Rose Ceremony For A Couple

Rose ceremony for bride and groom/partners

The Rose Ceremony is simple yet moving. The bride and groom exchange two roses, symbolizing the giving and receiving of their love for each other throughout their entire married life. The Rose Ceremony also conveys how to use the rose and its symbolism in difficult times in order to forgive each other.

You may choose to have the Officiant hand the bride and groom their roses, or the Officiant can invite the bride and grooms mothers up to give their children the roses.

All wording can be changed to fit your desires. Feel free to “mix and match” from each option if you like.

All ceremonies are easily changed to reflect Civil Unions, by changing a few words to Partners in life/Union etc.

All ceremonies can be changed to reflect vow renewal


The Rose Ceremony

Option 1 (Long version)

Officiant:

(Officiant hands each a red rose bud/or invites mothers to present the roses)

Your gift to each other for your wedding today has been your wedding rings - which shall always be an outward demonstration of your vows of love and respect; and a public showing of your commitment to each other. You now have what remains the most honorable title which may exist between a man and a woman - the title of "husband" and "wife. For your first gift as husband and wife, that gift will be a single rose.

In the past, the rose was considered a symbol of love and a single rose always meant only one thing - it meant the words "I love you. So it is appropriate that for your first gift - as husband and wife - that gift would be a single rose. Please exchange your first gift as husband and wife.

In some ways it seems like you have not done anything at all. Just a moment ago you were holding one small rose - and now you are holding one small rose. In some ways, a marriage ceremony is like this. In some ways, tomorrow is going to seem no different than yesterday. But in fact today, just now, you both have given and received one of the most valuable and precious gifts of life - one I hope you always remember - the gift of true and abiding love within the devotion of marriage.

I would ask that where ever you make your home in the future that you both pick one very special location for roses; so that on each anniversary of this truly wonderful occasion you both may take a rose to that spot both as a recommitment to your marriage - and a recommitment that THIS will be a marriage based upon love.

In every marriage there are times where it is difficult to find the right words. It is easiest to hurt those who we most love. It is easiest to be hurt by those who we most love. It might be difficult some time to be able to express the words "I am sorry" or "I forgive you" or "I need you" or "I am hurting". If this should happen, if you simply cannot find these words, leave a rose at that spot which both of you have selected - for that rose will say what matters most of all and should overpower all other things and all other words.

That rose says the words: "I still love you. The other should accept this rose for the words which cannot be found, and remember the love and hope that you both share today.

_____ and ___If there is anything you remember of this marriage ceremony, remember that it was love that brought you here today, it is only love which can make it a glorious union, and it is by love which your marriage shall endure.




Option 2 (shorter version with rose bud-)

Officiant:

Your first gift to each other for your wedding today has been your wedding rings - which shall always be an outward demonstration of your vows of love and respect and a public showing of your commitment to each other. In addition, you both have given and received one of the most valuable and precious gifts of life - one I hope you always remember - the gift of true and abiding love within the devotion of marriage.

You now have what remains the most honorable title that exists between a woman and a man - the title of "wife" and "husband” It is now my great privilege to be the first to address you as wife and husband and for your first gift as wife and husband, that gift will be a single red rose bud.

(Officiant hands each a red rose bud/or invites mothers to present the roses)

The rose is considered a symbol of love and a single rose always means only one thing - it means, "I love you." So it is appropriate that for your first gift - as wife and husband - that gift would be a single rose bud.



Please exchange the rose buds as your first gift to each other as wife and husband.

Within these rose buds, if given proper loving care, is the potential for an even more beautiful expression of Life and Love in the form of the mature flower. And so it is with your marriage. At this point your marriage is like these rose buds - ready, with proper loving care - to unfold into a very beautiful expression of life.

____________ and ____________, if there is anything you remember of this marriage ceremony, it is that it was love that brought you here today, it is only love which can make it a glorious union, and it is by love which your marriage shall endure. Whatever the situation, love, understanding, acceptance and forgiveness can make everything right.




Option 3 (short version with rose in bloom & wording repeated to each other )

Officiant:

After the exchanging of rings, your first gift to each other, as husband and wife, is a single rose. The rose is a symbol of love so it is appropriate that it is your first gift.

Please exchange your first gift as husband and wife. (GROOM GIVES A ROSE TO BRIDE.)
(Repeat after officiant these words)
GROOM: (Bride's name) I give you this rose as a symbol of my love. It began as a tiny, tightly closed bud and blossomed into this perfect rose that opened with the warmth of the sun, just as my love for you has grown in the warmth of your soul.

(BRIDE GIVES A ROSE TO GROOM.)

BRIDE: (Groom's name) I give you this rose as a symbol of my love. It began as a tiny, tightly closed bud and blossomed into this perfect rose that opened with the warmth of the sun, just as my love for you has grown in the warmth of your soul.

Officiant:

GROOM and BRIDE, in remembrance of this day, as a reaffirmation of your love and of the vows you have spoken here today please give each other a single red rose each year on your anniversary. In the best of marriages there are difficult times. There are times of hurtful words, times of neglect, times when we must wait patiently to be together again. Those may be times when the words you really need to speak are difficult. I ask that you remember this moment and that when words fail you, that you place a single rose on your spouse's pillow as a way to say, "I remember our vow," and "I love you". Let this exchanging of roses be the beginning of a lifelong tradition of unspoken love.


 
Option 4 (Another short version)

A single red rose always meant "I love you".

Your gift to each other for your wedding today has been your wedding rings - which shall always be an outward demonstration of your vows of love and respect; and a public showing of your commitment to each other.

But for your first gift as husband and wife I want you now to give each other the gift of a single rose. So please exchange your first gift as husband and wife; a gift of true and abiding love within the devotion of marriage.

Remember, the single rose says the words: "I love you".

There may be times filled with happiness, sorrow, tears or laughter, whatever it may be, remember love has given you wings; your journey begins today; ______ and ________, if there is anything you remember of this marriage ceremony, remember the love that brought you here today, it is only love which can make your marriage a glorious union, and it is by love that your marriage will endure.

NOTE: Some couples will give their roses to the mothers as they walk out. For example, the groom would give his rose to his new mother-in-law and the bride would give her rose to her new mother-in-law and say something like, "I'm happy to be a part of the family, etc."