Going Against the Grain (literally!): DIY Sand Ceremony

I am so excited to share another one of my wedding DIY projects now that we have received our professional wedding photos!

I had always liked the idea of incoporating a unity ceremony into the religious service, and had often seen this done with the lighting of unity candles. Since we were getting married on the coast of Cape Cod, and the beach has always been special to me, my fiance and I decided that we preferred to do a unity sand ceremony instead.

Being the researcher that I am, I instantly began scouring the Internet for where I could purchase the nicest sand ceremony set for the lowest price. However, I was quickly dismayed, and rather taken aback, by the ridiculous prices for these sets. "Are you freaking kidding me?? $65 for a couple of vases? Sand NOT included?" I said to myself.

I decided that there was no reason that I could not make a sand ceremony set myself, for a fraction of the cost. So when my then-fiance and I were on Cape Cod in October doing some last minute wedding plannning, we stopped at Michael's to see what we could find. We were pleased to discover the small heart jars pictured below to hold the sand, and bought 6 of them (2 for my sand, 2 for his sand, and 2 for my dad's sand, who was also our officiant), for only $0.99 a piece!

Next, we needed a large vase or jar into which we would pour our creation. Since I knew we would want to take it on the plane back to Chicago, we decided to purchase an apothecary jar with a lid so our sand wouldn't spill. I also like apothecary jars because they are pretty and have a vintage vibe, which was also one of our wedding themes. We found one that fit the bill for less than $10.

We then purchased some white and dark blue sand (our wedding colors) at Michael's for only a few dollars a pound. Since we still needed sand for my father, we thought we'd go to the beach and collect some local sand for free, which would incorporate a more sentimental touch as well!

Here is the final product:

Photograph by Seth Kammueller

And here it is after the unity sand ceremony:

Photograph by Seth Kammueller

Overall, we were very pleased with how our DIY project turned out, and many of our guests commented on how unique and special the unity ceremony was. My father also gave a nice speech before we poured the unity sand to explain the symbolic meaning behind it, and our pianist played "Claire de Lune" by Debussy to add to the ambiance of the moment.

Ceremony Reading Inspiration: Thomas Moore

I am still having trouble choosing a ceremony reading and my pending nuptuals are quickly approaching! So, I wanted to share with you another poem that is definitely a top contender.  It's by the Irish poet Thomas Moore, and I admire it not only for it's lovely prose, but also the fact that it would incorporate some of our Irish heritage into the ceremony.  Compared to the Louis de Bernieres excerpt that I previously blogged about, "Believe Me, If All Those Endearing Young Charms" is the much more romantic poem of the two.  Thomas Moore wrote it for his new bride to assure her that he would still love her ardently even if her beauty faded tomorrow.  I love the message that he sees that her beauty on the inside, and not on the surface, and that he will love her more over time, not less.

Believe me, if all those endearing young charms

Which I gaze on so fondly today,

Were to fade by tomorrow, and fleet in my arms

Like fairy gifts fading away;

Thou wouldst still be adored

At this moment thou art,

Let thy loveliness fade as it will.

And around the dear ruin each wish of my heart,

Would entwine itself verdantly still.

It is not while beauty and youth are thine own,

And thy cheeks unprofaned by a tear,

That the fervor and faith of a soul can be known,

To which time will but make thee more dear!

No, the heart that has truly loved never forgets,

But, as truly loves on to the close,

As the sun-flower turns on her god, when he sets,

The same look which she turned when he rose!

Either way, I am probably going to incorporate both pieces into the ceremony.  One will be printed on the front of my program, and the other will be read by a friend during the ceremony.  Thus, the question becomes do I choose the romantic, flowery poem to be read during the ceremony or the realistic poem that more represents us as a couple?

Ceremony Reading Inspiration: Louis de Bernieres

My fiance and I have been stuggling to choose and agree upon readings for our ceremony.  Our predicament led me wonder how common of an issue this is between engaged couples.  Our main problem is that he is a Christian, and wants a Bible reading, while I do not adhere to any particular religion, and find that many Bible readings do not really align with my values.  Thus, we decided to compromise.  One of our readings will be a standard Bible chapter of his choice, and another one will be my choice.  As a lover of great literature, I want a novel excerpt that really speaks to us a couple.  So far, I'm strongly leaning towards this excerpt from Captain Corelli’s Mandolin by Louis de Bernieres:

“Love is a temporary madness; it erupts like volcanoes and then subsides. And when it subsides you have to make a decision. You have to work out whether your roots have so entwined together that it is inconceivable that you should ever part. Because this is what love is. Love is not breathlessness, it is not excitement, it is not the promulgation of eternal passion. That is just being in love, which any fool can do. Love itself is what is left over when being in love has burned away, and this is both an art and a fortunate accident. Those that truly love have roots that grow towards each other underground, and when all the pretty blossoms have fallen from their branches, they find that they are one tree and not two.”  
  
This may be short, but I think it's really sweet and I love its realistic take on love.  But I need feedback on this! What do you think of this reading?  Does anyone have other readings that you used in your wedding or have heard at other weddings that you might post as suggestions? Thanks :)