as far as teh unity ceremony goes, i like the candle but the venue is outside and am really worried about the candle going out.. and not a fan of the sand as it doesnt really fit in with the wedding at all, so ive been researching alternatives. I came across an idea where you use the padlocks engraved with messages and stuff, and attach them to a tree (id probably have my sculptor mom make a neato tree out of metal like she does) where both sets of parents attach locks to the roots of the tree to symbolize our roots and their support raising us and all that. then my man and i take another one and attach it to the top of the trunk to show us joined togheter, and then the branches symbolize all that is to come in our future life together. i think its a cute idea and would go well with our venue and wedding really well (its in a funky modern warehouse, a little more offbeat sort of feeling not traditional at all). honest opinions please!
for honoring the parents, my officiant suggested doing the thing where we give roses to our moms at some point as a thank you. i like the idea behind it but of course i want to change it up.. haha. she had an idea that a previous bride did - she took little strips of paper and wrote little messages of thanks and love and appreciation on them, and folded them into little origami things (i dont know what she did, but id maybe do the cranes or the cute little stars) and fill a mason jar with them. you then give the jar to them at teh ceremony and they are to open the jar every year on this day and read a note to remember how much we love and care for them. i like this idea cause it wont die like a rose and be with them longer! thoughts?
thanks so much!