Including Children and Family Members
1. Include the Gift of a Rose.
After the exchange of wedding rings a gift of a rose is given to each of your children.
Spoken: "Not only are Bride and Groom creating a marriage today, but they also are forming a family with their children: (Each child is named).
As Bride and Groom have given each other a gift they also wish to show their children how much they love them with the gift of a rose."
You then take one rose at a time (each individually wrapped) and give it to each child one by one. Make sure that you both are holding the rose together as you give it to your children. You give each child a rose, a hug, a kiss and a soft "I love you". Make sure the roses are nearby.
2. Include the Gift of a Bracelet.
Spoken: "Not only are Bride and Groom creating a marriage today, but they also are forming a family with their children: (Each child is named)
The Bride and Groom have gifts for their children - as their wedding rings symbolize a reminder of how their love encircles them - these
bracelets are a reminder to (each child named) that they are also encircled in a communion of divine love as a member of this family."
You them give them each their bracelet, hug, a kiss and a soft "I love you".
3. Include a Sand Ceremony.
One large vessel, 2 smaller vessels for the bride and groom plus one additional vessel for each child. A different colored sand is needed for each person. The sand ceremony would take place after the exchange of wedding rings. It would go something like this:
"Bride and Groom, today you are making a life-long commitment to share the rest of your lives with each other. Your relationship will now be symbolized through the pouring of these individual containers of sand; one representing you (Bride), and all that you were, all that you are, and all that you will
ever be, one representing you (Groom), and all that you were, all that you are, and all that you will ever be.
There are also children who will also share in this marriage. They are (each child named). Each one of them will also pour an individual container of sand. The gathering of this new family is very emotional and important. The separate containers of sand represent your lives to
this moment; individual and unique. As you now combine your sand together, your lives also join together as one family.
Just as these grains of sand can never be separated and poured again into the individual containers, so will your marriage and your family be. You may now blend the sand together symbolizing the unity of this family".
At that point each of your children grab a vessel and pour in their said together, after they are done, the Bride and Groom pour their sand on top. Note: it looks better to me when the sand is poured together (not one at a time) so that you can see the blending (but its up to you). Make
sure to have a cover or a lid for the main vessel and to assign someone to take it for you after the ceremony.
1. Include the Gift of a Rose.
After the exchange of wedding rings a gift of a rose is given to each of your children.
Spoken: "Not only are Bride and Groom creating a marriage today, but they also are forming a family with their children: (Each child is named).
As Bride and Groom have given each other a gift they also wish to show their children how much they love them with the gift of a rose."
You then take one rose at a time (each individually wrapped) and give it to each child one by one. Make sure that you both are holding the rose together as you give it to your children. You give each child a rose, a hug, a kiss and a soft "I love you". Make sure the roses are nearby.
2. Include the Gift of a Bracelet.
Spoken: "Not only are Bride and Groom creating a marriage today, but they also are forming a family with their children: (Each child is named)
The Bride and Groom have gifts for their children - as their wedding rings symbolize a reminder of how their love encircles them - these
bracelets are a reminder to (each child named) that they are also encircled in a communion of divine love as a member of this family."
You them give them each their bracelet, hug, a kiss and a soft "I love you".
3. Include a Sand Ceremony.
One large vessel, 2 smaller vessels for the bride and groom plus one additional vessel for each child. A different colored sand is needed for each person. The sand ceremony would take place after the exchange of wedding rings. It would go something like this:
"Bride and Groom, today you are making a life-long commitment to share the rest of your lives with each other. Your relationship will now be symbolized through the pouring of these individual containers of sand; one representing you (Bride), and all that you were, all that you are, and all that you will
ever be, one representing you (Groom), and all that you were, all that you are, and all that you will ever be.
There are also children who will also share in this marriage. They are (each child named). Each one of them will also pour an individual container of sand. The gathering of this new family is very emotional and important. The separate containers of sand represent your lives to
this moment; individual and unique. As you now combine your sand together, your lives also join together as one family.
Just as these grains of sand can never be separated and poured again into the individual containers, so will your marriage and your family be. You may now blend the sand together symbolizing the unity of this family".
At that point each of your children grab a vessel and pour in their said together, after they are done, the Bride and Groom pour their sand on top. Note: it looks better to me when the sand is poured together (not one at a time) so that you can see the blending (but its up to you). Make
sure to have a cover or a lid for the main vessel and to assign someone to take it for you after the ceremony.
