30 Creative Wedding Rituals That Symbolize Unity

Kissing a Date

A common ritual in a Korean wedding ceremony—called a paebaek—is the date kiss. The couple bites into a single date, and whoever gets the pit receives their desired wish.

Releasing Butterflies

A butterfly release is not tied to one specific culture. As a wedding ceremony ritual, the release of butterflies is associated with love, hope, beauty, and the start of a new journey as a married couple.

Exchanging Garlands

If you're holding a Hindu ceremony, consider starting your wedding ceremony with a garland exchange representing acceptance and respect. Once the groom arrives, both sides of the family begin to exchange garlands with each other. The couple also exchanges garlands.

Holding a Group Prayer

Gather loved ones around the altar for a group prayer during your wedding ceremony. The couple here brought in this personal tradition as a tribute to the origins of their relationship, which was anchored by their Christian faith. The duo made this ritual a part of their big day by holding hands, surrounded by family, as the officiant led the prayer.

Becoming One Family Prayer

Togetherness is at the center of the traditional Marathi ceremony, which includes the meeting of the two families, the giving away of the bride, and meaningful recitations and prayers, such as the Mangalashtakams (a prayer of auspiciousness). The remaining part of the ceremony is dedicated to wisdom being bestowed upon the couple as they make promises to love and care for each other during their marriage.

Wrapping Blankets

The blanket wrap custom derives from Native American culture. It involves wrapping a quilt around the newlyweds' shoulders to symbolize warmth and togetherness as they take on the future together.

The ancient Cherokee tradition, however, is a bit more involved. First, both parties are wrapped (individually!) in blue blankets before an officiant blesses the union. Next, the couple is shrouded in a single white blanket. The blue represents the elements of the couple's respective past lives, and the white symbolizes the couple's dedication to filling their new lives with peace.

Tying the Knot

In this old Irish tradition, the bride and groom tie a fisherman's knot together with a ribbon to symbolize a bond that becomes stronger under pressure.

Jumping the Broom

The "jumping the broom" ritual originated in the early 19th century to celebrate unity. Today, the act represents a "brushing away" of the past to start the marriage fresh.

Signing the Ketubah

In the Jewish faith, a ketubah is a spiritual marriage contract promising to love and support each other unconditionally for the rest of your days. Though the ketubah is typically signed in private before the ceremony and with witnesses, consider signing it during the ceremony. Although signing the contract is less traditional, it involves all of your guests honoring this very important moment in your nuptials.

Exiting Under the Arch of Swords

The arch of swords tradition is reserved for military weddings. The practice is a pledge of fidelity and protection from the military to the couple. Service members form a sword or saber arch to shelter the newly married couple with safe passage as they exit the ceremony into their new life.

Using a Sundial

The Celtic sundial ceremony remains an integral ritual of many weddings in parts of Ireland. The couple is invited to touch fingers through the sundial's hole as a symbol to confirm their union. Witnesses may then offer the newlyweds well-wishes by passing a silk scarf through the hole three times while speaking their dreams for the couple.

Lighting a Fire

An old African tradition uses fire to represent the union of two families by combining flames from each party's respective hearths. The modernized custom involves the newlyweds building a fire together. As a special touch, parents are invited to kindle the flame.

Drinking Wine During the Ceremony

A wine ritual symbolizes blending two lives and two families into one. Some couples choose to drink wine from the same cup—a practice performed in most Catholic and Jewish ceremonies—while others prefer to pour two types of wine into one glass before sharing. This "blending" is symbolic of your union and the life you'll create together.

Receiving a Tilak

During traditional Indian weddings, it is customary for the groom—at the head of the baraat, or groom's procession—to be welcomed by the bride's family upon arrival at the ceremony site. The bride's mother applies tilak, or red vermilion powder, to her future son-in-law's forehead to welcome him into her family and to protect him from evil.

Passing the Rope

Passing around a rope to each attendee allows them to take part in the ceremony and signals their commitment to supporting the marriage. After the last guest has held the rope, it should be returned to the couple, who braid it together. Braiding symbolizes the couple's union and, if they're religious, their union to God.

Taking Vows Under the Chuppah

Another Jewish wedding symbol, the chuppah—or canopy—has four corners and a roof that symbolizes the home and family you'll build together. And, while it's representative of a marital pact, it also implies a union with your community. Typically, four family members stand by each peg of the chuppah to express lifelong support and participation in the marriage.

Lighting a Unity Candle

This Judeo-Christian tradition is probably the most well-known wedding ritual that symbolizes unity. The bride and groom each hold a lit candle and combine their flames to light a third, larger candle. Sometimes, the bride and groom's parents take on this task instead to symbolize the union of their families. Get guests involved by displaying candles at the ceremony's entrance and inviting friends and family to light one and say a blessing as they enter.

Blending of the Sands

The popular "unity sand ceremony" is not specific to any one culture. It requires the couple to each pour a small container of sand (often two different colors) into a larger vessel to symbolize the merging of their lives.

Circling the Groom or Bride

In Jewish tradition, the bride circles the groom seven times to break down any barriers between them. The modern version of this ritual involves the couple circling one another to break down any barriers.

Crowning the Couple

It's customary in Greek Orthodox culture for the bride and groom to appoint koumbaroi, or attendants, who place the wedding crowns on the couple's heads and the rings on their fingers. The crowns, known as stefana, are connected by ribbon and therefore serve as a symbol of the couple's union, as well as their status as queen and king of their family.

Lassoing the Couple's Shoulders

In traditional Mexican, Filipino, and Spanish cultures, couples celebrate unity through a lasso ceremony or el lazo ceremony. After the couple recites their vows, an officiant, parent, or relative drapes two linked rosaries or one floral rope across the bride and groom's shoulders in the form of a figure eight, which represents the couple's unity. The couple then wears the lasso for the duration of the service until the person who placed it on the couple removes it and gives it to the bride as a reminder of their commitment to each other.

Forming a Circle With the Couple

Perfect for smaller weddings, this take on a Quaker tradition involves inviting guests to form a circle together with the bride and groom to symbolize unity. The circle also allows guests to participate in the ceremony by sharing prepared thoughts about the couple.

Handfasting for Unity

Participate in the ancient Celtic practice of "handfasting," or tying hands together. The bride and groom hold opposite hands, so their arms make a figure eight—representing eternity. Then, their hands are tied together with a ribbon to symbolize a union. Use a special piece of heirloom fabric instead of ribbon to make the ritual even more meaningful.

Planting a Tree

If you're getting married outside, consider planting a sapling as part of the ceremony. Planting the tree represents the growth you will do as a couple. During the ceremony, the bride and groom should place soil from two separate containers on top of the newly planted tree to represent two individuals coming together as one.

Potting a Plant

Potting a plant also works for outdoor as well as indoor ceremonies. Here, the bride and groom potted and watered a plant together during their ceremony to represent the joining of their families.

Passing the Rings Around

Include guests in your ceremony by having each person bless your wedding bands. Send one ring down one side of the aisle and the other down the opposite, giving every guest a chance to hold your rings and bestow their blessings and positive thoughts toward your marriage.

Create a Time Capsule

Place meaningful items—like a bottle of wine created during the year you first met, a favorite set of poems, or a poignant keepsake—into a box and help each other nail it shut. This modern ceremony is about togetherness, both at the time of the capsule's creation and at its opening on your first or 50th anniversary.

Cleansing with Water

The act of washing your spouse's feet or hands symbolizes the release of any past emotional blocks so you can both enter the marriage with open hearts. This cleansing ceremony works especially well in outdoor weddings where messiness is not a concern. Indoors, couples can hold hands over a bowl or share a goblet of water to symbolize purity of love.

Painting a Picture

If you and your groom are artistic—or your officiant is—express your emotions during your union with a collaborative piece of art. This couple's officiant, an artist, led the pair through a painting.

Sketching With Humor

Bring an unexpected touch of humor into your ceremony by drawing each other with eyes closed. This way, you offer a lighthearted element of surprise into your nuptials that will surely delight your guests.