Lighting the Unity Candle symbolizes the joining together or blending of separate lives. 

It represents the coming together of two families and the merging of two individuals into one married couple, a love that burns jointly.

The Unity Candle is an arrangement of three candles (the center candle sometimes being larger than the other two). The two side candles are lit either before the wedding ceremony begins or just before the Unity Candle ceremony.

The side candles can be lit by the bride and groom's parents on their respective sides of the altar, or the bride and groom can light their candles. 

This tradition is also a great way to include your children in your ceremony and blend a family, with the bride and groom and their children each lighting a candle and then together lighting the Unity Candle.

Lighting the Unity Candle normally takes place after the bride and groom exchange vows and rings.

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