On your special day, when you are celebrating the combining of your lives together, you may want a special ritual to symbolize your new unity. Many couples opt for the Unity Candle, which has become very common in recent years.

But here is another idea, which would be perfect for a garden, park, or beach wedding: Have a sand ceremony.

The ceremony is very simple, and very beautiful. Get three nicely shaped clear glass bowls or vases. Buy either black and white sand or two other complementary colors, perhaps those you are using in your wedding. (Colored sand is readily available at craft stores, garden shops, and stores which sell aquariums.) Set the bowls or vases side by side. The groom then pours one color of sand into one of the vessels, while the bride pours the other color into another one. Then, together, they pour sand into the center bowl, creating a beautiful design. The side bowls or vases can then be filled with flowers or topped with colored stones and become part of the reception decoration, while the center container becomes a wonderful keepsake for the bride and groom.

For ceremonies in which either the bride or groom or both have children, the children can also be given bowls of colored sand, which they may add to the center vessel along with that of the bride and groom.

I hope this lovely, inexpensive ceremony can add an extra touch of sweetness to your day.

Rhetta Akamatsu is a wedding planner, independent travel agent, and freelance writer in Marietta, GA. She is the owner of Rose and Star Wedding Planning. Please visit the Rose and Star website at http://www.roseandstar.com for more information, articles, and advice.