The Printed Candle Company

Including Children in Your Unity Candle Ceremony

If you're tying the knot for the second time around, especially if your children are involved, there are several unique ways to still celebrate the beauty of the Unity Candle Ceremony.

Include your children in the meaningful lighting of the Unity Candle. The eternal symbol of two flames becoming one not only means two hearts becoming one, but an entire family uniting as one force. Here are some ideas for you and your childrens' Unity Candle Ceremony.

Have Your Kids Light the Candles

During the processional, or just right before the ceremony, have both of your children light the individual tapers - mom's kids light mom's candle, and the same for dad. If only one of you have children, you might consider having the child light the parent's candle while the other's mother lights their individual candle. This is a great way to include your children in the ceremony, as well as make them feel a part of their new family.

Have Your Kids Join You In Lighting the Unity Candle

If you have your parents light your individual tapers before the ceremony begins, or perhaps if you, the bride and groom, light them yourselves, also have your kids light an individual taper for themselves as well. When it's time to light the the Unity Candle, each member of your new family takes their own taper candle and contributes to the single flame. This is a beautiful, emotional way to bring your family together in a ceremonial bond.

Create Your Own Unique Ceremony

Reverend Ann Palmer of Palm Springs, CA, told us about an unusual rendition of the Unity Candle Ceremony: "I would like to tell you about one surprising Unity Candle service I did. The bride had 2 daughters and the Groom had 2 sons. They wanted to have the children feel a part of their union. I suggested that we include them in the Unity Candle service. After we had gone through most of the candle service including their individual vows to each other they had written, they lit the Unity candle. After that, I had the Groom light the Bride's daughters' candles and the Bride light the Groom's sons candles. In unison they read a statement to the children, then all six joined their individual candles to the one Unity candle. Of course we hadn't practiced and we were all surpassed to see the flame flare up. The audience all swooned "ahhhh" - it was a surprising moment but beautiful. That was the most unusual Unity Candle service I have done to date."

Including all of your new family in the lighting of your unity candle makes it a unique, personal ceremony that everyone will remember for years to come.