Why is it that at weddings the mothers of the bride and groom light the unity candle?

Question

Why is it that at weddings the mothers of the bride and groom light the unity candle?

Answer 1

They don't light the unity candle, the bride and groom do.

Beside the unity candle, there are two taper candles. Each mother lights one, to represent your life with your family. Then during the ceremony, the bride and groom each take a taper candle and together light the unity candle to symbolize the joining of the two families and a new family beginning.

Answer 2

they each light a taper candle that symbolizes each of your lives because they gave you life. Then the two of you take each candle and light the unity candle which symbolizes your new life together.

Answer 3

Weddings symbolize the leave and cleave concept.  What are they "leaving and cleaving?"  They're leaving their families and now cleaving to one another.  

So, the mothers of the pair uniting light the separate candles, symbolizing the separate lives they brought into this world.

Once the bride and groom have said their vows to marry, they take their individual candles and together light their one unity candle, and extinguish their separate candles.

It's beautiful symbolism all around!

Hope it helps :o)

Answer 4

They're supposed to light the smaller candles that the bride and groom use to light the unity candle.

Answer 5

The mothers usually light the separate candles that the bride and groom use to light to unity candle.  It signifies that the families are united also, along with the bride and groom.

Answer 6

i suppose that it is partly something to give the mother's to do so they are 'a part' of the wedding...... also, i think having the mother's light the candle is a good symbolization of the starting of each family.. each mother lighting 'her' candle signifies the 'birth' of the family.... which obviously has to do with the mothers since they are the ones to give birth... I guess if you really wanted to get technical and argue that you also need dads to start a family, you can have your dads light the match so moms can light the candle! :)

I don't have any proof that this is the reason mother's do it.. just my own interpretation of the tradition and symbolism of it.

Answer 7

LOL!  I didn't even know they were supposed to untill about two weeks AFTER my wedding!  I guess because it symbolizes two families joing together.  At ours I lit a small one and my hubby lit a small one and we lit the big one together!