Wedding Unity Ceremony Songs (Candle, Sand, Rope)

Updated March 14, 2024 | Author: Matthew Campbell

The wedding unity ceremony is a symbol of two people joining as one. Two families unite. Two souls unite. The event takes place during the wedding ceremony after the wedding couple exchanges their vows.

unity ceremony songs

When picking out the song for the unity ceremony, you must consider the following 3 factors:

  1. Does the song have a special meaning to both of you?
  2. Does the tempo of the song (fast or slow) match the mood of your ceremony?
  3. Does the song’s genre and meaning match your music tastes and relationship?

As an experienced wedding DJ, I’ve assembled a list of songs for the unity ceremony. Songs are selected by the meaning of the song and popular hits by today’s couples. Besides new and trending, additional lists are grouped by genre to match your taste in music.

Top Songs to Celebrate a Marriage Unity

“Canon in D” by Brooklyn Duo

(Pop – 2020)

With more than 92 million views on YouTube, this piano and cello duet is an instrumental cover of one of the most popular wedding songs of all time behind the “Wedding March”.

“One + One” by Lawson Bates feat. Olivia Collingsworth

(Country – 2019)

If you are looking for a religious song for your unity ceremony, listen to this song as it describes a couple joining together with God.

“Hand in Hand” by David Arkenstone

(New Age – 2018)

This Celtic gem fits perfectly into any wedding ceremony.  It can be used not only for the unity candle lighting but also for the rope ceremony or sand ceremony.

“Air on a G String” by Hauser

(Classical – 2020)

Hauser is a cellist and a member of 2Cellos.  He broke out on his own on this widely popular instrumental wedding song.

“No Matter Where You Are (Wedding Version)” by Us The Duo

(Pop – 2020)

Even though they did not win the season they were on America’s Got Talent, this song will win over your heart.

“I Would, I Could, I Do (Duet)” by Treela

(Pop – 2019)

This song is not by a superstar singer but this beautiful song has the perfect message for a message of unity during a wedding ceremony.

“Take My Hand (The Wedding Song)” by Emily Hackett feat. Will Anderson

(Singer-Songwriter – 2014)

This is a great love song in the singer-songwriter category. The song is a heartfelt ballad that speaks to the commitment and love between two people as they embark on the journey of marriage.

 

New Unity Ceremony Songs

“Love One Another” by Paul Cardall

(Classical – 2023)

It’s a beautiful piano piece by a renowned artist, creating a peaceful and romantic atmosphere. The title itself conveys the essence of your commitment, and the song’s uplifting melody underscores the joy of your union.

“Stumble Together” by Matt Bednarsky

(Folk – 2023)

The heartfelt lyrics speak to the journey of love, emphasizing the beauty of imperfection and the strength found in unity. The track is gentle yet uplifting, creating a warm and intimate atmosphere that’s ideal for such a significant moment in your wedding ceremony. With its blend of acoustic guitar and soothing vocals, this song captures the essence of companionship and the idea of facing life’s challenges hand in hand.

“Your Hands” by Mae Estes

(Country – 2022)

A poignant choice for your unity ceremony. Its tender lyrics and soothing melody encapsulate the essence of love and commitment, making it a perfect accompaniment to this heartfelt moment. The song’s focus on the intertwining of hands symbolizes unity, support, and the promise to journey through life together, which aligns perfectly with the significance of the unity ceremony.

“Hand in Hand” by Thad Fiscella

(New Age – 2022)

This instrumental piece evokes a sense of harmony, togetherness, and unwavering commitment. Its gentle piano melodies intertwine gracefully, mirroring the bond between you and your partner as you join your lives together. The song’s serene and uplifting atmosphere sets the perfect backdrop for this significant moment, symbolizing the unity and solidarity of your partnership.

“Infinity (Piano Version)” by Flying Fingers

(New Age – 2022)

“Infinity (Piano Version)” offers a captivating blend of elegance and emotion, making it an ideal choice for your unity ceremony. The delicate piano melodies effortlessly convey a sense of timeless love and boundless commitment, perfectly complementing the significance of this moment in your wedding ceremony. The song’s tranquil yet stirring arrangement creates a serene atmosphere, allowing you and your partner to focus on the profound symbolism of unity and partnership.

“Last Love” by Jon Mullins

(Pop – 2022)

“Last Love” is a beautiful choice for a unity ceremony. It captures the feeling of everlasting love, with lyrics about holding onto precious moments and the enduring connection between two souls. The song’s sentimental tone would perfectly complement the vows and create a touching atmosphere for your special moment.

“Lover of Mine” by Louyah

(Singer-Songwriter – 2022)

“Lover of Mine” emphasizes the supportive and committed nature of love. The lyrics speak of giving each other the love you deserve, overcoming challenges together, and finding strength in the bond. This message aligns perfectly with the vows and the sentiment of two becoming one.

“Our Forever” by Spencer Crandall

(Country – 2022)

“Our Forever” is an enchanting song that beautifully encapsulates the essence of everlasting love and commitment, making it a perfect accompaniment to this meaningful moment in your wedding ceremony. With its tender lyrics and stirring melody, “Our Forever” celebrates the journey of love and the promise of a lifelong partnership.

“Always Be Yours” by Scott Drury

(Christian – 2022)

The lyrics express a strong commitment to love “for better or for worse” and a promise to “always be yours.” This aligns perfectly with the sentiments typically shared during the unity ritual. While traditional love songs are lovely, “Always Be Yours” offers a unique selection that can add a personal touch to the ceremony.

“Chance of a Lifetime (The Proposal)” by Cory Singer

(Pop – 2022)

“Chance of a Lifetime (The Proposal)” is a captivating choice for your unity ceremony, infusing the moment with a sense of romance and destiny. The song’s tender lyrics and melodic composition capture the essence of seizing the opportunity for everlasting love and commitment. Its gentle yet uplifting vibe sets a serene and enchanting atmosphere, perfect for celebrating the union of two souls.

“If I Didn’t Love You” by Ben Abraham

(Alternative – 2022)

The lyrics explore the profound impact of love, reflecting on how it shapes and grounds you. It’s a beautiful sentiment for a couple committing to each other. The gentle guitar and vocals create a calming atmosphere, perfect for a meaningful ceremony moment.

 

Popular Unity Ceremony Songs List

  • A Page Is Turned – Bebo Norman
  • A Thousand Years – Christina Perri
  • Air on a G String – Hauser
  • All Because of You – O.A.R.
  • All My Life – SAILR
  • All Of Me – Daniel Jang
  • All You Need Is Love – The Beatles
  • All Your’n – Tyler Childers
  • Always and Forever – Heatwave
  • Always Be Yours – Scott Drury
  • Amazing Grace – Lari White
  • Anything – JJ Heller
  • Ave Maria – Beyonce
  • Ave Maria – Luciano Pavarotti
  • Before You – Fortunate Ones
  • Believe in Love – Charlie Worsham
  • Better Half – JJ Heller
  • By My Side – Ben Harper
  • Canon in D – Brooklyn Duo
  • Chance of a Lifetime (The Proposal) – Cory Singer
  • Compass (Cinematic Version) – Analog Heart
  • Could I Love You Any More – Reneé Dominique feat. Jason Mraz
  • Faithful Friend – Twila Paris & Steven Curtis Chapman
  • Faithfully – Brian McKnight
  • Fall for You – Leela James
  • Flesh Of My Flesh – Leon Patillo
  • For a Lifetime – Ryann Darling feat. Cory Ard
  • For You – Kenny Lattimore
  • Forever From Now – Sheffield
  • From This Moment On – Shania Twain & Bryan White
  • Giving It All (To You) – Haley & Michaels
  • Greatest Love Story – LANCo
  • Guiding Light – Foy Vance feat. Ed Sheeran
  • Hallelujah – Alison Sparrow
  • Hand in Hand – David Arkenstone
  • Hand in Hand – Thad Fiscella
  • Happily Ever After – Case
  • Here, Right Now – Joshua Radin
  • Hold Us Tight (Acoustic) – The Macarons Project
  • I Am Yours – Andy Grammer
  • I Belong to You – Jacob Lee
  • I Choose You – Sara Bareilles
  • I Choose You (Acoustic) – Kiana Ledé
  • I Chose You – Caleb Edens
  • I Could Never Love You Enough – Brian McComas
  • I Do – Casi Joy
  • I Do – Monique Melendez, Byron Addison
  • I Found A Love (Live at Levon Helm Studios) – José James, Taali
  • I Get to Love You – Ruelle
  • I Will Spend My Whole Life Loving You – Imaginary Future & Kina Grannis
  • I Would, I Could, I Do (Duet) – Treela
  • I’ve Made Up My Mind to Give Myself to You – Bob Dylan
  • If I Didn’t Love You – Ben Abraham
  • If I Know You – Justine Chantale
  • If It Were Up To Me – Johnny and Heidi
  • Infinity (Piano Version) – Flying Fingers
  • Inseparable – Natalie Cole
  • Just the Way You Are – The Piano Guys
  • Last Love – Jon Mullins
  • Love Someone – Lukas Graham
  • Lover of Mine – Louyah
  • Make You Feel My Love – Blessing Offor, Bob Lanzetti
  • Make You Feel My Love (Acoustic Instrumental) – Casper Esmann
  • Make You Mine – Meg Ammons
  • Marry Me – Martina McBride and Pat Monahan
  • My Word – Derran Day
  • Never Stop (Wedding Version) – SafetySuit
  • No Matter Where You Are (Wedding Version) – Us The Duo
  • Nothing Lost – The Alternate Routes
  • One + One – Lawson Bates feat. Olivia Collingsworth
  • One Flame – Amber Norgaard
  • One Hand, One Heart – O’Neill Brothers Group
  • Our Forever – Spencer Crandall
  • Promise To Love Her – Blane Howard
  • Ritual – Chadwick Johnson
  • Sent From Heaven – Rahsaan Patterson
  • Sing Me a Song – William Prince, Serena Ryder
  • Songbird – Rita Wilson, Josh Groban
  • Take My Hand (The Wedding Song) – Emily Hackett feat. Will Anderson
  • The One – Kodaline
  • The Only One – Music Travel Love
  • The Prayer – Charlotte Church & Josh Groban
  • The Wedding Song – Matthew Mole
  • Today I Do – Tamia
  • Touching Heaven – JOHNNYSWIM
  • Two Becoming One – Jonathan and Emily Martin
  • Wedding Song (There Is Love) – Peter, Paul & Mary / Noel Paul Stookey
  • When I Said I Do – Clint Black and Lisa Hartman Black
  • When I Say I Do – Matthew West
  • When You Love Someone – Bryan Adams
  • When You Married Me – Andrew Brien
  • When You Say Nothing At All – Alison Krauss
  • When You Say Nothing At All – Ronan Keating
  • Wherever Time Goes – Jake Hoot
  • Worth It – Ryan Cabrera
  • Yours – Ella Henderson
  • Yours – Russell Dickerson
  • Yours, Mine & Ours – Teresa James & David Chamberlin

Snag music ideas you’ll actually want to play

Every Wednesday morning, you’ll get song ideas to create an epic wedding playlist. You may unsubscribe at any time.
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Do you have a favorite unity ceremony song for weddings? Please share your song below in the comments.

 

FAQs

The Unity Ceremony isn’t just about the wedding couple. When you marry, you also join families. A great way to involve your parents or grandparents is to have them light the candle for the bride and groom. It’s up to the wedding couple whether or not to extinguish their individual flames are left lit.

If you choose to honor your extended friends instead of the biological family, the best man and maid of honor can step in. It’s definitely up to you as the wedding couple.

This also works brilliantly in same-sex ceremonies. There is no gender-specific role. It’s about togetherness. One side lights each of their candles and passes that candle to the wedding couple. Their individual flames become one flame. It’s symbolic. It’s beautiful. It’s a tear-jerker. This is why choosing the right song for this part of the wedding ceremony is key.

Unity candles are a big business for candle companies. They come in all sorts of sizes and colors. For the do-it-yourself bride and groom, they can buy a standard candle. Then, the candle can be decorated in your wedding colors with ribbon, beads, and whatever suits your fancy. Unity candles can be purchased as a single candle or in a candelabra setting with a single tapered candle on each side of the official unity candle.

This ceremony isn’t long. So be aware of the time. If you choose to not have others participate, it will be even shorter. Talk to your wedding coordinator and professional DJ for great suggestions. The last thing you want to do is stand there awkwardly thinking, “I didn’t realize the guitar solo was so long in this song.”

Traditional wedding Unity Candle songs celebrate the union of the bride and groom. Bridal couples can select romantic pop songs “I Was Meant To Be With You” by Diamond Rio, “True Companion” by Marc Cohn, and “Give Me Forever (I Do)” by John Tesh. Bridal couples can also select instrumental songs perfect for church weddings like “Wedding Song” by Kenny G. Since the candles are being lit, a theme-appropriate song would be “You Light Up My Life” by Debby Boone.

An alternative to the unity candle songs ceremony is the unity sand ceremony. The sand ceremony is perfect for venues that don’t allow candles, non-religious ceremonies, and ceremonies on the beach — of course!

The unity sand ceremony can be done after the vows are read as the unity candle ceremony would be. Alternatively, it can be done during the vows — especially if you write your own. The sand ceremony uses multiple sand colors to fill a single glass container such as a vase. The bride and groom take turns filling a glass vase — also known as the unity vase. The sand colors can be coordinated with the bridal couple’s wedding colors. The same unity candle songs below are also fitting for the sand ceremony. (Just don’t pick “Dust in the Wind.”)

Why trust Matthew Campbell?

DJ, Author, Music Lover

matt

Matthew (Matt) Campbell is the founder/editor of My Wedding Songs from his experience as a wedding DJ. He is the author of two wedding planners: ‘Wedding Songs Planner’ and ‘The Wedding Music Toolkit’. Matt is the host of the ‘Wedding Songs Podcast’. He shares music inspiration in his weekly newsletter the ‘Wedding MusicLetter’. His articles have been published on Rolling Stone, DJ Life Magazine, and DJ Times. Matt resides in the wedding capital of the world – Las Vegas.

0 0 votes
Article Rating
guest
2 Comments
Newest
Oldest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Teena
Teena
8 years ago

Question can more than one unity ceremony be done at a wedding???

My Wedding Songs
My Wedding Songs
8 years ago
Reply to  Teena

Hi Teena. Absolutely. We have seen weddings with multiple events at a wedding celebrating two coming together as one such as the sand ceremony, unity candle ceremony, wedding rope ceremony, jumping the broom and more. It’s your wedding and do what makes you happy!

Fatims
Fatims
8 years ago

My daughter is getting married in the Fall in the mountains. Candles for the unity ceremony Wong work since its outdoors and may be windy. I’m thinking the sand unity is more for weddings at the beach. Any suggestions for a unity ceremony in the mountains?

My Wedding Songs
My Wedding Songs
8 years ago
Reply to  Fatims

Hi Fatims. Most of our unity candle songs will also be great for the sand ceremony as well. Just skip the songs with candle in the title of course.