Unity candle??

spartybride3

Hi all-

My fiance and I are both catholic, but we are more "holiday catholic's". We are doing a catholic ceremony, but I don't know really how some things will go. We've been to catholic weddings before so we're not completely out of the loop. My question is more about this: do we do a unity candle and gift presentation to ??? (when Ave Maria is usually sung) or both???  Does the unity candle need to be anything or be from anywhere specific?

Thanks!!

ootmother2

The Unity Candle isn't part of the Catholic wedding ceremony and it depends on your priest and/or parish if you may have one.

I don't believe that there is any particular time to light it if it is allowed.

GL

agapecarrie

If your priest allows it, the unity candle usually happens after the vows.

The presentation of gifts (the bread and wine) happen during the mass. If you are having a full mass, then there will be one. This happens after the prayers of the faithful.

The Ave Maria is an option, if you want it. You can do it for part of your procession, or if you want to do a devotion to Mary, it can be played there. It does not have to be.

Iggy85

Check with your parish/priest to see if you will be allowed to have one. There was one parish that DF and I were looking at and it wouldn't allow us to do unity candles due to insurance.

spartybride3

Hmmm did not know unity candles were not part of a catholic ceremony. See...shows you how catholic we are!  

Thanks!

DeannaCW

To be fair, unity candles aren't traditional for any type of service. They were invented in the 1970's as part of a soap opera wedding. (courtesy of A Practical Wedding by Meg Keene)

MedStudent13

Ugh I do not like unity____s. You name it, unity candles, unity sand, unity water, I've even seen unity coctails. There are so many beautiful traditions in the Church, it makes me kind of upset when people throw in modern things