceremony.

5. If there is to be an aisle runner, decide ahead of time who will put out the runner as well as when. Traditionally, the aisle runner is for the Bride’s walk down the aisle. Be sure to note if tape is needed (or some other type of adhesive or fasteners) to secure the runner to the ground. You never know when a strong gust of wind will happen during an outdoor wedding.

6. Decide if you want the groomsmen to enter with the Groom or with the Bridesmaids. If the wedding party is to walk in pairs, try to pair couples for height as well.

7. Consider practicing the lighting of the Unity candle. Each Unity candle and holders are configured slightly differently. Having the wicks pre-lit reduces the wick size and, in turn, the amount of time to actually light the Unity candle during the ceremony. If you are using an alternate “Unity” tradition (sand or others), know where placement will be for this part of the ceremony. Knowing where other traditions will take place is also important in case your Officiant has to step out of the way for you to get to the setup.

8. You will generally want to go through the steps of the ceremony two or three times. This will give everyone a good feel for the actual ceremony. It should only take two times with an all adult wedding party and possibly three times with younger children involved in the ceremony.

9. If you are including any special presentations that are a surprise for the recipient(s), plan on just the Bride and Groom remaining after all others have left to practice that part of the ceremony. One example is a presentation of a rose to the Mothers.

10. If you haven’t already given your Officiant your marriage license, bring your marriage license to the rehearsal. Traditionally, the Best Man is responsible for remembering this detail.

Feel free to contact us with any questions on your wedding rehearsal.