| The candle manufacturers, like any good | | | | Like Valentine's Day and any other candy coated |
| company, are never ones to turn down a new | | | | holiday that Hallmark invented, some even believe |
| trend. The advent of Unity Candles into | | | | it to be the result of a marketing guru within the |
| Protestant weddings some 30 or 40 years ago | | | | Candle making companies themselves thinking of |
| was just such a trend and today has become a | | | | new ways to spread their product. The truth may |
| booming business for the makers of all things | | | | never be known, but the history is entertaining |
| waxy and flammable. | | | | nonetheless. |
| The act itself is packed with symbolism, the | | | | Some will even point to a particular wedding on |
| creation of a tradition that involves the entirety | | | | General Hospital in 1981 in which the symbolic |
| of both the bride and groom's in-laws in the act | | | | lighting was performed, but there are records of |
| of joining in matrimony. The mothers of both the | | | | the Unity Candle being lit earlier than that in |
| Bride and Groom will light a candle, and depending | | | | Protestant ceremonies. The appearance of the |
| on just how symbolic said families are, the | | | | candle on a show like General Hospital no doubt |
| grandparents might light those candles for the | | | | didn't work towards curbing the newly created |
| mothers. The Bride and Groom will then take their | | | | tradition though. |
| freshly lit candles and light the unity candle, a | | | | As for the importance of the ceremony, it's a |
| single flame between them to symbolize their | | | | symbolic show of unity under God, but also under |
| union. It usually takes place after the vows are | | | | the eyes of two families coming together. The |
| completed. | | | | use of a unity candle is just one more way to |
| The origins of the unity candle are still fuzzy, as | | | | show visually how two people feel about each |
| no one will own up to the initial introduction of the | | | | other on the most important day of their |
| tradition. Born in America within the last 50 years | | | | relationship. The candle itself means nothing, it's |
| or so, some believe it to have sprouted from the | | | | the act with which it is lit, and that's more than a |
| Catholic Church, although the rite itself is not | | | | good reason why the origin itself isn't necessarily |
| permitted in Catholic weddings now as it's not part | | | | as important as the thought behind the act. |
| of the wedding Mass. | | | | |