{"id":502,"date":"2021-11-10T16:19:47","date_gmt":"2021-11-10T16:19:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.argyll-bute.gov.uk\/marriage\/?p=502"},"modified":"2026-02-23T10:48:14","modified_gmt":"2026-02-23T10:48:14","slug":"the-sand-ceremony","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.argyll-bute.gov.uk\/marriage\/2021\/11\/the-sand-ceremony\/","title":{"rendered":"The Sand Ceremony"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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This ceremony requires\u00a0you to provide\u00a0containers of\u00a0sand \u2013 one\u00a0for party 1,one for Party 2 and one for the celebrant\/child<\/p>

The\u00a0containers of sand are then poured into a larger container at different points in the ceremony, each symbolising a different aspect of the couple, their relationship and their families. This can now be kept by the couple\/family as a keepsake of their day.\u00a0<\/p>

\u00a0What you will need<\/h2>
  • Container(s)\u00a0for the sand<\/li>
  • sand, different colours can be used<\/li>
  • One large container capable of holding the sand from all three smaller containers.<\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Sand\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Joniel\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Rosslea\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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    Example 1<\/strong><\/h3>

    Today,\u00a0[Party 1]<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0[Party 2]<\/strong>\u00a0have sealed the marriage into which they have entered by the exchange of vows and the giving and receiving of the wedding rings. They have committed to share the rest of your lives with each other.<\/p>

    This relationship is now going to be symbolised with a Unity Sand Ceremony, which may be new to many of you. Their relationship is symbolised through the pouring of these individual vases of sand into one. To symbolise the importance of the individuals within the marriage, and the joining of two lives into one entity.<\/p>

    Finally, we combine the sands to symbolise two lives joined as one together, forever\u00a0[Party 1]<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0[Party 2]<\/strong>\u00a0, both pour remaining sand into large vase together so that they mix)<\/p>

    Just as these grains of sand can never be separated and poured again into the individual containers, so will your marriage be, united as one for all your days.<\/p>

    Example 2<\/strong><\/h3>

    [Party 1]<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0[Party 2]\u00a0<\/strong>you have just sealed your relationship by the giving and receiving of rings and this is a pledge between two people who agree that they will commit themselves to one another throughout their lives.<\/p>

    Today, this relationship is also symbolised through the pouring of these two individual containers of sand. One, representing you,\u00a0[Party 1]<\/strong>\u00a0and One Representing you\u00a0[Party 2]<\/strong>\u00a0and all that you were, all that you are, and all that you will ever be.<\/p>

    As these two containers of sand are poured into the third container, the individual containers of sand will no longer exist, but will be joined together as one.<\/p>

    Just as these grains of sand can never be separated, our\u00a0thoughts for you today is that your lives together would be blended like the seven seas and may your love swirl around each other like the changing tides.<\/p>

    Example 3<\/strong><\/h3>

    We have all joined here on this day to witness\u00a0(Party 1)<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0(Party 2)<\/strong>\u00a0join their lives and become husband\/wife\/partners. What better way to symbolize this union than to share a gift that will continue to be a reminder of your vows made today, on this you\u2019re wedding day.<\/p>

    Your first gift to each other as Husband\/wife\/partner a beautiful box frame\/vase, one that each of you will fill with sand and be a personal memory in your home.<\/p>

    As they pour the sand –\u00a0<\/em>While it\u2019s important that you both maintain your individuality, it is our hope that you become as inseparable as these grains of sand. Letting your commitment be to one another never divided.<\/p>

    Example 4<\/strong><\/h3>

    At this time I would like to invite (children) to come forward. (Party 1 and Party 2) have bound their lives together as a couple, but it is also right and fitting to celebrate and acknowledge the importance of their children as they all come together to build a family.<\/p>

    (Party 1) and (Party 2) individual containers of sand represent the essence of all they are and the gifts they bring to this family. I invite them to now pour some sand into the centre vase\/box frame showing that their marriage is the foundation of this family. Their sands mix together and symbolize their bond of love and respect that can never be separated.<\/p>

    I now invite (children) to add their sand, representing them as unique and beloved children. These swirling colours remind us we are all different people and it is our different personalities that make up your family.<\/p>

    Example 5 (naming ceremony)<\/strong><\/h3>

    We have all joined here together to celebrate the naming of (child).\u00a0 Your\u00a0relationship with\u00a0(child) will also be\u00a0symbolised through the pouring of these three individual containers of sand. One, representing you,\u00a0[Parent 1]<\/strong>\u00a0and One Representing you\u00a0[Parent 2]<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0 one representing your child.\u00a0<\/p>

    As these containers of sand are poured into the main\u00a0container, the individual containers of sand will no longer exist, but will be joined together as one.<\/p>

    It is our hope that you become as inseparable as these grains of sand. Letting your commitment be to one another never be divided.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    This ceremony requires\u00a0you to provide\u00a0containers of\u00a0sand \u2013 one\u00a0for party 1,one for Party 2 and one for the celebrant\/child The\u00a0containers of sand are then poured into a larger container at different points in the ceremony, each symbolising a different aspect of the couple, their relationship and their families. This can now be kept by the couple\/family […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":503,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-502","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ceremonies"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.argyll-bute.gov.uk\/marriage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/502","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.argyll-bute.gov.uk\/marriage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.argyll-bute.gov.uk\/marriage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.argyll-bute.gov.uk\/marriage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.argyll-bute.gov.uk\/marriage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=502"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/www.argyll-bute.gov.uk\/marriage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/502\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10656,"href":"https:\/\/www.argyll-bute.gov.uk\/marriage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/502\/revisions\/10656"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.argyll-bute.gov.uk\/marriage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/503"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.argyll-bute.gov.uk\/marriage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=502"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.argyll-bute.gov.uk\/marriage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=502"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.argyll-bute.gov.uk\/marriage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=502"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}