“Beth and Kim, as a demonstration of your love and support of this marriage, will you now step up to the altar and light candles representing the separate families and family histories that are also today to be joined together as one?

Bride and Groom’s mothers come behind the altar and light the tapers representing their family then return to their seats

Michelle and Alex, will you now come to the altar as Husband and Wife?

Bride and Groom step behind the altar

The flame that your mothers have lit for you represents more than their blessing alone. It also speaks of the spark of divinity that lives deep within you both. It is a reminder that in marriage it is your higher selves that you are promising to one another and the very best that you have to give always. From every human being there rises a light. When two souls destined for each other, find one another, their streams of light flow together and a single brighter light goes forth from the united being. These two candles are symbolic of separate people in their own right.

Bride and Groom pick up their tapers

By the joining of two candles into one…

Bride and Groom light the center candle

…this symbolizes the strength and the unity of two joining together to become one, depicting Michelle and Alex’s belief that together they can become greater than each could be alone.

Bride and Groom place the tapers back in their holders

Prior to this moment you each walked a separate path. Now as this Unity Candle symbolizes, you embark together on a shared path. Yet the journey is not your alone, for you have already been blessed with three beautiful children, and it is the strength of your love that shall nourish you all together as a family. Joshua, Sandy and Kyle will you join us in lighting the Family candle?

Children step up to the altar and together with their parents, they light ‘The Family Candle’ the shorter pillar that sits in front of the Unity Candle. Leaving the tapers lit they encircle the two center pillars as a sign of support and individuality within the unity of family

The past the present and the future are all here, in glowing tribute, as a reminder that there is nothing more sacred than the bond that you all share as a family.”

(If not including all 3 generations then we just edit to what works)