Is it really naff to have song lyrics as a wedding reading?

[LutherRalph1]

It’s a song we really love which has nice lyrics, and I’ve tweaked them so it doesn’t read like a song, but will it be a bit too much like Pete from Gavin and Stacey?
“Lights will guiiiiiiiide you Home”

—it’s not that song —

That is where my mind immediately went! I think it would depend on the song. Could sound like a lovely poem, could get people thinking of Pete!

Depends on the song, really. Can't see Ebernezer Goode going down too well

😂😂 a lot of people there will be Gavin and Stacey fans too, but I don’t think they’ll know the song too well

It’s this:

If the sun refused to shine
I would still be loving you
When mountains crumble to the sea
There will still be you and me

*Little drops of rain whisper of the pain
Tears of loves lost in the days gone by
My love is strong, with you there is no wrong
Together we shall go until we die *

Inspiration is what you are to me
Inspiration look, see
And so today, my world it smiles
Your hand in mine, we walk the miles
Thanks to you it will be done
For you to me are the only one
Happiness, no more be sad
Happiness, I'm glad
If the sun refused to shine
I would still be loving you
Mountains crumble to the sea
There will still be you and me

But possibly with the starred verse removed

It's led Zeppelin. Can't remember name of song at the moment. I'll Google it. I like it -but then I do love zep-

Correct @mmmmdanone it’s called thank you

I think it would be lovely. It means a lot to you, doesn’t matter what people think, but if I was at your wedding I’d have a wee something in my eye hearing that.

Zep fan here too.

I don’t care if at cheesy, I loved ours

We had Into My Arms by Nick Cave

‘I don't believe in an interventionist God
But I know, darling, that you do
But if I did I would kneel down and ask Him
Not to intervene when it came to you
Not to touch a hair on your head
To leave you as you are
And if He felt He had to direct you
Then direct you into my arms
Into my arms, oh lord.

And I don't believe in the existence of angels
But looking at you I wonder if that's true
But if I did I would summon them together
And ask them to watch over you
To each burn a candle for you
To make bright and clear your path
And to walk, like Christ, in grace and love
And guide you into my arms
Into my arms, O Lord

And I believe in Love
And I know that you do too
And I believe in some kind of path
That we can walk down, me and you
So keep your candlew burning
And make her journey bright and pure
That she will keep returning
Always and evermore
Into my arms, O Lord

Courageous choice Calvinsmam. What did the vicar say?

I think yours is fine OP. People who know the song already will probably appreciate it and other people will just accept it as poetry.

Didn't Pam do Michael Jackson's Ben too

I don't think it's naff. It's your day so what you want

Not pam! Dawn!!!

We didn’t get married in a church as I’m agnostic and my husband is an atheist, we were married by a registrar.

I think it is fine as it's a bit obscure.

Now if you had:

Never gonna give you up
Never gonna let you down
Never gonna runs around and hurt you
Never gonna make you cry
Never gonna say goodbye
Etc

Then that might be a bit different

Not in England surely? No English registrar would let that one through would they? Mine was constantly on the alert for brides and grooms finishing secular readings off with a rogue Hallelujah.

Yeah we’re in the north east. Wasn’t even questioned.

Bloody hell - registrar must have been a big Nick Cave fan.

Definitely a bit naff, but then I love a bit of cheese at weddings and other occasions.

Do it, OP. I think you should break into actual song part way through though, perhaps with bridesmaids as backing singers. Go for the whole cheese platter.

Great choice Calvinsmam I love that song, but did get married in a church (because I am Christian though DH is atheist, still love the song) and didn't think it really worked as a first dance.

Why? It’s not a hym or a reading from the bible.

It’s a song about negotiating love when you aren’t religious, and love itself being your faith.

and didn't think it really worked as a first dance.

No far too slow, everyone would be asleep by the end.

Oh dear - we actually had someone read that out at our wedding ShalomJackie it was funny. Wasn't intended to be serious and gave everyone a good laugh.

@ShalomJackie my sister had that as a reading at her wedding. Her friend read it totally deadpan and it took me several lines to work out what the hell it was!

I had the lyrics to "If I Ever Sing A Love Song" by Judy Small at my wedding

Oops! I would have joined in!

I read a passage from Winnie the Pooh at my friends wedding. Can’t remember it exactly but it’s about his friendship with piglet. I got to choose the reading.

Didnt Kylie once recite I should be so lucky at a poetry jam?

That would be a good one.

There used to be an absolute blanket ban on the G word, or anything related, in civil weddings but Google informs me that that’s been relaxed and you can have a reading that mentions a deity “incidentally” as long as it’s in an “essentially non-religious contex. I reckon that Nick Cave is pushing the envelope a bit but clearly the registrar was fine with it under the current regime. You learn something new every day.