Wedding

[itbemay1]

Delighted to be asked to do a reading at my step sons wedding, have been given free reign to choose a poem/letter non religious, have accepted as I am honoured but what can I read?!
TIA

Congrats, OP! That speaks volumes about your relationship.

I’m sorry I can’t offer any suggestions for a reading but I’m sure you will find something suitable.

PS - I don’t know if you will be allowed to post here again, you are single handedly ruining the Stepmother Stereotype of a wicked witch!

Ha! Honestly was so chuffed had a lump in my throat. Feel awful for DH as he has not part at all but I am ready and so willing! Need to find something meaningful but not soppy and also be mindful that her own DM will be there. It's so hard. Thx for reply!

*his

How wonderful! No wonder you are chuffed:-)

We had 'A Lovely Love Story' by Edward Monkton read at ours - it still makes me cry happy tears.

If you want something short and simple, maybe go for the Apache Wedding Prayer

The Apache wedding prayer
Now you will feel no rain, For each of you will be shelter to the other.
Now you will feel no cold, For each of you will be warmth to the other.
Now there is no more loneliness, For each of you will be companion to the other.
Now you are two bodies, But there is one life before you.
Go now to your dwelling place, To enter into the days of your togetherness.
And may your days be good and long upon the earth.

My dd1 read this at my brother's wedding. It's by Pam Ayers and had everyone chuckling (in a good way).

Yes, I’ll marry you, my dear.
And here’s the reason why.
So I can push you out of bed
When the baby starts to cry.
And if we hear a knocking
And it’s creepy and it’s late,
I hand you the torch you see,
And you investigate.
Yes I’ll marry you, my dear,
You may not apprehend it,
But when the tumble-drier goes
It’s you that has to mend it.
You have to face the neighbour
Should our labrador attack him,
And if a drunkard fondles me
It’s you that has to whack him.
Yes, I’ll marry you, my dear,
You’re virile and you’re lean,
My house is like a pigsty
You can help to keep it clean.
That sexy little dinner
Which you served by candlelight,
As I do chipolatas,
You can cook it every night!!!
It’s you who has to work the drill
And put up curtain track,
And when I’ve got PMT it’s you who gets the flak,
I do see great advantages,
But none of them for you,
And so before you see the light,
I DO, I DO, I DO!!

Short, sweet: poets.org/poem/aedh-wishes-cloths-heaven

We had a poem by John Donne - The Good Morrow

I wonder, by my troth, what thou and I
Did, till we loved? Were we not weaned till then?
But sucked on country pleasures, childishly?
Or snorted we in the Seven Sleepers’ den?
’Twas so; but this, all pleasures fancies be.
If ever any beauty I did see,
Which I desired, and got, ’twas but a dream of thee.

And now good-morrow to our waking souls,
Which watch not one another out of fear;
For love, all love of other sights controls,
And makes one little room an everywhere.
Let sea-discoverers to new worlds have gone,
Let maps to other, worlds on worlds have shown,
Let us possess one world, each hath one, and is one.

My face in thine eye, thine in mine appears,
And true plain hearts do in the faces rest;
Where can we find two better hemispheres,
Without sharp north, without declining west?
Whatever dies, was not mixed equally;
If our two loves be one, or, thou and I
Love so alike, that none do slacken, none can die.

We had this at our Wedding:

(Bride’s name) and (Groom’s name), loving each other is about feeling safe,
It’s joy and kindness,
It’s having gentleness and peace between you,
It’s about protecting one another and having patience
It’s friendship and above all it’s trust.

As you stand here in front of your family and friends
And celebrate your coming together
With no doubts and no fears
No sadness but some tears
I know that this is just the start of your story

Because marriage isn’t sometimes, it’s always
It isn’t maybe, it’s definitely
It’s the real beginning of forever
It’s love.

My MIL read "oh the place you'll go" by Dr Zeus

We hadd n Marriage by CS Lewis. You need to cut out one line about Christian marriage but otherwise goes as follows:

Being in love is a good thing, but it is not the best thing. There are many things below it, but there are also things above it. You cannot make it the basis of a whole life. It is a noble feeling, but it is still a feeling. Now no feeling can be relied on to last in its full intensity, or even to last at all. Knowledge can last, principles can last, habits can last but feelings come and go. And in fact, whatever people say, the state called ‘being in love’ usually does not last. If the old fairy-tale ending ‘They lived happily ever after’ is taken to mean ‘They felt for the next fifty years exactly as they felt the day before they were married,’ then it says what probably never was nor ever would be true, and would be highly undesirable if it were. Who could bear to live in that excitement for even five years? What would become of your work, your appetite, your sleep, your friendships? But, of course, ceasing to be ‘in love’ need not mean ceasing to love. Love in this second sense — love as distinct from ‘being in love’ — is not merely a feeling. It is a deep unity, maintained by the will and deliberately strengthened by habit; ... They can have this love for each other even at those moments when they do not like each other; as you love yourself even when you do not like yourself. They can retain this love even when each would easily, if they allowed themselves, be ‘in love’ with someone else. ‘Being in love’ first moved them to promise fidelity: this quieter love enables them to keep the promise. it is on this love that the engine of marriage is run: being in love was the explosion that started it.

Wow Thankyou! These are all lovely! There's a few here I am going to consider. I love the Dr Seuss one!

@jazzycat that's lovely!!

@QuantumWeatherButterfly love it! Just made me tear up! Gosh I am so nervous!

The Apache poem and the Little love story are gorgeous!

And not overly mushy so no toes being stepped on.

I know it’s supposed to be funny but please don’t use that awful sexist one posted upthread!

I had 2 readings. My brother read Destiny...

Destiny is a mysterious thing.
No matter what you do or where you go, you cannot avoid it.
And, no matter how hard you try, even putting forth your greatest effort, you can’t force it to happen before it's time.
This occasion we witness today is the destiny of two souls.
There is not a force in the universe that could have kept you apart, and there is nothing they could have done to come together sooner.
Each of you had to live your lives, lives that were stepping stones that have led to this moment in time, this uniting of hearts and minds that shall be forever more.
This occasion we celebrate today is the destiny of two souls.
Yes, destiny is a marvelous and mysterious thing.

My friend read a funny one called 'I'll be there for you' by louise cuddon

ll be there, my darling, through thick and through thin
When your mind’s in a mess and your head’s in a spin
When your plane’s been delayed, and you’ve missed the last train.
When life is just threatening to drive you insane
When your thrilling whodunit has lost its last page
When somebody tells you, you’re looking your age
When your coffee’s too cool, and your wine is too warm
When the forecast said, “Fine,” but you’re out in a storm
When your quick break hotel, turns into a slum
And your holiday photos show only your thumb
When you park for five minutes in a resident’s bay

And return to discover you’ve been towed away
When the jeans that you bought in hope or in haste
Just stick on your hips and don’t reach round your waist
When the food you most like brings you out in red rashes
When as soon as you boot up the bloody thing crashes
So my darling, my sweetheart, my dear…
When you break a rule, when you act the fool
When you’ve got the flu, when you’re in a stew
When you’re last in the queue, don’t feel blue
’cause I’m telling you, I’ll be there for you.

We had ‘union’ By Robert Fulgham

You have known each other from the first glance of acquaintance to this point of commitment. At some point, you decided to marry. From that moment of yes, to this moment of yes, indeed, you have been making commitments in an informal way.

All of those conversations that were held in a car, or over a meal, or during long walks – all those conversations that began with, “When we’re married”, and continued with “I will” and “you will” and “we will” – all those late night talks that included “someday” and “somehow” and “maybe” – and all those promises that are unspoken matters of the heart. All these common things, and more, are the real process of a wedding.

The symbolic vows that you are about to make are a way of saying to one another, “You know all those things that we’ve promised, and hoped, and dreamed – well, I meant it all, every word.”

Look at one another and remember this moment in time. Before this moment you have been many things to one another – acquaintance, friend, companion, lover, dancing partner, even teacher, for you have learned much from one another these past few years. Shortly you shall say a few words that will take you across a threshold of life, and things between you will never quite be the same.

For after today you shall say to the world;

This is my husband.

This is my wife.

I agree @ohcaptain really trying to be as respectful as possible, I think I'll go for amusing but sweet.

Some of these are really lovely

Thankyou all