Substitute any flower of your choice. This couple used sunflowers representing happiness, loyalty, longevity of their relationship, faith in each other, hope for the future and unconditional love.
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. For your first gift as a married couple, 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._________ and _____________, I would ask that where ever you make your home in the future - whether it be a large and elegant home - or a small and graceful one - 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 re-commitment to your marriage - and a re-commitment 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 who we most love. It is easiest to be most hurt by who we most love. It might be difficult some time to words to say "I am sorry" or "I forgive you"; "I need you" or "I am hurting". If this should happen, if you simply can not find these words, leave a rose at that spot which both of you have selected - for that rose than says 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, 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."
Four Rose Ceremony: This was given to me by another minister who said it was taken from Conversations With God, Book 3, by Neale Donald Walcsh. If anyone knows the author, please let me know so I can provide proper credit.
You have both told me it is your understanding that you are not marrying for reasons of security…
…that the only real security is not in owning or possessing, nor in being owned or possessed…
…not in demanding or expecting, and not even in hoping, that what you think you need in life will be supplied by the other…
…but rather, in knowing that everything you need in life…all the love, all the wisdom, all the insight, all the power, all the knowledge, all the understanding, all the nurturing, all the compassion, and all the strength…resides within you…
…and that you are not each marrying the other in hopes of getting these things, but in hopes of giving these gifts, that the other might have them in even greater abundance. Is that your understanding today? “It is.”
_______and _________, you have said to me it is your understanding you are not marrying as a means of in any way limiting, controlling, hindering, or restricting each other from any true expression and honest celebration of that which is the highest and best within you – including your love of life, your love of creativity, or any aspect of your being which genuinely represents you, and brings you joy. Is that still your understanding? “It is.”
Finally,_______and _________ you have said to me that you see marriage as providing opportunities……opportunities for growth, for full Self-expression, for lifting your lives to their highest potential, for healing every false thought or small idea you ever had about yourselves……and the union of your two souls……a journey through life with one you love as equal partners, sharing equally in the responsibilities inherent in any partnership, bearing equally what burdens there be, basking equally in the glories. Is that the vision you wish to enter into now? “It is.” Minister hands them the red roses
I now give you these red roses, symbolizing your individual understandings of these Earthly things; that you both know and agree how life will be with you in bodily form, and within the physical structure called marriage. Give these roses to each other as a symbol of your sharing of these agreements, understandings and partnership.Now I will give you each a white rose. Minister hands them the white roses
The white rose is a symbol of your larger understandings, of your spiritual nature and your spiritual truth. It stands for the purity of your Real and Highest Self, and of the purity of God’s love, which shines upon you today, and always.
_______and _________ today you asked each other to be partners, and husband and wife……you declared your intentions to give each other your deepest friendship and love……not only when your moments are high….but when they are low…not only when you remember clearly Who You Are……but when you forget…… Do you further announce…… before God and your family and friends, that it is your intention to be with each other forever, in a Partnership of the Soul…sharing all that is good within you…..with all those whose lives you touch. "Yes we do”.
Four Rose Ceremony including parents:
To include
parents, have an extra set of roses and add this to the end of
either ceremony:
The lives you touch
begin with your families of origin. Please share these roses now as
a symbol of your journey together and of your two families
blending. Couple walks to parents, kisses/hugs and hands them
roses.)
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Floriography or the language of flowers originated in the Victorian era. Tussie-Mussies, better known as nosegays or bouquets, were created to send emotional messages, reflected by the meanings of the flowers used in the bouquet. Using the historical meanings of flowers, we can describe the significance of the flowers in your bridal bouquet or the bouquet can be created as a Unity Ceremony. I currently have four ceremony options avialabe.
For example:
Hydrangea's message is "Thank you for understanding". The Calla
Lily brings blessings of beauty.Trust is the blessing brought to
you by freesia. The yellow rose brings blessings of joy and
friendship. The white rose has traditionally meant "I am worthy of
you" and brings blessing of purity and innocence. May you always be
blessed.
Jessica and
Amy of Jessica Mrva
Design
provided to floral meanings
and created the beautiful Blessing Bouquets shown on the
left.
This bride entered without flowers. Friends and family members presented the couple with flowers as I read a poem describing each flower's blessings. The Maid of Honor bound the flowers with ribbons, creating the bride’s bouquet for the recessional.
