Need a unique unity ceremony? These 6 chemistry ceremonies show off your chemistry at the altar

When there's real chemistry between you and your partner, you could choose to convey that idea with a lovely poem or a tear-jerking song… But here's a unique unity ceremony idea: chemistry demonstrations! There's nothing like slipping on some safety goggles and rubber gloves before combining a few chemicals to symbolize unity and dazzle your guests.

Here are some of our favorite wedding chemistry demonstrations.

Break the glass in a new way

It's traditional in Jewish ceremonies to break a glass underfoot. While there are many layers of symbolism involved, one of the meanings is the recognition that human relationships can be as fragile as glass, but the determination that the wedding will last.

This tradition inspired one science-minded couple to experiment with a showy demonstration called Prince Rupert's Drops. Drop melted glass into cold water, and it will form into a teardrop-shaped piece of glass that you can't break with a hammer. Snap off the narrow end of the teardrop, though, and it will explode into tiny bits of glass.

Obviously, you need to get some help with this one to make sure everyone stays safe. But it's very beautiful and dramatic. Click through to see a video… with a total explanation of the science behind it.

Elephant toothpaste jazzes up the ceremony

A flashy demonstration known as Elephant's Toothpaste shows how ordinary things you can find in the average kitchen or bathroom can combine to make something awe-inspiring. It also shows how you and your partner combine to become something more awesome than you could ever be on your own.

You'll combine dish soap, water, hydrogen peroxide, food coloring, and yeast into two solutions. When it's time for the unity ceremony, put the two solutions together into one… and stand back. The chemical reaction makes a new substance that looks like toothpaste for elephants. Click through to see a video.

How two become one

A familiar easy science experiment shows how two become one and cannot be separated again — a very visual unity ceremony. Plus, you can use your theme colors.

You might remember this one from school. Baking soda and vinegar mixed together create something that looks a lot like a volcanic eruption. Your love is just as explosive, right? Add food coloring for extra drama.

The bride explained it in a romantic note the officiant read out: “Regardless of whatever we try to do we can never again separate the baking soda and vinegar because they are no longer in the beaker, they have come together never to be separate again.”

Glow stick science

Use glow sticks in a chemistry unity experiment and get the glow as well as the symbolism. It turns out that a bunch of glow sticks cost less than the varied chemicals you'd need to get the chemical reaction that brings on the glow. Create your unique unity ceremony and the light will last through the evening.

Surprise your guests

The guests at this wedding thought they were seeing two flasks of water mingled to show the fluidity of love — till a dramatic color change signaled the real message: things are not always as they seem, so we should all be open to surprises.

Other surprises at this wedding included a kid parade, a Discworld cake (from Terry Pratchett's series of fantasy novels), and traditional ceilidh dancing. Click through to see it all!

Science lab or cocktail shaker?

Maybe you want a delicious unity cocktail instead of a flashy chemical reaction. Steampunk laboratory decor brings the perfect level of drama.

This wedding didn't include a dramatic chemical reaction, but mixing the unity cocktail in lab ware gave it the look and created a unique unity ceremony. Click through to see the fabulous steampunk decor.