May and June mark the season of both graduations and weddings—milestones that celebrate commitment, transformation, and new beginnings. There’s something vaguely matrimonial about a nursing graduation, and in this reflection, I explore the parallels between these two rites of passage. For example, walking down an aisle that stirs a sense of profound transformation. Whether it’s in a chapel adorned with roses or a convention hall filled with proud families and friends, the symbolism is the same: life is about to change. For many nursing graduates, the parallels between their graduation ceremony and a wedding are more than poetic—they’re deeply emotional, spiritual, and symbolic.

Much like planning a wedding, preparing for nursing graduation requires months (if not years) of planning. The logistics alone can prove overwhelming. They include securing a venue, sending invitations, choosing attire, and practicing the ceremonial order. For both the bride or spouse and the nurse-to-be, there’s a gown. One is white, symbolizing purity in matrimony. The other (frequently pristine, formal, and colorful) marks the culmination of hours of study, sacrifice, and service. Each garment represents entry into a new identity — one as a partner, the other as a professional nurse.

Here comes the nurse

Then, of course, comes the walk down the aisle with music. In weddings, it’s a procession steeped in tradition. In nursing graduations, it’s no less solemn. As students make their way toward the stage, each step is a nod to the journey they’ve taken—anatomy exams, sleepless clinical shifts, the first time they held a patient’s hand through tears, and the first time they watched someone slip away. That walk is filled with as much emotion and anticipation as any wedding march.

What truly binds these two ceremonies, however, are the vows. In weddings, couples recite promises to cherish, support, and stand by one another through sickness and health. In nursing, graduates recite the Nurse’s Pledge—a solemn oath to advocate, to heal, to uphold the integrity of the profession, to practice ethically, and to never harm. These aren’t words spoken lightly. They echo with a lifelong commitment to something greater than oneself. Just like wedding vows, the pledge is both a promise and a guidepost meant to be lived every day.

And then, there’s the ring

Rings serve as circular symbols of infinity with no beginning and no end. For some nurses, the pinning ceremony includes receiving a nursing pin or ring, a tangible sign of their commitment. For couples, the wedding ring becomes a daily reminder of the bond they’ve chosen. In both contexts, these tokens become anchors during hard days—reminders of love, purpose, and vows made.

Post-ceremony, a name change might follow. A new nurse might now sign her name with new credentials: RN, BSN, or NP. The initials carry weight, honor, and a new identity. Similarly, in many traditions, a newlywed couple might take on a new surname, representing the fusion of two lives. These transformations aren’t merely legal or linguistic—they reflect a change in status, responsibility, and belonging.

And on both sides, families grow. For newlyweds, marriage means joining not just with a partner, but with their entire family. They have new relationships to nurture and new support systems to develop. For nurses, joining the workforce means gaining a “work fam,” a unit, a shift team, a sisterhood and brotherhood in scrubs. The bonds forged in break rooms, code blues, and midnight coffee runs are as strong and enduring as any blood tie.

But here’s the truth: in both marriage and nursing, the ceremony serves only as a prelude.

What makes a marriage last isn’t just the beautiful wedding—it’s the day-to-day commitment to choosing love, again and again. It’s learning to communicate, to compromise, to show up even when it’s hard. The same can be said of nursing. The first day on the job, the fresh badge and uniform, and the excitement are just the start. The real work is in staying through the exhaustion, the heartbreak, the bureaucracy, and in overcoming burnout. The real work is in remembering why you chose this path and in finding ways to choose it again each morning.

Are you married?

Now and then we hear the expression “I’m not married to it” spoken as a sign of defeat or surrender or a lack of commitment. For me, to be “married to nursing” is to be in a relationship with a profession that demands much and gives much more. It will test you. It will make you question yourself. It will break your heart. And yet, it will also heal you in ways you never expected. The gratitude in a patient’s eyes, the silent thank-you from a grieving family, the camaraderie of a fellow nurse during a chaotic shift—these moments sustain you. They are your “date nights,” your reminders of why you fell in love in the first place.

So, as you stand in your graduation gown, heart pounding, eyes misty, know this: you are not just crossing a stage. You are entering a lifelong union—with your profession, your patients, and your fellow nurses. May your vows stay true, your passion remain kindled, and your commitment grow deeper with each passing year. One doesn’t have to be “married to the profession” to make a difference. You just have to stay in love.

Fidelindo Lim, DNP, CCRN, FAAN is a Clinical Associate Professor at New York University Meyers College of Nursing.