ROSE CEREMONY, includes the Mothers --Red Roses

It is my privilege and pleasure to be the first to address you as husband and wife, which you now are, and to present you with your first gift as a married couple.  

 

(Hand roses) In the language of flowers the RED ROSE is the symbol of Love, and my gift to you is the gift of Love.  Will you please exchange the red roses? (Exchange roses) You have given to each other your first gift, which is of course the Gift of Love.

 

I understand you wish to share your gift today with the special people in your lives. Who are your mothers?      [ pause}]

 

It would be my hope that where ever you may make your home, that there would be a specially appointed place in it for Red Roses, and that on each succeeding anniversary of this occasion you celebrate it at least in part, by each of you bringing to that appointed place a red rose as a restatement of Love and Commitment to the vows which you have made this day.

 

And, in every marriage, it is occasionally difficult to find words to resolve certain of the issues which may arise.  If and when such issues might come to your marriage, if either of you will remember and bring to the appointed place, a Red Rose, the other will see it and understand it as a statement of Love, and accept it because Love Makes everything all right.

For Love truly is all there is!

And so it is.

 

 

Pink Roses

 

Minister:  As a representative of the church and these friends and family present, I present you with your first gifts as a married couple.

Roses are the classic symbol of love.  In the language of romance it is the rose that most represents the love between a man and a woman.  The color pink is the perfect interpenetration of the red of human passion and the pure white of spirit.

It is realistic to acknowledge that there will be times in the ebb and flow of life when there will be misunderstandings and the emotion of anger will arise.  There will be times of great disturbance or distance between you.  To acknowledge, and to prepare for, these times is to take away their power.  Take these roses into your new home and create a place for them there.  Let that place be forever acknowledged as the symbol of the true power of your marriage, the power of love-Love to  overcome all differences, Love which conquers the greatest anger, Love which spans all distances.

Whenever it needs to be said, and the words just won't come, either of you may place a pink rose in the place you create today to say, simply, "I love you".  Not necessarily, "I am wrong", just, "I love you."

 

 

Rose Ceremony 2

 

It is now my privilege to be the first to address you as husband and wife,

And to present you with your first gift as a married couple.

 

I invite you to find a mutually agreed upon place in your home to put a vase for roses such as these.  Perhaps these two can be the first in the vase, joined together in the common bond of love that has drawn you here today.

 

The symbol of the rose is Three-fold.

 

First, it symbolizes life and beauty that can only be wrought by the hand of god.

 

Second, it symbolizes love flowering in all its glory while giving itself to all, but demanding from none.

 

Third, it symbolizes forgiveness--for the rose will leave its fragrance, even on the foot that treads upon it.

 

The elements of all these symbols have been mentioned or deeply implied in this ceremony.  Let roses always remind you of them.

 

The purpose of the vase being it its special place is twofold.  It will Serve as a receptacle for the placement of two roses on each wedding Anniversary, a time when you can reflect in depth on what you have participated in here today--and renew your vows of marriage.

 

And, there are times in life when things happen which wound or hurt--times when words of love cannot be easily expressed...though the heart yearns to speak them.  In those times, if either of you will remember, and bring to the Appointed spot, a rose and, place it in the vase and let it speak for you.  It can say in a wonderful way.. "I forgive" or "forgive me” or "I love you".

 Forgiveness and love make things right.