6 Family Unity Candle Ceremony Ideas for Your Vow Renewal: Meaningful Ways to Include Your Children
Discover 6 unique family unity candle ceremony ideas for your vow renewal. Include your children in this symbolic moment with these heartfelt ideas.
Including your children in your vow renewal ceremony is a beautiful way to highlight the significance of family, love, and unity. A family unity candle ceremony allows you to celebrate not only your commitment to each other but also the unique contributions each family member brings to the union. It’s a heartfelt moment, full of symbolism, that unites everyone in the glow of shared love.
Here, we’ve gathered six creative and meaningful family unity candle ceremony ideas perfect for your vow renewal. Whether your children are toddlers or teens, these ceremonies are easily customizable, allowing you to blend traditions, personal elements, and meaningful rituals to create a family moment you’ll treasure forever.
1. Past and Future Theme
Symbolism: This ceremony symbolizes the continuity of your love through time—past, present, and future—and how your children are the embodiment of that love.
How It Works:
- Lighting the Individual Candles: Each spouse lights a candle to represent the flame of their individual spirits. Alternatively, parents of the couple can light the candles for them.
- Unity Candle: The couple jointly lights a white pillar candle, symbolizing the unity of their marriage. Years ago, this candle was lit during their wedding ceremony, and today, it represents the strength of their relationship.
- Children’s Candles: Each child steps forward to light their candle from the white unity candle, symbolizing the light that came from their union.
- Family Unity Candle: Finally, the family comes together to light the family unity candle, representing the sacred bond of family.
Blessing:
“May the light of love,
And the light of understanding,
And the light of respect,
And the light of tolerance,
Shine eternally for your family.”
Supplies Needed:
- One tall white taper candle for each parent
- One small white taper candle for each child
- One white pillar-style unity candle
- One family unity pillar candle in a color of your choice
- Secondary candelabra or candles to be lit by candle lighters at the beginning of the vow renewal ceremony
Customization Tip: Personalize the ceremony by including the exact number of years you’ve been married or by letting your children decorate the family unity candle with symbols that represent your family’s values.
2. Renewed Strength Theme
Symbolism: This theme emphasizes the strength of the family bond and the warmth and joy children bring into a marriage. It highlights how the family as a whole fuels the light of love.
How It Works:
- Lighting the Couple’s Candles: The couple lights individual candles symbolizing their own personal flames.
- Children’s Contribution: Each child lights a candle and uses it to light each parent’s candle, symbolizing how the children bring new warmth and strength to the marriage.
- New Unity Candle: The couple then lights a new unity candle with two wicks, representing the renewed strength of their love and marriage.
Blessing:
“May the light of your love shine bright and steady,
May its warmth keep you safe through all your days and beyond.”
Supplies Needed:
- Two individual tall white taper candles
- One small white taper candle for each child
- One pillar-style candle with two wicks for the new unity candle
- The couple’s original unity candle or another small candle that is pre-lit
Pro Tip: For a special touch, you can use the couple’s original wedding unity candle to relight your new family unity candle, bringing in a tangible connection between your wedding and vow renewal.
3. Actions Speak Louder Than Words Theme
Symbolism: This ceremony highlights the power of action in reinforcing the vows you make. It’s a reminder that words are powerful, but actions—like the lighting of the family unity candle—show the depth of your love and commitment.
How It Works:
- Symbolic Actions: As the ceremony proceeds, participants reflect on the actions taken (e.g., holding hands, exchanging vows) and how they demonstrate love.
- Family Unity Candle: Each family member takes their candle and, together, lights the larger family unity candle to symbolize that although they are individuals, they are united as a family.
Optional Religious Add-on: You may include a religious aspect, acknowledging that, while united as a family, each person retains their divine individuality.
Supplies Needed:
- One tall white taper candle for each parent
- One small white taper candle for each child
- One large pillar-style candle for the family
- Secondary candelabra or candles to be lit by candle lighters at the beginning of the vow renewal ceremony
Unique Tip: Incorporate family-specific “actions” that show love and support. For example, mention family traditions or activities that signify how you support one another daily.
4. Sanctity of Family Theme
Symbolism: This theme celebrates the sanctity and strength of the family unit. It symbolizes how each family member adds their light to the collective family spirit.
How It Works:
- Lighting Individual Candles: Each spouse lights their own candle to represent their individual selves.
- Lighting Children’s Candles: Together, the couple lights each child’s candle, symbolizing the creation of their family.
- Family Unity Candle: All family members use their candles to light the family unity candle, representing the strength of their bond as a family.
Blessing:
“May your family’s light be a beacon of love, warmth, and comfort, shining brightly through all the days of your lives.”
Supplies Needed:
- One tall white taper candle for each parent
- One small white taper candle for each child
- One large pillar-style family unity candle
- Secondary candelabra or candles to be lit by candle lighters at the beginning of the vow renewal ceremony
Pro Tip: You can personalize the family candle with your family name or an inscription of your wedding date to make it a lasting keepsake.
5. Individual Fires Theme
Symbolism: This theme acknowledges the individuality of each family member, while celebrating how, together, they create a brighter light as a unified family.
How It Works:
- Individual Candles: The couple first lights candles to represent their own individual selves.
- Children’s Candles: Each child steps forward to light their candle from the flames of their parents’ candles.
- Family Unity Candle: The entire family then comes together to light the family unity candle, leaving their individual candles burning to signify that, although united, each person remains unique.
Blessing:
“Though each of you shines as an individual, together you create the brightest light—one that guides you through even the darkest times.”
Supplies Needed:
- One tall white taper candle for each parent
- One small white taper candle for each child
- One large pillar-style family unity candle
- Secondary candelabra or candles to be lit by candle lighters at the beginning of the vow renewal ceremony
Unique Twist: Let the children write their own blessings or words of gratitude to share during this ceremony, making them feel even more connected to the moment.
6. Family – Commitment – Unity Theme
Symbolism: This ceremony highlights the three key elements of a strong family—love, commitment, and unity. The family unity candle represents the collective effort required to maintain these qualities.
How It Works:
- Family Commitment: Each family member lights a candle, symbolizing their individual contribution to the family’s unity.
- Unity Candle: Together, they light the family unity candle, representing the collective bond that keeps the family strong.
Blessing:
“May this flame remind you of the warmth and strength of your family, and may it guide you through every challenge and joy you encounter together.”
Supplies Needed:
- One tall white taper candle for each parent
- One small white taper candle for each child
- One large pillar-style family unity candle
- Secondary candelabra or candles to be lit by candle lighters at the beginning of the vow renewal ceremony
Customization Idea: Have each family member say a few words about what family means to them before lighting their candle.
Bonus: Acknowledgement of Children and Poem
To make the moment even more personal, take time to acknowledge the children by name and the role they play in the family’s journey. A poem can add an emotional and touching layer to the ceremony.
Poem: “What is a Family?” (Author Unknown)
“A family is …..
The sweetest feelings
The warmest hugs
Trust and togetherness
Unconditional love
The stories of our lives written on the same page
The nicest memories anyone has ever made
Treasured photos
Thankful tears
Hearts overflowing with all the years
Being there for one another
Supporting and caring
Understanding, Helping, Sharing
Walking life’s path together
And making the journey more beautiful because …..
We are a family…..And a family
is Love.”
This poem can be read after lighting the family unity candle to signify the strength of family bonds.
Bonus: Prayer
If your family is religious, a prayer can be a beautiful way to conclude your family unity candle ceremony. This prayer asks for guidance, protection, and continued love for the family.
Sample Prayers:
“God, we pray that you guide [Name and Name] as parents as they raise their children with love and respect. May their home be filled with light, joy, and strength, today and always. Amen.”
“God, we pray that you guide [Name and name] as parents as they raise and teach [child/children’s names] with love and respect; and that you protect this family and keep them always in your care. You have kindled in their hearts the fire of a divine love. Will you continue to keep it aflame upon the alter of their souls. Will you continue to make the inward aspirations of their hearts the outward reality of their home. And will you continue to make that home a place of light and truth, a place of beauty, a place of joy and happiness all the days of their lives. Amen.”
