18 Non-Traditional Unity Ceremony Ideas For A Special Day

Unity ceremonies are an important part of a wedding day! Once the couple is brought together a symbolic gesture or ritual of unity is then undertaken in front of the guests. If you want a ceremony as unique as your marriage then how about some non-traditional unity ceremony ideas to get you started? We at Peerspace love thinking up event ideas to help you celebrate in style. So here are a few of our favorite non-traditional unity ceremony ideas for a special day!

1. Water a young tree

Trees have held symbolic meaning for cultures throughout time. Buy a young tree and water it together as a non-traditional unity ceremony idea. You then bring the tree home and plant it in your yard, a nearby park, or another space where you can watch it grow along with your relationship.  

2. Have a log-cutting ceremony

Log-cutting at your wedding might not seem like an actual thing but it’s a genuine German tradition that has deep symbolic meaning! The idea is that you’re taking on your first task together as a married couple. Using a large saw to cut a log in half takes teamwork and effort; not to mention it’s memorable for everyone attending!

Log-cutting ceremonies are a perfect fit for a rustic wedding venue, something Peerspace has hundreds of. Take your wedding ceremony out into the countryside with a log cabin event venue in Cripple Creek, CO. Cut a log, have a fire pit, and enjoy the mountain views with your new spouse and guests!

3. Release wish lanterns

Make your dreams as visual as possible by releasing them into the sky via wish lanterns! The more guests you’ve invited the greater the beauty will be. Each guest should light their own lantern while thinking of the many well wishes they have for the newlyweds. The lanterns are then released into the sky all at once for a spectacular night display of unity!

4. Create an anniversary capsule

Time capsules are as fun to make as they are to uncover in a few years or decades. Add a few notes on your thoughts, fears, and joys. Include your favorite songs, meaningful bits of clothing, letters from friends and family, and anything else that has meaning to you now into the time capsule. Then you bury, hide, or store it in the basement, attic, or other space until a specific date. Couples typically choose their 5, 10, or 20-year anniversary to open it. On each anniversary, you can even repeat the process for the next significant milestone!

Check out our favorite 10th-anniversary ideas for more special ways to commemorate your romance as it grows and deepens over the years.

5. Warm the rings

Warming the rings is one of our favorite non-traditional unity ceremony ideas for more intimate celebrations, like a micro-wedding. First, you need to place the wedding rings in a small box. The officiant gives the wedding rings to one of the guests and asks them to hold it while imbuing it with warmth and well wishes for the newlyweds. The ring then gets passed on to everyone attending before finally making it onto the fingers of the couple! 

6. Stefana crown unity ceremony

Stefana crowns are an elaborate accessory to a traditional Greek wedding that both the bride and groom wear. You can wear silver and gold crowns for a modern take or use flower crowns as done in the old days. Each material and plant used in a stefana crown has its own symbolic meaning as well, so choose carefully! 

7. Wash each other’s feet

This traditional Christian ceremony has a lot of meaning and is easy to incorporate into a wedding regardless of your faith or beliefs. The idea is that you’re seeing the other as an equal. Foot washing reminds us to be humble, loving, loyal, and devoted towards our life partner. You can even imbue the water with flowers, herbs, and oils for a truly Biblical experience. 

8. Pot or plant a succulent together

Tree planting has loads of symbolic meaning but caring for one can be a big commitment. Succulents are a lot more durable, way smaller, and easy to care for as well! Succulents live for decades as well, making them an easy symbolic plant to care for, no matter how small your living space is.

9. Handfasting unity ceremony

Unity ceremonies don’t get much more literal than tying your hands together! This is a traditionally Irish and Scottish ritual that can be incorporated into any wedding, no matter your heritage. By tying yourselves together you are symboling the start of a new union and its endurance through time!

10. Unity tea ceremony

Unity tea ceremonies are a traditional Chinese celebration that symbolizes the union of both families. The bride and groom brew two pots of tea together and then pour some into a single cup. The tea is then served to the parents and in-laws of the family in a private ceremony. Other people may prefer to use coffee, wine, or other beverages instead!

11. Light a candle together

Candles have deep symbolic meaning and are easy to incorporate into a unity ceremony. The most common way is to have the newlyweds take two smaller candles and light a larger one together. But you can include parents, friends, and other loved ones by having them light the main candles using even smaller candles for the bride and groom to then use for the final larger candle!

12. Bonfire unity ceremony

If a unity candle is too small to symbolize the intensity of your union, how about a bonfire instead? The newlyweds can take a couple of lit twigs or logs and place them inside a wood pile that’s primed to burn! The bonfire you light can then be enjoyed with family and friends. Toast some marshmallows, make smores, and enjoy an evening together with music and dancing around the unity fire!

13. Take a shot together

You will be celebrating a lot of firsts as a couple so why not make the first couple’s shot a part of the celebration? You can choose something with a particular meaning, like the tequila you shared on your first date. Or you can choose a wine, beer, or other drink you both enjoy! Whatever has the most meaning and can be enjoyed in a relatively short time.

Our unique outdoor wedding ideas on a budget allow you to celebrate your union in nature without breaking the bank. Check them out!

14. Jump the broom

In the USA, jumping the broom is traditionally celebrated by Black couples but you’ll find similar practices in cultures around the world. The meaning you give the ritual depends on your culture but it can include everything from beginning your relationship with a clean slate to celebrating the union of feminine and masculine energies! 

15. Give guests blessing stones to hold

A basket or box of stones at the front of the venue is the start of one of our favorite non-traditional unity ceremonies: blessing stones! You’ll want a little sign (or person) to explain the significance here: each guest takes a stone with them into the chapel and holds it during the ceremony. They then add their own blessings and well wishes while holding the stone. Eventually, each stone gets collected for the final ritual, which might be returning them to the beach or displaying the stones inside of a vase at the home of the newlyweds. 

If your wedding venue has a stream or mountain trail to explore then you have even more possibilities for the blessing stones. Peerspace has wedding venues like this country ranch in West Point, CA, where you have easy access to the wilderness for finalizing your unity ceremony!

16. Unity DIY crafts

Are you an artistic couple who wants to honor that side of your relationship with a non-traditional unity ceremony? Make a painting, sculpt a piece of pottery, or write some spontaneous poetry to share as a celebration of unity! Visual arts like painting are some of our favorites since you can easily hang up the artwork in your home. 

17. Barrel a whiskey together

Lovers of fine spirits should think about incorporating this unity ceremony into their upcoming wedding! It is similar to the tea unity ceremony except you’ll be serving the whiskey to each other in a few months. Simply pour two different whiskeys into a single, personalized whiskey barrel. Seal it shut and revisit the whiskey at a future date!

18. Breaking the glass ceremony

Breaking the glass is a traditional Jewish way of celebrating unity that has more than one meaning. One interpretation is that you are honoring your lifelong commitment despite the imperfections and problems that life includes. They remind everyone that you’re going to have problems and that is entirely natural. Another interpretation is that you are wishing each other as much happiness together in years as it would take to reassemble the glass from the broken pieces! 

Non-traditional unity ceremony ideas: conclusion

From international traditions to artistically creative, our non-traditional unity ceremony ideas are as heartfelt as they are fun! We at Peerspace love being a part of people’s forever memories! And if we can help you plan a venue for your upcoming wedding and unity ceremony, start with a search for wedding venues near you! 

Find unique event spaces perfect for your unity ceremony on Peerspace