Wedding Rose Ceremony

So what is a wedding rose ceremony?

A rose exchange ritual is a beautiful way for a couple to say “I love you”. It will also be the first gift you are exchanging as a married couple symbolising your true love.

Another rose ritual is the exchange of roses between the couple and their mothers or parents. The couple gives a single rose to each mother or parent as a token of gratitude, and as a symbol of eternal love.

A third rose exchange includes the couple and any family and friends the couple wishes to take part. This ritual symbolises the couple’s love for one another as well as the love and best wishes from family and friends.

Why have a wedding rose ceremony?

For generations roses, especially red ones, have captured the minds and hearts of lovers around the world. Each colour rose carries many meanings but the red rose is the one most given for romantic occasions as it symbolises passion, true love, romance, and desire, so the perfect flower to incorporate into your ceremony.

What colour rose to use?

When considering what colour rose to use for the rose ceremony look to the meaning of the rose colour that best suits what you wish to say. It could be appreciation, companionship, devotion, long life, peace, serenity, tolerance, compassion, humility, kindness, passion, trust, enjoyment, sharing, loyalty, reliability, understanding, wisdom, or love.

When involving family and friends they can have the same colour as you or you could give each a different colour rose.

Use the following rose colour meanings to help you to decide.

Meaning of rose colours.

Rose colours are known for having different meanings so are the perfect flower to choose to express feelings when words are not enough.

This is why the colour of the rose you select for your rose ceremony is so important.

The following are 8 different rose colour meanings that can help you decide the best colour for your rose ceremony.

Red 

Love, Romance, Passion, Beauty, Courage, Respect

Dark Pink

Appreciation, Gratitude, Affection, Delight

Soft Pink

Gentleness, Admiration, Joy, Grace, Sweetness

Lavender

Enchantment, Wonder, Love at first sight

Orange

Desire, Enthusiasm, Pride, Fascination

Yellow

Friendship, Joy, Caring, Congratulations

White

Purity, Innocence, Sincerity, Eternal, Reverence

Peach

Gratitude, Sincerity, Harmony, Peace

The 3 different rose ceremonies.

1) Couple’s Rose Exchange

In a rose ceremony, the couple gives each other a single rose. In the language of flowers, the red rose is a symbol of love, romance, and passion, and giving a red rose is a clear and unmistakable way of saying “I love you”

This ceremony is usually performed just after the rings are exchanged and before the couple is pronounced married.

Here is one example of the wording you could use for this rose exchange ceremony.

Celebrant: During your ceremony as a demonstration of your love and commitment to this marriage, you exchanged wedding rings. Now, as your first gift to each other as a married couple, you wish to give to one another a single red rose to say “I love you”.

(Exchange Roses)

_________ and _____________, I would ask that wherever you make your home you both select a special location for roses. On each wedding anniversary, you can both take a rose to that special spot in your home, symbolising your recommitment to your marriage and the love that your marriage is built upon.

And remember: In every marriage, there are times where it is difficult to find the right words. It might be difficult sometimes to say “I am sorry” or “I forgive you”; “I need you” or “I am hurting”.

If this should happen, if you simply can’t find the words to express what you really feel, go to the special spot you both selected and leave a single rose. This rose can then say what matters most of all “I still love you.” The other should accept this rose for the words which can not be found, and be reminded of the love and hope you both shared today, your wedding day.

2) Mother or Parents Rose Exchange 

This is just one example of the wording you could use for this rose exchange ceremony.

Celebrant: A wedding ceremony is the celebration of the couple but it is also the joining of two families who until today stood separate. Today as the couple unite in marriage so do these two families.

_________ and _____________, wish to honour this blending of families by presenting a rose to their mothers or parents, to thank them for their wisdom, support, and unconditional love that has been so freely given to them throughout their lives.

3) Family & Friends Rose Ritual

In the family and friends rose ritual, the couple hand out a single rose to each person they have chosen to be included in this ritual before the ceremony.

This is just one example of the wording you could use for a family and friend rose ritual.

Celebrant: I would like to ask that those who are holding a rose given to them by the couple to please come forward and place their rose together in a vase.

As each person adds their rose to the vase it is symbolising the love and wishes they want to share with the couple and their future together.

I would now like to present these two single roses to the couple.

_________ and _____________, before all of your family and friends please pass the rose you are holding to each other as the first gift you are exchanging as a married couple, to say “I love you”.

I would now ask if you could please place your roses in the vase along with the other roses that were placed by your family and friends.

_________ and _____________, you now have a perfect bouquet filled with love and wishes. As a reminder of this love on each wedding anniversary, you can both place a rose in the special location you have chosen in your home.

After Your Ceremony.

In your home find a special location for your roses, so that on each anniversary of your wedding, you can both place a rose in this special place as a recommitment to your marriage and to celebrate the love it was built on.

If you have times that are difficult and one or both of you can’t find the right words then place a rose in your special place.
For the words that can’t be found your rose will say them for you, ”I am sorry” or “I forgive you”; “I need you” or “I am hurting” but most of all this rose will say “I still love you”.
The other should accept this rose for the words which can not be found.

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