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The wedding ceremony unity candle is a
symbol of two lives becoming
one. There are many variations on how the unity ceremony is performed.
Three candles are used, two small (taper candles) and one larger church
candle (which is placed in between the two taper candles).
You can purchase decorated candles or if you like to keep the expense
down decorate plain candles yourself it is not hard to do.
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image by bradjward
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You can include your parents, your grandparents, and your children in
the lighting of the taper candles before the actual unity candle
wedding ceremony. The bride and groom lights the third candle during
the ceremony.
It is not a traditional part of the Catholic
wedding
ceremonies. Most unity candles were used in Protestant churches and
wedding ceremonies that did not take place in a church. Many Catholic
churches do make the unity candle ceremony part of the wedding; you
will have to check with the priest if the candle ceremony is permitted
in his church.
The candles can be placed on the altar or a small
table at the front of the church, the priest will let you know where.
We
had a unity candle ceremony at our wedding and we also had a unity
candle ceremony at our reception using the same candles that were used
in the church.
We asked our mothers to be part of the ceremony.
The taper candles were lit before the liturgy of the word. The priest
invited our mothers to light the candles and place the candles on the
candle sticks provided.
While this is being done a song may be sung or
played, or the priest will recite an appropriate poem.
These two candles symbolise the light, the love
and the hope both parents have given to the new generation.
We
then lit the unity candle after our vows and the blessing and
exchanging of rings. We did this by going to the altar and extinguished
the candles that had been lit by our mothers. Then we lit the third
candle.
The lighting of the third candle symbolizes the
new generation commencing to provide light, love and peace.
The
extinguishing of the taper candles or leaving the candles lit before
the third candle is lighted is an individual thing. Some couples
believe that putting out the flame symbolizes that their individual
lives have come to an end, while others believe putting out the flame
shows their devotion to the commitment they have for each other.
