There are many creative traditions that give couples and families different options to choose when it comes to symbolising the union of their marriage or the naming of a child.
The History
The origins of sand blending date back to the Hebrew tradition of combining salt to conclude a deal or contract as well as friendships and other agreements. This was also seen as an act of truce and peace.
The parties involved with one another would carry pouches full of salt and would either blend some salt on the ground out of each pouch, or would mix an amount of salt from the other’s pouch into their own pouch to signify the covenant that they were entering.
It also symbolised that once the salt was mixed, it could not be separated, making this event final and everlasting.
Modern Day
A sand pouring and blending ceremony is a similar and simple effective ritual to symbolise the coming together of a couple during a wedding ceremony or a family during a Naming ceremony.
Not only that, as the very fine particles of sand can never truly be separated, the sand blending represents the steadfast nature of the new unit that has been created.
The symbolism of pouring sand during your ceremony is a wonderful way to capture the emotions of the joining together of two people but can also include other family members also.
Each container of coloured sand represents the signal path the couple have been taking up until that moment and recognises, through the pouring and blending of the two or more sand colours, the signal path they will now travel on from that day forth.
The sand pouring symbolic gesture also provides a wonderful visual effect during your wedding or Naming ceremony and the containers used can come in all sorts of colours, shapes and sizes.
The sand blending gesture can also be a fantastic way to get any children involved in your ceremony – it could be your own children, grandchildren or perhaps page boys and flower girls! Whatever way you want to structure things, it can be pretty much tailored to suit the occasion.
A Keepsake
Promises can be made as the sand is poured by the couple or/and each family. The jar can then be sealed as a keepsake of your special day.
Mo Ackroyd
Celebrant at Fuze Ceremonies
