There are many rituals couples can choose from to personalize their wedding ceremony. Here is one that is not used too often but has great meaning. It is the “Rose Ceremony”
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)
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.
NOTE: Couples will give their “I love you” rose buds to the mothers as they walk out. For example, the groom would give his rose bud 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.” It works best if the giving of the rose buds to the mothers is a surprise.