FLOWER RITUALS
FOR A WEDDING CEREMONY
(addition)

Throughout this website you will find several ways of using flowers (especially roses) in your ceremony. In this section, we include several other ways of incorporating flowers into your ceremony.

Although some rituals can go almost anywhere in a ceremony, we offer some suggestions on where you might want to place them. For each ritual in this section, we suggest in which part of the ceremony it might occur (i.e. Preceding the start of the ceremony, in Part 1 - the Opening of the Ceremony, in Part 2 - Setting the Stage, in Part 3 - Consummating the Marriage, or in Part 4 - the Closing of the Ceremony) and if the ritual demands a very specific place, we'll indicate that also.

Rituals are elements you can add to the Classic Ceremonies. Please remember that you can use these selections "as is" or change the wording in whatever way you wish to better suit your ceremony. Also, at the bottom of the page we provide links to other selections from around the web. Feel free to visit and choose wording from those links as well.
FLOWER RITUALS PRECEDING THE OPENING OF THE CEREMONY: EXAMPLES
(FOR WEDDINGS WHERE A PARENT HAS RECENTLY PASSED AWAY)
1. [Have a single red rose placed in a vase on the Unity Candle table to symbolize the presence of the deceased parent]

FLOWER RITUALS in PART 1 - THE OPENING OF THE CEREMONY: EXAMPLES
(A TRADITIONAL RITUAL)
2. [Have the Flower Girl drop rose petals as she walks up the aisle]

(FOR A WEDDING WITH A RING BEARER, BUT NO FLOWER GIRL)
3. [Have the Ring Bearer process up the aisle holding a top hat. Fill the top hat with flower petals, and tie the wedding rings to the top hat with a ribbon (the ribbon can be black or the color of the wedding). He can throw the petals as he goes]

(FOR A WEDDING WITH A FLOWER GIRL BUT NO RING BEARER)
4. [Have the Flower Girl bring the rings up the aisle in a Calla Lily. (The Flower Girl will need to be old enough to manage this delicate task)]

FLOWER RITUALS in PART 2 - SETTING THE STAGE: EXAMPLES
(A FLOWER RITUAL INCLUDING THE GUESTS AND A BODY OF WATER - USUALLY STARTED WHEN THE BRIDE HANDS OFF HER BOUQUET SO SHE CAN HOLD HANDS WITH THE GROOM)
5. Now _________________ and __________________ will pass the bridal bouquet among friends and relatives, asking each of you to take one flower. [guests pass bouquet around each taking a flower as the ceremony continues]
Later, they invite you to cast your flower into the (brook, ocean, pond, lake, river, etc...) and offer a secret, silent wish for their present and future happiness. [the guests will usually do this at the end of the ceremony after the recessional]

FLOWER RITUALS in PART 3 - CONSUMMATING THE MARRIAGE: EXAMPLES
(FLOWER RITUAL - SPRING WEDDING)
6. It is only out of families that new families emerge. Now, ___________________ & ___________________ would like to celebrate a flower ceremony with their closest family, as the two families unite as one through their marriage. At this time, I ask the ___________________ & ___________________'s families to come up and place the flowers they are holding into these two separate vases.
[Family members place flowers in vases and return to their seats]
The flowers that were just placed here from both of your families symbolize your separate lives and your two individual families. ___________________ & ___________________, you come to this moment from these two families, and the new emerges from the old, the present from the past. Now, I ask that each of you take one of the flowers and together place them in the center vase...
[Bride and Groom take individual flowers and place them in the center vase]
The center vase with the flowers signify that your two lives are now joined as one, and represents the joining together of your two families as one. From now on your thoughts shall be for each other rather than for your individual selves. Your joys and sorrows shall be shared alike. Today a new family makes its beginning.

FLOWER RITUALS in PART 4 - THE CLOSING OF THE CEREMONY: EXAMPLES
(AS PART OF RECESSIONAL)
7. [Have yellow rose petals thrown before the Bride and Groom as they walk back down the aisle after being married]


FLOWER RITUALS: FROM AROUND THE WEB
Optional Ceremonies (scroll down about a quarter of the page)