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POETRY/READINGS
This section of the “Mix and Match Ceremony
Book” is dedicated to over a hundred pieces of
poetry written by many famous writers from around
the world.
A standard marriage ceremony of 16 minutes
allows 3 readings to be included with one after the
Introduction/Greeting and two more following the
Ring Giving.
Should you require further help in tracking down
that elusive reading you can’t find here, please let
me know and I will do everything I can to help.
Enjoy!
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(Reading) N1
“Learn How To Love”
Every day you live,
learn how to love,
take time with each other,
restore each other’s soul,
with loving words.
Receive love
with as much understanding
as you give it.
Find that which is within yourselves
then you can share it with each other.
Do not fear this love,
and do not fear this marriage,
but keep open hearts and sincere minds.
Be sincerely interested in each other’s happiness,
be, too, constant and consistent in your love,
and in your actions.
From this, as you know, comes security and strength.
All that we love deeply becomes a part of us
so even though you retain your individuality,
today in a real sense you also became one
in a true unity.
That this may be deep and rewarding,
today, the day of your marriage,
try to commit yourselves,
fully and freely and trustingly
to each other, without reservations.
(Reading) N2
“Come Take My Hand”
Come take my hand
And walk with me
Into the future
As was planned
For every year upon this day,
Your eyes shall meet
Above the toasting glass
And you shall pledge again
With outstretched hands.
(Reading) N3
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“Sharing”
There is no greater happiness than that of sharing life,
With all its joys, and all its cares, as a loving husband
and wife.
For love gives life new meaning, and has a special way
Of growing stronger, and deeper, with every passing day.
Yes, life is so much happier and brighter when you’re
sharing,
The very special joys that come with loving and giving
and caring.
(Reading) N4
“Marriage Is Love”
If two are caring, as they’re sharing life’s hopes and fears,
If the music of laughter outweighs
the sadness of tears,
Marriage is togetherness.
If both derive pleasure from mere
presence of each other,
Yet no jealousies restrict, worry or smother,
Marriage is freedom.
If achievements mean more when they benefit two
and consideration is shown with each point of view,
Marriage is respect.
And if togetherness, freedom and respect are combined
With a joy that words can never fully define,
Then marriage is love.
(Reading) N5
“Endlessness”
The roundness of your wedding ring
betokens the endlessness of love.
Its pure metal speaks of the purity of love.
Its value reminds you that you should defend and protect that
which you hold most valuable in life.
Wear it with love and honour.
(Reading) N6
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“We Will Not Wish You Joy”
We will not wish you joy on this great day,
For joy is in your hearts and goes with you
Along the fragrant, mystic, sunlit way;
We will not wish you joy whilst love is new.
But this is our wish: May you be strong enough
To shelter love, and keep it safe from harm,
When winds blow high, and roads are steep and rough,
May you protect your love, preserve its charm.
When days are dark, may love be your sure light
When days are cold, may love be your bright fire,
Your guiding star when hope is out of sight,
The essence and the sun of your desire.
May love be with you through the flight of years,
Then after storms, there always will be calm.
Though you have cause for heartache and for tears,
Despair lasts not, where love is there for balm.
This be the prayer we breathe for you today:
When you have reached the summit of Life’s hill,
May it be possible for you to say,
“Married long years, but we are lovers still.”
(Reading) N7
“Marriage Lines” by Gloria Matthew
In a marriage where love lives
There’s realism and truth,
There’s pleasure in giving of time.
Closeness and security,
Freedom for individuality,
No need to possess or confine.
In a marriage where love lives
True friendship is present
With respect for each point of view.
Through disappointment sharing
Comes deeper caring
Happiness deeper for two.
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In a marriage where love lives
There’s no need for rules,
There’s understanding if harsh words are spoken.
Apologies are accepted,
Trust is effected,
The true bonds of love never broken.
(Reading) N8
“The Depth Of Love”
Had I not known the depth of love
Life would have been the poorerBut with the happiness it brings
Nothing could be surer.
For love is … just relaxing,
And trusting, and believing,
Just the very simple process
Of giving and receiving.
(Reading) N9
Taking Time To Love
(Rod Mckuen)
Taking time to love
is what it’s all about
what makes clocks turn
and the sunsets come
true and without complication.
That doesn’t mean lying close
in shut up rooms
or staying always face to face.
It’s meant to cover walking,
being apart and knowing
that coming back together
makes small distances even smaller.
And taking time to love
is, most of all, caring enough
to not hold on too tightly
and yet not run too loose.
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(Reading) N10
William Scott Galasso , wrote these special words for an occasion just like today. It’s a
reading that _____ and _______ feel is appropriate as a final reading, on this, their
special day.
You share today the joy of a deep commitment and a sacred trust.
You have given each other the most precious gift of love.
Treasure it, nurture it,
and encourage it
with all the honesty
you used in creating it.
You are sharing something
rare and beautiful.
Always speak the truth
and listen attentively,
so that you may understand
each other’s thoughts and intentions.
Inspire each other
by sharing your accomplishments.
Say “I love you” often
to retain the warmth between you.
Laugh a lot, too.
Even when you’re angry,
remember you’re each other’s best friend.
Stand together and for each other always;
be content in mind and spirit.
May each day be a blessing
and a fulfillment of your dreams.
(Reading) N11
Nan Witcomb from the Thoughts of Nanushka, Volume V11.
May your friendship and trust
endure and strengthen
through the winter of your lives and may your love
be renewed
as surely as the blossoms
adorn the trees each spring may your understanding of each other
grow with your love
until the wonder
of each night and day
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becomes a lifetime
of happiness together.
(Reading) N12
“Love Is The Reason”
Love is the reason why this day
was chosen by you both
to begin your lives together.
And love is the reason why you both
will give with all your hearts
for the good of each other.
Love is the reason
that together you will become oneOne in hope,
One in believing in life and
One in sharing the coming years.
(Reading) N13
“How Do I Love Thee?” by Elizabeth Barrettt Browning
How do I love thee ? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.
I love thee to the level of everyday's
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.
I love thee with the passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints,--I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life !--and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.
(Reading) N14
“Love” by Samuel Taylor Coleridge
And in Life's noisiest hour,
There whispers still the ceaseless Love of Thee,
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The heart's Self-solace and soliloquy.
You mould my Hopes, you fashion me within;
And to the leading Love-throb in the Heart
Thro' all my Being, thro' my pulse's beat;
You lie in all my many Thoughts, like Light,
Like the fair light of Dawn, or summer Eve
On rippling Stream, or cloud-reflecting Lake.
And looking to the Heaven, that bends above you,
How oft! I bless the Lot that made me love you.
(Reading) N15
1 Corinthians 13
Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have
become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.
And though I have the gift of a prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all
knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not
love, I am nothing.
And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be
burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.
Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not
puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no
evil; rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures
all things.
Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are
tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.
For we know in part and we prophesy in part.
But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.
When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child;
but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then
I shall know just as I also am known.
And now abide faith, hope, love; these three; but the greatest of these is love.
(Reading) N16
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‘PRAYER FOR MARRIAGE’
Most pure God and Creator of every creature, it was through Your love of man that
You have transformed the rib of our forefather Adam into a woman and blessed them
saying: ‘Increase and multiply and rule the earth’.
Through marriage You have made them one. For this reason a man shall leave his
father and mother and cling to his wife; and the two shall become one flesh.
Consequently, what God has joined together, let no man separate.
You have blessed your servant Abraham, and by delivering Sarah from sterility, have
made him the father of a great nation.
Through Your ineffable beneficence and bountiful goodness You did come from Cana
in Galilee and did bless a marriage there in order to show that it is Your will that there
be lawful marriage and childbearing through it.
Most holy Lord, accept our prayer, for we are Your servants.
As You went there, so likewise come here with Your invisible presence, bless this
marriage and grant these Your servants, Mikael and Natalie, a peaceful, long and
spotless life, and mutual love which is a guarantee of peace.
Send them offspring blessed with long life; let them be grateful for the children, and
give them an unfading crown of glory. Grant that they may see their children’s
children, preserve their married life from temptations, give them of the dew of heaven
and let them share the abundance of the earth.
Fill their house with wheat, wine, oil and other goods, that they may share them with
the needy.
Grant also to those who will live with them whatever they may ask concerning their
salvation.
For You are a merciful and generous God and a lover of mankind, and we give glory to
You, glorifying at the same time Your eternal Father and Your most holy, good and
life-giving Spirit, now and always forever, Amen.
(Reading) N17
“Love Is Always Patient”
Adapted from 1 Corinthians 13
Love is always patient and kind;
It is never jealous;
Love is never boastful or conceited;
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It is never rude or selfish;
It does not take offence,
And it is not resentful.
Love takes no pleasure
In other people’s faults
But delights in the truth;
It is always ready to excuse, to trust, to hope.
It is always ready to endure whatever comes.
Finally, true love does not come to an end.
(Reading) N18
“To Anthea”
Oh, bid me love and I will give
a loving heart to thee.
a heart as soft, a heart as kind,
a heart as sound and free,
as in the whole world thou canst find,
that heart I’ll give to thee.
(Reading) N19
“The Prophet” by Kahlil Gibran
Love one another,
But make not a bond of love.
Let it rather
be a moving sea
Between the shores of your souls
Fill each other’s cup
But drink not from the same cup
Sing and dance together and be joyous,
but let each one of you be alone
Even as the strings of a lute are alone
Though they quiver with the same music
Give your hearts,
But not into each other’s keeping
For only the hand of life
Can contain your hearts
And stand together
Yet not too near together
For the pillars of the temple stand apart
And the oak tree and the cypress
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Grow not in each other’s shadow
(Reading) N20
To Dad on My Wedding Day
Thank you, dear Dad you have made me so glad
A lovelier wedding no girl ever had
I'm not good at speeches
(Great words are an art.)
I just want to tell you what's here in my heart.
It takes more than champagne and satin and lace,
To form wedding memories that time can't erase
I'll always remember the sight of you there,
your smile that reflected the closeness we share.
You did so much-which is proof that you care,
But what meant the most was
Just having you there.
(Reading) N21
Dear Mother of the Bride
submitted by Andrea Winbush
Dear Mother of the Bride to be
Come hold my hand and walk with thee
Through my childhood days and precious years
Where you have wiped my salty tears
Going to church all dressed in pink
Where the thump on the head came and made me think
Get up little girl and set on the pew
For you know what God wants you to do
He wants you to listen and listen close
For he is the one that loves you the most
When the time comes and you are grown
He will place you up on a throne
He will cast his arms open and wide
For a man to choose you as his bride
When this day comes there will be no strife
For you will become this man's wife
With all these things she has said and done
I knew right from the start that he was the one
Mother said, "it is up to you my dear child"
I'll be by your side all the while
The day has came and I am the Bride
I need you mama right by my side
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When the door is opened and I stand at the beginning of the aisle
I'll be looking forward to seeing your smile
I am almost there where I'll greet the man of my life
For in a few moments I will become his wife
With all things happening and candles aglow
There is just one thing Mom that I want you to know
Thank you mother for all you have done
For I will always be your little one!
"A mom's little girl is always going to be her little girl
No matter what her last name is"
(Reading) N22
For All The Days
Tomorrow is my special wedding day
It is the day you will be giving your second daughter away.
I know I often caused you much heartache and pain,
But you know what they say,
There is always sun after the rain.
You have asked yourself these questions I know,
Where did those tender years go?
Is she ready for a new stage in her life?
And what about that cavalier young man,
is he ready for a wife?
I want to say thank you for all the things you've done,
You never made me feel like I was alone
For all the nights you held me close,
Warmed my heart when it was cold.
For all the love that you shared,
It made me feel very cared.
For all the nights I was lost and alone,
You wrapped your arms around my heart
and led me back home.
For all the days I did something wrong,
You always seem to make them right.
For all the nights I could not see,
You lifted me up to show me the light.
For these days I see the love that you two send,
And I realize that you two will always be my best friend...
(Reading) N23
For My Parents
For all the nights you held me close,
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Warmed my heart when it was cold,.
For all the love that you shared,
Made me feel very cared.
For all the times you've helped me through,
Someday I will do the same for you,
For the rest of my life, everyday, every night,
If it's the last thing I will ever do,
I will get even with you
For all the nights I was lost and alone,
You wrapped your arms around my heart and led me back home.
For all the days I did something wrong,
You always seem to make them right.
For all the nights I could not see,
You lifted me up to show me the light.
For these days I see the love that you two send,
And I realize that you two will always be my best friend...
(Reading) N24
For My Parents
Just the baby of the family
That's what they always say
When speaking about me
On any given day
I was the one you spoiled
Who got more than all the rest
But look how great I turned out
Who wouldn't like me best?
All jokes aside I must confess
How special I truly feel
On this, my wedding day
I can't believe it's real
I never would have made it
If it wasn't for you two
You saw me through the rough times
Which thankfully, were few
From you I learned what love is
What it means to be a friend
And how to stay that way
Partners to the very end
So today is my own marriage
Can you believe the day is here?
I'm finally joining lives
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With the one that I find dear
I know our love's a strong one
And we're ready to commit
Just like hand in glove
We're a perfect fit
Just the baby of the family
I'll be that all my life
But today not just a daughter
I am also someone's wife!
(Reading) N25
SONNET 116 by William Shakespeare
Let me not to the marriage of true minds
admit impediments. Love is not love
which alters when it alteration finds,
or bends with the remover to remove:
O, no! It is an ever - fixed mark,
that looks on tempests and is never shaken;
it is the star to every wandering bark,
whose worth’s unknown, although his height be taken.
Love’s not time’s fool, though rosy lips and cheeks
within his bending sickle’s compass come;
love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,
but bears it out even to the edge of doom.
If this be error and upon me proved,
I never writ, nor no man ever loved.
(Reading) N26
“NOW WE ARE ONE”
When thoughts take wing
a wedding ring
encircles all our dreams
And love abounds
above, around,
enriching all our schemes
We plan together
all our life
to make our dreams come true
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When love is there
a smile, a prayer,
a hug, a kiss will do
And then together
hand in hand
we go with love we’ve won
And you will see
the you and me
that once were two - are one
(Reading) N27
I Am So Glad You Are My Dada written by Luis Miguel Soto
You do all the things you don't have to do
Hold me and cuddle when I am blue
Wipe my tears when I fall down
Encourage me to have another go 'round
You have been w/ me since I was 8 months old
I am so glad you are my DaDa
When I do wrong you show me right
You teach me cool things like riding my bike
I know you were not there when I was born
But you are the one that hugs me every morn
You have been w/ me since I was 8 months old
I am so glad you are my Dada
I love when we go wash your car
I know you will always encourage me to reach for the stars
On this day you will marry my mommy
On this day we become an official family
You have been w/ me since I was 8 months old
I am so glad you are my Dada!!
(Reading) N28
Invitation by Family (Poem)
When our daughter was a little girl,
we often seem to say
how proud and happy we would be
on this, her wedding day.
Our daughter is not lost to us;
in fact, we've gained a son.
We're happy you can share our joy
and see them joined as one.
So, may we welcome all of you,
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and may this whole day be
a happy and joyous one
for friends and family.
(Reading) N29
To My Dad
Dear daddy I miss you so
more than anyone will ever know
I always dreamed of you giving me away
on this my wedding day.
well dad, that day is finally here,
and I find it very hard not to shed a tear.
Please look down on us from above,
and be very confident of our love.
My wedding is a dream come true,
even though I am without you.
I know as mom lifts my veil, the soft breeze on my cheek,
is really your kiss that I seek.
ends and family.
(Reading) N30
“TODAY”
This reading you have chosen is to express the knowledge you have that you are
friends as well as lovers. I will read these words as you would read them to each other.
Today I marry my friend;
The one I have laughed with and cried with,
the one I have learned from and shared with,
the one I have chosen to support,
encourage and give myself to, through all the days,
given us to share,
Today I marry the one I love.
(Reading) N31
Mother - poem from the Bride to the Groom's mother (Poem)
You are the mother I received
The day I wed your son.
And I just want to thank you, Mum
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For all the things you've done.
You've given me a gracious man
With whom I share my life.
You are his loving mother and
I his lucky wife.
You used to pat his little head,
And now I hold his hand.
You raised in love a little boy
And gave to me a man.
Mother - from the groom to the bride's mother (Poem)
Our Mother
You are the mother I received
the day I wed my wife
And I just want to thank you, mom
for bringing her to life
You raised and loved your little one
with guiding hands and praise.
She's now the beauty of my life
in many cherished ways.
You have given me a special friend
with whom I share my life.
I know you were as proud as I
the day she was my wife.
(Reading) N32
“If We Wanted To”
Our love is strengthened
By knowing that
Each of us could survive
On our own
If we wanted to ...
But realizing that more than anything ...
We choose to be together.
(Reading) N33
“As Long As Your Eyes Are Blue”
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by A.B. (Banjo) Paterson
Wilt thou love me, sweet, when my hair is grey,
and my cheeks shall have lost their hue?
When the charms of youth shall have passed away
will your love as of old prove true?
For the locks may change and the heart may range,
and the love be no longer fond:
Wilt thou love me with truth in the years of youth
and away to the years beyond?
Oh, I love you, sweet, for your locks of brown
and the blush on your cheek that lies but I love you most for the kindly heart
that I see in your sweet blue eyes For the eyes are the signs of the soul within,
of the heart that is real and true,
and mine own sweetheart, I shall love you still,
just as long as your eyes are blue.
For the locks may bleach, and the cheeks of peach
may be reft of their golden hue;
but mine own sweetheart, I shall love you still,
just as long as your eyes are blue.
(Reading) N34
“APACHE WEDDING PRAYER”
Now you will feel no rain
For each will be shelter for the other.
Now you will feel no cold
For you will be warmth to the other.
Now there is no more loneliness
For each will be companion to the other.
Now you are two persons
But there is only one life before you
Go now to your dwelling
To enter into days of your life together
And may your days be good
And long upon the earth.
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(Reading) N35
“LOVE” by Rod McKuen
Love,
puts the music in laughter
the beauty in song
the warmth in a shoulder
the gentle in strong;
Love,
puts the magic in memories
the sunshine in skies
the gladness in giving
the starlight in eyes;
Love,
puts the fun in together
the sad in apart
the hope in tomorrow
the joy in the heart.
(Reading) N36
Every Two Unique
No human relationship gives one possession of another
every two persons are absolutely different.
In friendship or in love, the two side by side raise hands together,
to find what one cannot reach alone.
Learn to see the greatness and the loveliness in one another –
and to tell one another of it when you see it.
If you accept the sunshine and warmth, you must also accept the thunder and
lightning.Among intelligent people the surest basis for marriage is friendshipThe sharing of real interests – the ability to work out ideas together and understand
each others thoughts and dreams.
(Reading) N37
“THIS DAY”
This day we shall remember well
As in our married love we dwell
And cast our minds back to this time
You made me yours and I you mine.
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In wedded love we choose to be
Each binding each and yet each free
As days and months and years go on
Our love will hold us firm and strong
The marriage vow this day we say
Is a vow we’ll build on day by day
And as we walk the path of life
the world will know we’re man and wife
We two who now are but one soul
Have each to play a different role
And yet we know that all shall see
That bond of love twixt you and me
For in this life we each shall care
That all we do is all times fair
We pledge this day to be as one
In all those wondrous years to come.
(Reading) N38
The Priceless Golden Years
Fifty precious golden years,
the greatest years of life.
Years of trust and patience
as a loving husband and wife.
Planning things together
and watching dreams come true.
Sharing little secrets
meant especially for two.
Remembering moments filled
with both the sad and happy tears.
No wonder that they're thought of as
The Priceless Golden Years.
(Reading) N39
MY LOVE
My love surrounds the house in which you dwell,
the place you work, the streets your feet have known,
with more of tenderness than I can tell
and prayers that I have said for you alone.
If you are lonely, know that I am near:
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If you are sad, my faith will comfort you.
The things you value I shall hold most dear,
your happiness will make me happy too.
And be sure of this: though you may travel far,
my love will guard you anywhere you are.
(Reading) N40
An Anniversary Blessing
You have come over smooth roads and rough
But you have had each other and that was enough.
For even the darkest and stormiest weather brings rainbows of love;
when you share it together.
And because you have shared your smiles and your tears,
You have built up rich treasures in these many years.
For the memories of things you have both shared and faced,
Are engraved in your hearts and they can't be erased.
And life with its problems has been but the blending,
Of a love that's divine and therefore unending.
For love that endures through a long earthly life,
And keeps folks together as husband and wife,
Is fashioned by trust and both have been true,
To the marriage vows that were taken by you.......
And all of your children and their children too are so proud of you.
(Reading) N41
Once In A Lifetime (adapted from Nanci Brillant)
Once in a lifetime
You find someone
Who touches not only your heart,
But also your soul.
You discover someone
Who stands beside you, but not over you.
You find someone
Who loves you for who you are,
And not for who you could be.
Once in a lifetime,
If you are lucky
You find someone..
As you have found each other.
(Reading) N42
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From Marriage and Morals by Bertrand Russell
It is therefore possible for a civilized man and woman to be happy in
marriage, although if this is to be the case a number of conditions must
be fulfilled. There must be a feeling of complete equality on both
sides; there must be no interference with mutual freedom; there must be
the most complete physical intimacy; and there must be a certain
similarity in regard to standards of values. Given all these
conditions, I believe marriage to be the best and most important
relation that can exist between two human beings.
It has not often been realised hitherto, that is chiefly because
husbands and wives have regarded themselves as each other's policemen.
If marriage is to achieve its possibilities, husband and wife must learn
to understand that, whatever the law may say, in their private lives
they must be free.
(Reading) N43
“To My Wife” by Brian Zouch
Upon this day I pledge my all
to you and only you
And never shall love’s blossom fall
through any act I do
My love for you is pure and strong
my eye for you alone
I take your hand and guide you on
in each our hearts a home
This boundless love I have for you
I give in charge this day
That you shall know, all others too,
‘tis not a game I play
From this day on, we wedded live
two lives to be as one
This gift of love to you I give
to never be undone
So journey on life’s road with me
and say for all to know
Our love is deeper than the sea
and yet has much to grow.
(Reading) N44
from Michael Leunig
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Dear God, it is timely that we give thanks for the lives of all prophets, teachers, healers
and revolutionaries, living and dead, acclaimed or obscure, who have rebelled, worked
and suffered for the cause of love and joy.
We also celebrate that part of us, that part within ourselves, which has rebelled,
worked and suffered for the cause of love and joy.
We give thanks and celebrate.
(Reading) N45
… from the Desiderata
Go placidly amid the noise and haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.
Be yourselves, especially do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment
it is as perennial as the grass.
Be gentle with yourselves
you are the children of the universe
no less than the trees and the stars,
be at peace with God
whatever you conceive him to be,
and whatever your labors and aspirations
in the noisy confusion of life
keep peace with your souls.
(Reading) N46
"The Road to Ithaca"
When you start on the journey to Ithaca,
then pray the road is long,
full of adventure,
full of knowledge.
Do not fear the Lestrygonians and the Cyclopes and the Poseidon.
You will never meet such as these on your path,
if your thoughts remain lofty,
if a fine emotion touches your body and your spirit.
You will never meet the Lestrygonians, the Cyclopes and the fierce Poseidon,
if you do not carry them with your soul,
if your soul does not carry them within your soul,
if your soul does not raise them up before you.
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Then pray that the road is long.
That the summer mornings are many,
that you will enter ports seen for the first time
with such pleasure, with such joy!
Stop at Phonecian markets,
and purchase fine merchandise,
mother-of-pearl and corals, amber and ebony,
and pleasurable perfumes of all kinds,
buy as many pleasurable perfumes as you can;
visit hosts of Egyptian cities,
to learn and learn from those who have knowledge.
Always keep Ithaca fixed in your mind.
To arrive there is your ultimate goal.
But do not hurry the voyage at all.
It is better to let it last for long years;
and even to anchor at the isle when you are old,
rich with all that you have gained on the way,
not expecting that Ithaca will offer you riches.
Ithaca has given you a beautiful voyage.
Without her you would never have taken the road.
But she has nothing more to give you.
And if you find her poor, Ithaca has not defrauded you.
- With the great wisdom you have gained,
with so much experience, you must surely
have understood by then
what the journey to Ithaca means.
(Reading) N47
The Promise by Robert Sexton
Across the years
I will walk with you.
In deep, green forests,
On shores of sand.
When our time on Earth is through,
In heaven too,
You will have my hand.
(Reading) N48
“Friendship” by Susan Polis Schutz
__________________
They have formed a friendship
25
That has become invaluable to them
They discuss their goals and plans for their future
They express their fears and talk about their dreams
They can be very serious or just have fun
They understand each other’s lives
And they try to encourage each other in all that they do
They have formed a friendship
That makes their lives so much nicer
(Reading) N49
Blessing for a Marriage By James Dillet Freeman
May your marriage bring you all the exquisite excitements a marriage should bring,
and may life grant you also patience, tolerance and understanding.
May you always need one another – not so much to fill your emptiness as to help you
know your fullness.
A mountain needs a valley to be complete; the valley does not make the mountain less,
but more; and the valley is more a valley because it has a mountain towering over it. So
let it be with you and you.
May you need one another, but not out of weakness.
May you want one another, but not out of lack.
May you entice one another, but not compel one another.
May you embrace one another, but not encircle one another.
May you succeed in all important ways with one another,
and not fail in the little graces.
May you look for things to praise, often say, “I love You!”, and take no notice of small
faults.
May you enter into the mystery which is the awareness of one another’s presence – no
more physical than spiritual, warm and near when you are side by side, and warm and
near when you are in separate rooms or even distant cities.
May you have happiness, and may you find it making one another happy.
May you have love, and may you find it loving one another.
(Reading) N50
From: T.S. Eliot’s ‘Little Gidding’
We shall not cease from exploration
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
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And know the place for the first time.
And all shall be well and
All manner of things shall be well
When the tongues of flames are in-folded
Into the crowned knot of fire
And the fire and the rose are one.
(Reading) N51
What is Love?
Love is …. Two people who know just as soon as they meet that being together makes
life more complete.
Love is …. The warmth of a smile the soft gentle touch of two special people who care
very much.
Love is …. That wonderful time when two hearts understand that laughter and sorrow
are shared hand in hand
Love is …. A beautiful gift to be given away is enriching the lives of two people each
and every day.
(Reading) N52
The Greatest of these is Love
A reading from Paul to the Corinthians
Be ambitious for the higher gifts. And I am going to show you a way that is better than
any of them.
If I have all the eloquence of men or of angles, but speak without love, I am simply a
gong booming or a cymbal clashing.
If I have the gift of prophecy, understanding all the mysteries there are and knowing
everything and if I have faith in all fullness, to move mountains, but without love, then
I am nothing at all.
If I give away all that I possess, piece by piece and if I even let them take my body to
burn it, but am without love, it will do me no good whatever.
Love is always patient and kind; it is never jealous; love is neither boastful or
conceited; it is never rude or selfish; it does not take offence, and is not resentful.
Love takes no pleasure in other people’s sins but delights in the truth; it is always
ready to excuse, to trust, to hope and to endure whatever comes.
Love does not come to an end.
(Reading) N53
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“The Creation of Woman”
A Reading from the Book of Genesis
The Lord God said, “It is not good that man should be alone, I will make him a
helpmate”.
So from the soil the Lord God fashioned all the wild beasts and all the birds of heaven.
These he brought to the man to see what he would call them; each one was to bear the
name the man would give it.
The man gave names to all the cattle, birds of heaven and all the wild beasts. But no
helpmate suitable for man was found for him.
So the Lord God made the man fall into a deep sleep. And while he slept, he took one
of his ribs and enclosed it in flesh.
The Lord God built the rib he had taken from the man into a woman, and brought her
to him.
The man exclaimed, “This at last is bone from my bones, and flesh from my flesh!
This to be called women, for this was taken from man”.
This is why a man leaves his father and mother and joins himself to his wife, and they
become one body.
(Reading) N54
“We Have Learned”
Through the years we have learned
A lot about each other,
And we have grown together.
We have learned about forgiveness;
It takes two understanding people
To accept one another’s faults
And still find it in their hearts
To forgive each other
And forget old arguments
We have learned about friendship;
Friends stick together,
They're always truthful to each other,
And they always comfort one another
In times of turmoil.
Most of all, we have learned about love.
It is something that takes time,
And after all our time together,
Our love has never been stronger.
(Reading) N55
28
“The Day Has Come”
The day has come I've been waiting for,
When you make me your wife in the eyes of the Law.
My hearts overflowing and I'm ever so glad
Now I truly belong to my special Lad.
I gave you my heart and though it is small
There's a big room inside with a wee place for all,
But your at the centre and make life worthwhile.
With your caring and sharing and wonderful smile
Together we'll make the most of each day.
We'll live, love and laugh and let come what may.
Though the sweet blush of youth has now gone from our cheek.
Still we'll savour each moment, each day and each week
It's our wedding today- shared with family and friends.
One of those days we hope never ends.
So rejoice, celebrate and know when it's gone
That our love and the memories will go on and on.
(Reading) N56
"To Be Married" by T.D. Jakes
To be married is to have a partner: someone who is not always their or always on
target, or always anything! On the other hand, should you ever get in trouble and you
don’t know who to look to for help, you can count on your partner! Marriage is having
someone to curl up with when the world seems cold and life uncertain. It is having
someone who is as concerned as you are when your children are ill. It is having a hand
that keeps checking your forehead when you aren’t well. To be married is to have
someone’s shoulder to cry on as they lower your parent’s body into the ground. It is
wrapping wrinkled knees in warm blankets and giggling without teeth! To the person
you marry you are saying, “When my time comes to leave this world and the chill of
eternity blows away my birthdays and my future stands still in the night, it’s your face
that I want to kiss good-bye. It’s your hand that I want to squeeze as I slip into eternity.
And as the curtain closes on all I have attempted to do and be, I want to look into your
eyes and see that I mattered. Not what I looked like. Not what I did or how much
money I made. Not even how talented I was. I want to look into the teary eyes of
someone who loved me and see that I mattered!"
(Reading) N57
“LOVE & MARRIAGE”
Love is holding hands in the street
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Marriage is holding arguments in the street
Love is dinner for 2 in your favourite restaurant
Marriage is Chinese take-out
Love is cuddling on a sofa
Marriage is deciding on a sofa
Love is talking about having children
Marriage is talking about getting away from children
Love is going to bed early
Marriage is going to sleep early
Love is a romantic drive
Marriage is a long, hot ride
Love is losing your appetite
Marriage is losing your figure
Love is sweet nothings in the ear
Marriage is sweet nothings in the bank
Love is a flickering flame
Marriage is a flickering television
Love is 1 drink and 2 straws
Marriage is "Don't you think you've had enough?!"
(Reading) N58
“The Art Of A Good Marriage” by Wilferd Arlan Peterson
Happiness in marriage is not something that just happens.
A good marriage must be created.
In marriage the little things are the big things.
It is never being too old to hold hands.
It is remembering to say "I love you" at least once a day.
It is never going to sleep angry.
It is at no time taking the other for granted;
the courtship should not end with the honeymoon, it should continue through the
years.
It is having a mutual sense of values and common objectives.
It is standing together facing the world.
It is forming a circle of love that gathers the whole family.
It is doing things for each other, not in the attitude of duty or sacrifice, but in the spirit
of joy.
It is speaking words of appreciation and demonstrating gratitude in thoughtful ways.
It is not looking for perfection in each other.
It is cultivating flexibility, patience, understanding and a sense of humour.
It is having the capacity to forgive and forget.
It is giving each other an atmosphere in which each can grow old.
It is a common search for the good and the beautiful.
It is establishing a relationship in which the independence is equal, dependence is
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mutual and the obligation is reciprocal.
It is not only marrying the right partner, it is being the right partner.
(Reading) N59
We will now have a reading from 'Soulmates' a book by Thomas Moore.
Marriage is not only an expression of love between two people; it is also a profound
evocation of one of life's greatest mysteries, the weaving together of many different
strands of soul. Because marriage touches upon issues charged with emotion and
connected to absolute meaning, it is filled with paradoxical feelings, far flung
fantasies, despair, blissful ecstasy and struggle - all signs of the active presence of soul.
In a sense, the person we marry offers us an opportunity to enter, to explore and fulfil
essential notions of who we are and who we can be. In this sense marriage is not
fundamentally the relationship between two persons, but rather an entry into destiny.
An opening to the potential life that lies hidden from view.
A soulful relationship offers two difficult challenges: The first, to come to know
oneself - and
Secondly, to get to know the deeper, often subtle richness in the soul of the other.
Giving attention to one side usually helps the other. As you get to know the other
deeply, you will discover much about yourself. Especially in moments of conflict and
maybe even despair, being open to the demands of a relationship can provide an
extraordinary opportunity for self-knowledge.
It provides an occasion to glimpse your own soul and notice its longings and its fears.
And as you get to know yourself, you can be more accepting and understanding of the
other's depth of soul.
It isn't easy to expose your soul to another, to risk such vulnerability, hoping that the
other person will be able to tolerate your own irrationality. It may also be difficult, no
matter how open-minded you are, to be receptive as another reveals her soul to you.
Yet this mutual vulnerability is one of the great gifts of love: giving the other sufficient
emotional space in which to live and express his soul, with its reasonable and
unreasonable ways, and then to risk revealing your own soul, complete with its own
absurdities.
The soul always reaches deeper than we expect, especially in marriage, to depths which
lie far beneath matters of communication and the illusions of romantic love, touching
areas of absolute importance to a meaningful and soulful life. We approach its soul
when we understand that marriage is a mystery, a sacrament --- a sacred symbolic act.
(Reading) N60
I performed a wedding for a couple a few weeks ago for a couple in their
70's and this is the poem I read I based the ceremony around
friendship, companionship and finding love twice in your life being
very special.
The day has come I've been waiting for,
31
When you make me your wife in the eyes of the Law.
My hearts overflowing and I'm ever so glad
Now I truly belong to my special Lad
I gave you my heart and though it is small
There's a big room inside with a wee place for all,
But your at the centre and make life worthwhile
With your caring and sharing and wonderful smile
Together we'll make the most of each day
We'll live, love and laugh and let come what may.
Though the sweet blush of youth has now gone from our cheek
Still we'll savour each moment, each day and each week
It's our wedding today- shared with family and friends
One of those days we hope never ends
So rejoice, celebrate and know when it's gone
That our love and the memories will go on and on.
(Reading N61)
Wedding Ring by Pamela Drysdale
Engaged to be married to a life on the land
In the Kurrajong shade he’s asked for your hand
And the shade disappears as he waits for your answer
There’s sheep and there’s cattle to feed
And his tears of joy flow when you answer “yes”
You’re just what this dry country need
City life never was easy for you
But is part of the journey that led you back to
A beautiful landscape to live and to breathe in
With a man who is honest and true
In the place where your childhood was swept away
A perfect home-coming for you
When you wear your wedding ring
It goes round and round forever
And we wish you all the seasons of joy
In the lives together
Girls from the bush find it hard to stay
Nothing to keep them from moving away
But to you it’s as natural as Autumn and Springtime
You love the man and you love the life
A dream has come true for your Mother
One of her daughters a country wife.
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(Reading) N62
NEW LIFE, NEW LOVE
(From the "Poetical Works of Henry Lawson"
The cool breeze ripples the river below,
And the fleecy clouds float high,
And I mark how the dark green gum-trees match
The bright blue vault of the sky.
The rain has been, and the grass is green
Where the slopes were bare and brown,
And I see the things that I used to see
In the days ere my head went down.
I have found a light in my long dark night,
Brighter than stars or moon;
I have lost the fear of the sunset drear,
And the sadness of afternoon.
Here let us stand while I hold your hand,
Where the light's on your golden head-Oh! I feel the thrill that I used to feel
In the days ere my heart was dead.
The storm's gone by, but my lips are dry
And the old wrong wrankles yet-Sweetheart or wife, I must take new life
From your red lips warm and wet!
So let it be, you may cling to me,
There is nothing on earth so dread,
For I'll be the man that I used to be
In the days ere my heart was dead!
(Reading) N63
Over the Range by A. B. Paterson
Little bush maiden, wondering-eyed,
Playing alone in the creek-bed dry,
In the small green flat on every side
Walled in by the Moonbi Ranges high;
Tell us the tale of your lonely life,
'Mid the great grey forests that know no change.
'I have never left my home,' she said,
'I have never been over the Moonbi Range.
'Father and mother are both long dead,
And I live with granny in yon wee place.'
33
'Where are your father and mother?' we said.
She puzzled awhile with a thoughtful face,
Then a light came into the shy brown eye,
And she smiled, for she thought the question strange
On a thing so certain - 'When people die
They go to the country over the range'.
'And what is this country like, my lass?'
'There are blossoming trees and pretty flowers,
And shining creeks where the golden grass
Is fresh and sweet from the summer showers.
They never need work, nor want, nor weep;
No troubles can come their hearts to estrange.
Some summer night I shall fall asleep,
And wake in the country over the range.'
Child, you are wise in your simple trust,
For the wisest man knows no more than you
Ashes to ashes, and dust to dust:
Our views by a range our bounded too;
But we know that God hath this gift in store,
That when we come to the final change,
We shall meet with our loved ones gone before
To the beautiful country over the range.
(Reading) N64
Do You Think That I Do Not Know? by Henry Lawson
They say that I never have written of love,
They say that my heart is such,
That finer feelings are far above
A writer may know too much;
There are darkest depths in the brightest nights;
Where the clustering stars hang low,
There are things that would break his strong heart to write
Do you think that I do not know?
My love-burst came like an English spring
In the days when our hair was brown,
And the hem of a skirt was a sacred thing,
And her hair was an angel's crown.
The shock when another man touched her arm
Where the dancers sat in a row,
The hope, the despair and the false alarm Do you think that I do not know?
By the arbour lights on the western farms,
34
You remember the question put,
When you held her warm in your quivering arms
And you trembled from head to foot.
The electric shock from her finger-tips,
And the murmuring answer low,
The soft, shy yielding of warm red lips Do you think that I do not know?
She was buried in Brighton, where Gordon sleeps,
When I was a world away;
And the sad old garden its secret keeps
For nobody knows today.
She left a message for me to read,
Where the wild, wide oceans flow;
Do you think that the heart of a man can bleed Do you think that I do not know?
(Reading) N65
Aussie blokey bush love poem written by Daniel Henry Deniehy
Love in a Cottage
A cottage small be mine, with porch
Enwreathed with ivy green,
And brightsome flowers with dew-filled bells,
'Mid brown old wattles seen.
And one to wait at shut of eve,
With eyes as fountain clear,
And braided hair, and simple dress,
My homeward step to hear.
On summer eves to sing old songs,
And talk o'er early vows,
While stars look down like angels' eyes
Amid the leafy boughs.
When Spring flowers peep from flossy cells,
And bright-winged parrots call,
In forest paths be ours to rove
Till purple evenings fall.
The curtains closed, by taper clear
To read some page divine,
On winter nights, the hearth beside,
35
Her soft, warm hand in mine.
And so to glide through busy life,
Like some small brook alone,
That winds its way 'mid grassy knolls,
Its music all its own.
(Reading) N66
The poem by W.H. Auden made famous by
"Four Weddings & A Funeral"
Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone,
Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone,
Silence the pianos and with muffled drum
Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come.
Let aeroplanes circle moaning overhead,
Scribbling on the sky the message He Is Dead,
Put crepe bows round the white necks of the public doves,
Let the traffic policemen wear black cotton gloves.
He was my North, my South, my East and West,
My working week and my Sunday rest,
My noon, my midnight, my talk, my song;
I thought that love would last forever: I was wrong.
The stars are not wanted now; put out every one:
Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun;
Pour away the ocean and sweep up the woods:
For nothing now can ever come to any good.
(Reading) N67
Friends, Greetings and Welcome!
It was somewhere up the country
in a land of rock and scrub
that they formed and institution
called the Geebung Polo Club
They were long and wiry natives
from the rugged mountain side
And a horse was never saddled
that the Geebungs couldn't ride.
36
Yours are mine & mine yours
As we start this day anew
A family we will always be
Albeit it very new
We'll cross the mountain
travel the valleys
meet the foe head on
We will not criticise or take sides in this life we share
but try to ease the burdens that each of us will bear
And as we say our vows together ..these words will bind us close
from this moment, day & lifetime our lives will stay entwined.
(Reading) N68
A bonding of parents and children could be done just after the couple have exchanged
rings by bringing the children forward, asking them to form a circle of love and
holding hands - the following lovely reading by Helen Steiner Rice could then be read.
FAMILY IS A GOLDEN CHAIN
Family is a Golden Chain
The links are friends so dear,
And like a rare and precious jewel
It's treasured more each year
It's clasped together firmly
With a love that's deep and true
And it's rich with happy memories
And fond recollections too...
Time can't destroy it's beauty
For as long as memory lives
Year's can't erase the pleasure
That the joy of family gives
For this love is a priceless gift
That can't be bought or sold
But to have some understanding
Family is worth far more than Gold
And the Golden Chain of Family
Is a strong and blessed tie
Building kindred hearts together
As the years go passing by.
(Reading) N69
“Softly, A Story” by Harri Garnett
37
When your eyes first looked to mine
The world stood still, as if lost in time,
Neither of us knowing why,
Just knowing love was ours to try.
We held each other into the night
Our hearts were soaring as if in flight,
Whispered words upon the air
We told each other we would always care.
Even though we are worlds apart,
One cannot deny feelings of the heart.
We have loved in rain and snow
We have made a place for our love to grow.
As time goes by the world will understand
Why I put my heart into your hands.
Some day, with spoken glory,
We, together, will tell the world softly, a story.
(Reading) N70
The Promise of Marriage
Marriage is a promise of companionship, of having someone to share all of life's
experiences.
Marriage does not promise that there will not be any rough times, just the assurance
that there will always be someone who cares and will help you through to better times.
Marriage does not promise eternal romance, just eternal love and commitment.
Marriage can't prevent disappointments, disillusionment, or grief, but it can offer
hope, acceptance, and comfort.
Marriage can't protect you from making individual choices or shelter you from the
world, but it will help to reassure you that there is someone by your side who truly
cares. When the world hurts you and makes you feel vulnerable, marriage offers the
promise that there will be someone waiting to listen, to console, to inspire.
Marriage is the joining of two people who share the promise that only marriage can
make - to share the sunshine and the shadows, and to experience the richer, more
fulfilling life because of it.
(Reading) N71
This poem by David Rueben reminds us of some of the requirements of a
successful marriage.
A marriage is like a long trip in a tiny row boat:
If one passenger starts to rock the boat,
the other has to steady it;
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otherwise, they will go to the bottom together.
(Reading) N72
The poem 'Sea Fever' by John Masefield
I must go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky,
And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by,
And the wheel's kick and the wind's song and the white sail's shaking,
And a gray mist on the sea's face, and a gray down breaking.
I must go down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide
Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied;
And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying,
And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the sea-gulls crying.
I must go down to the seas again, to the vagrant gypsy life,
To the gull's way and the whale's way, where the wind's like a whetted
knife;
And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover,
And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trip's over.
(Reading) N73
These wonderful words to lead into the Marriage Vow were provided by Anne
Cowden:
As the tides ebb and flow, so too, do the fortunes of life. Footprints on
the sand are washed away, driftwood moves on in its endless quest for a
peaceful harbor. Only a deep and abiding love can withstand the tides of
change in two lives. The love of this couple, (name) and (name), is enduring
and profound. We gather here to witness this love and the vows they make to
each other.
(Reading) N74
We sat at the top of the world
watching the mist
roll in from the sea and far below,
the surfers floated there
like drowning bees I looked across at you
and lost my senses
in your dear blue eyes
and knew those surfers
39
well could drown
and so might I A telephone booth
by a raging sea
on a windswept coast
so far from methe dial tone purrs
"Are you there - are you there?"
a taste of tears
on the salt night air
then through the storm,
your soul meets mine the words do not matter there's love on the line....
We sat at the top of the world
watching the mist
roll in from the sea and far below,
the surfers floated there
like drowning bees I looked across at you
and lost my senses
in your dear blue eyes
and knew those surfers
well could drown
and so might I A telephone booth
by a raging sea
on a windswept coast
so far from methe dial tone purrs
"Are you there - are you there?"
a taste of tears
on the salt night air
then through the storm,
your soul meets mine the words do not matter there's love on the line....
Thank you for touching my life with your love.
Thank you for the gentleness of your kiss, and for the courage I've gained from feeling
your hand in mine.
Thank you for the laughter from joyous moments shared.
40
Thank you for the happiness with which you have filled my heart,and for the smiles
you have bought forth from my inner soul.
Thank you for the strength I have gained from being in your arms,and for the
closeness of heart that has grown between us.
Thank you for the beautiful memories we will make together over the years.
Thank you for touching my life with your love.
(Reading) N75
From "Cien Sonetos de Amor"
By Pablo Neruda.
Maybe nothingness is to be without your presence
Without you moving, slicing the noon
Like a blue flower Without you walking later through the fog and the cobbles
Without the light you carry in your hand, golden
Which maybe others will not see
Which maybe no one knew was glowing
Like the red beginnings of a red rose
In short, without your presence, without your coming
Suddenly, incitingly, to know my life,
Gust of a rosebush, wheat of a wind
Since then I am - because you are
Since then you are, I am, We are
And through love, I will be You will be, We will be.
(Reading) N76
It can be used immediately before the Declaration of marriage.
Behold our new family assembled here.
We give thanks:
For this place in which we live,
For the love that unites us
And for the peace given to us today.
With the hope with which we will greet tomorrow,
For the health, the work, the food
And the bright sky that makes our life delightful,
And for our friends in all parts.
(Reading) N77
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Dads and Daughters
Each love in life is precious,
with a meaning all its own.
Like the bond of Dad to daughter,
and a strength of love that's grown.
He's there in times of trouble
And when she needs a special friend.
He's the figure she relies on
And on whom she can depend.
She gives to him that something
Only fathers can portray,
Of a love so pure and endless
And of joy in every way.
From the first steps ever taken
To her walking down the aisle,
He views her with unending pride
And a love that makes him smile.
Dads are very special
And no-one ever takes their place,
Though many loves can come and go,
They'll always have that cherished space.
As they stroll proudly down the aisle
my mind races to earlier years,
When she used to skin her knees
and I wiped away the tears.
Where did those tender days go,
is she ready for a new stage of life?
And what about that cavalier young man
is he ready for a wife?
This time I'll give her up for good,
not just a Saturday night.
I hope that all her needs are met
and that this bond of love is right.
There's so much that she'll have to learn
when the ups and downs get rough.
Like patience and forgiveness
and I hope she'll have enough.
They're almost at the end of the walk,
it went by much too fast.
I needed more hours more than this
42
to fondly remember the past.
She'll let go of our arms now
and the feelings tug at my heart.
But I know that even a husband's love
will never replace my part.
We've done our best to let her grow
and played the role of guide.
She'll be our daughter forever
So today she can be the bride.
(Reading) N78
MARRY
I feel sad when I don’t see you. Be married, why won't you? And come to live with me.
I will make you as happy as I can. You shall not be obliged to work hard; and when
you are tired, you may lie in my lap and I will sing you to rest .... I will play you a tune
upon the violin as often as you ask and as well as I can; and leave off smoking, if you
say so. I will always be very kind to you, I think, because I love you so well. I will not
make you bring in wood and water, or feed the pig, or milk the cow, or go to the
neighbors to borrow milk. Will you be married?
(Reading) N79
A GOOD WIFE
The man must look after the things that go on outside the home. A husband therefore
has to travel about in rain, wind, snow, and hail; now drenched, now parched, now
sweating, now shivering, ill-fed, ill-lodged, ill-warmed, and ill-bedded. But he is
sustained by the thought of the care his wife will take of him on his return, and of the
ease, the joys, and the pleasures which she will give him, or have done for him in her
presence: to have his boots taken off before a good fire, to have his feet washed and
fresh shoes and hose put on, to be offered good food and drink, to be well served and
well looked after, well bedded in white sheets and nightcaps, well covered with good
furs, and comforted with other intimate joys, loves, and secrets whereof I am silent.
(Reading) N80
My heart, queen of the beehive and the barnyard, little leopard of the string and the
onions, I love to watch your miniature empire sparkle: your weapons of wax and wine
and oil, garlic, and the soil that opens for your hands, the blue material that ignites in
your hands, the transmigration of dream into salad, the snake rolled up in the garden
hose. You with your sickle that lifts the perfumes, you with the bossy soapsuds, you
climbing my ladders and stairs. You taking charge: even my handwriting, its
characteristics, even the sand grains in my notebooks - finding in those pages lost
syllables that were searching for your mouth.
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(Reading) N81
Aussie Love Poem by Meredith Campbell
(Poet Lorikeet, Central Australia)
Of all the gorgeous sheilas
With whom I'd watch Blue Heelers
I choose you.
Of all the bonnie lassies
With high performance chassies
I choose you.
Of all the buxom wenches
Who e'er removed their dentures
Upon my bedside table
And still got me excitable
I choose you.
Yes, you, my bonza mate
My luscious laden plate
My overflowing esky
Who always gets me frisky
My burger with the lot
Your bed, my Camelot.
Before I get too high-brow
I gotta say it now:
My mate, thine art true blue
And so I do love you.
(Reading) N82
When two people marry. (Helen Steiner Rice)
Your hearts are filled with happiness
so great and overflowing
You cannot comprehend it,
for it's far beyond all knowing
How any heart could hold such joy
or feel the fullness of
The wonder and the glory
44
and the ecstasy of love.
You wish that you could capture it
and never let it go
So you might walk forever
in its magic, radiant glow.
And love in all its ecstasy
is such a fragile thing,
Like gossamer in cloudless skies
or a hummingbirds small wing.
And love that lasts forever
must be made of something strong The kind of strength that's gathered
when the heart can hear no song.
When the sunshine of your wedding day
runs into stormy weather,
and hand in hand you brave the gale
and climb steep hills together,
And, clinging to each other
while the thunder rolls above,
You seek divine protection
in faith and hope and love.
For days of wine and roses
never make love's dreams come trueIt takes sacrifice and teardrops
and problems shared by two
To give true love its beauty,
its grandeur, and its finesse,
And to mold an earthly ecstasy into heavenly diviness.
(Reading) N83
Since There's No Help
Since there's no help, come let us kiss and part:
Nay, I have done; you get no more of me;
And I am glad, yea, glad with all my heart
That thus so cleanly I myself can free.
Shake hands forever; cancel all our vows;
And when we meet at any time again,
Be it not seen in either of our brows
That we one jot of former love retain.
Now at the last gasp of love's latest breath
When, his pulse failing, passion speechless lies,
When faith is kneeling by his bed of death
And innocence is closing up his eyes;
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Now, if thou would'st, when all have given him over,
From Death to Life thou might'st him yet recover.
(Reading) N84
Celtic Welcome
In ancient Celtic tradition, there is a beautiful understanding of love and friendship.
One of the fascinating ideas that is accepted and known is the idea of soul love… the
old Gaelic term for this is anam cara. And this term means soul friend. With your
anam cara you could share your innermost self, your mind and your heart. This also
meant that you were joined in an ancient and eternal way with the ‘friend of your
soul’.
In everyone’s life there is great need for a soul friend… in Celtic terms,
“Love is the only light that can truly read the secret signature of the other person’s
individuality and soul”.
“LOVE IS A GIFT”
From out of the stars and into your hearts;
From each to the other;
From who you are and who you become
To the wider circle of family and friends
Who are your community;
From each child and parent and caring friend
To you………… and …………
Love is a gift, a magnificent mystery.
Love is a joy
Making your eyes light up
And sometimes fill up
Giving you laughter to uplift your souls
Bringing you intense pleasure
At the sound of your beloved’s voice
At the very touch of lips sweetly embracing;
Lifting from despair and loneliness
To companionship and meaningfulness;
Love is a joy,
The richest blessing you can know.
Love is a communion, the circle within which we all
Live and move and have our being
………… and …………
May all that you are always be in love;
May all that is love always be in you.
May your love be as beautiful on each day
That you share
As it is on this day of celebration.
46
(Reading) N85
Celtic Blessing
May you be blessed with good friends.
May you learn to be a good friend to yourself.
May you be able to journey to that place in
your soul where there is great love, warmth,
feeling and forgiveness.
May this change you.
May it transfigure that which is negative,
distant or cold in you.
May you treasure your friends.
May you be good to them and may you
be there for them; may they bring you all the blessings,
challenges, truth and light
that you need for your shared journey.
May you never be isolated; but may you always
be in the gentle nest or your belonging with your gentle anam cara.
(Reading) N86
"Love…is Togetherness
Love is a look, a smile, brief as an instant,
long as eternity, a spark engendered by a
reaching out, a touch of hands, an intuition
that knows how to heal a hurt, and how to build a world.
For love's sake only, cherishing each other,
lovers move freely within a circle, that
defines their being, shapes what they become,
and thus they are fulfilled each in the other.
When love speaks in feeling,
love responds in instant recognition,
in embrace and letting go, always in the certainty of renewal.
Shared sorrows, disappointments only serve to strengthen love.
Let this be a pledge of love's safekeeping,
and when they wake in the morning, some new insight,
some lovely memory of the other,
warms and draws and holds them closer together.
So love begins in longing,
Love is transformed into belonging
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Love is all encompassing - Love is …..
Love is togetherness that knows no ending…. "
(Reading) N87
The Key to Love ©
The key to love is understanding, the ability to comprehend not only the
spoken word but the unspoken gesture the little things that mean so much by
themselves.
The key to love is forgiveness. Accepting each others fault and pardoning
mistakes without forgetting but with remembering what you learn from them.
The key to love is trust, though dark doubts lie in hallowed thoughts it
must shine brightly on with reassuring radiance that suppresses fear with
faith.
The key to love is sharing , facing your good times as well as the bad
together. Both conquering problems forever searching for ways to intensity
for happiness.
The key to love is giving without thought of return but with hope of just a
single smile. And by giving in and never giving up.
The key to love is respect, realizing that you are two separate people with
different ideas that you don't belong to each other but with each other and
share a mutual bond.
The key to love is inside us all.
It takes time and patience to unlock.
All the ingredients that will take you to it's threshold it is a continual
learning process, it demands a lot of hard work.
Constant devotion, dedication and sacrifice but the rewards are more than
worth the effort.
And you are the key to love.
(Reading) N88
"Fly Beyond Your Dreams
Love, a deep abiding love, to fill your nights and days
Gentle thoughts and loving deeds be with you always
A future that is special, with hopes and dreams beyond
48
Take wing, take flight to unknown sites, rise above the ground..
Lifting, singing, twirling, somewhere beyond the rise
Ever searching, dreaming - each day a warm surprise
Spread your wings and sail away, head towards the sun
Pack your dreams in bags of gold - go now - even run!
Your day is here, begin your quest, it lies beyond that hill
Give your best - go find your nest and savour every thrill
Side by side - seek treasures rare, fill each day with schemes
And look for rainbows everywhere - fly beyond your dreams.
(Reading) N89
Winged Flight
From today this winged love begins its flight
across the skies of time...
It will fly above the bounds of earth
and beyond the edge of now,
for when hearts and minds come
together as one,
the union takes mere mortals
to places never been.....
The flight of love will allow you to
challenge your wildest dreams..
side by side you will explore the
endless possibilities of your shared world
And tour journey will soar and fly
with bearings sound and direction true.
May your winds be favorable
and your skies remain clear
as you guide your shared flight
towards the rising sun,
for in the dawn of each new day
you will find the light to guide your way.
May you enjoy your journey
along the way, and may you feel
the gentle guiding presence of others
who share the skies with you,
the place of freedom,
adventure and endless hope.
49
(Reading) N90
Acknowledgement # 1:
Each of you has touched our lives in some important way. As I have been
contemplating marriage, my mother and my father, the two people who have most
shaped and influenced my life, have been present in my thoughts. I see them now as I
never have before. They made a lifelong commitment to each other, as well as to their
children, and while we've not always made it easy for them, they stuck to their
commitment anyway. That has inspired me to be a better person. That is why I would
now like to take this opportunity, on my wedding day, to say to them: Thank you, Mum
and Dad. I love you.
(Reading) N91
Acknowledgement # 2:
On this, my wedding day, I want to say to my parents: Thank you. I love you. Yu have
helped teach me waht a great relationship is all about. Through your strong
commitment, you have learned to love each other and give as much as necessary to
make your relationship work. From you, I have learned that the most substantial and
solid basis of a relationship is a sincere understanding of each other, an acceptance of
one another's strength and frailties, and the commitment to continually work at
keeping communication open and loving. Thank you, Mum and Dad, for preparing
me so well for this new adventure I am about to embark upon.
(Reading) N92
Poem for Parents
As they stroll proudly down the aisle
my mind races to earlier years,
When she used to skin her knees
and I wiped away the tears.
Where did those tender days go,
is she ready for a new stage of life?
And what about that cavalier young man
is he ready for a wife?
This time I'll give her up for good,
not just a Saturday night.
I hope that all her needs are met
and that this bond of love is right.
There's so much that she'll have to learn
when the ups and downs get rough.
Like patience and forgiveness
and I hope she'll have enough.
They're almost at the end of the walk,
50
it went by much too fast.
I needed more hours more than this
to fondly remember the past.
She'll let go of our arms now
and the feelings tug at my heart.
But I know that even a husband's love
will never replace my part.
We've done our best to let her grow
and played the role of guide.
She'll be our daughter forever
So today she can be the bride.
On our wedding day, as husband and wife,
as we take our vows and make promises to each other,
We make this promise to you as well;
Even as we take each other's hearts and lives,
We promise, you belong in our hearts and lives always.
On this day know that our love is not divided, It is multiplied,
and you are embraced with the full measure of love and promises
that we share here today.
For we know we are able to love and cherish each other so much
because you loved and cherished us first .
your loving son and daughter.
(Reading) N93
The Priceless Silver Years
Twenty-five precious silver years,
the greatest years of life.
Years of trust and patience
as a loving husband and wife.
Planning things together
and watching dreams come true.
Sharing little secrets
meant especially for two.
Remembering moments filled
with both the sad and happy tears.
No wonder that they're thought of as
The Priceless Silver Years.
51
(Reading) N94
I Love You 2
I love you,
Not only for what you are
But for what I am
When I am with you.
I love you,
Not only for what
You have made yourself
But for what
You are making me.
I love you,
For the part of me
That you bring out;
I love you,
For putting your hand
Into my heaped-up heart
And passing over
All the foolish, weak things
That you can't help
Dimly seeing there,
And for drawing out
Into the light
All the beautiful belongings
That no one else had looked
Quite far enough to find.
I love you because you
Are helping me to make
Of the lumber of my life
Not a tavern
But a temple;
Out of works
Of my every day
Not a reproach
But a song.
Roy Croft
(Reading) N95
52
An Anniversary Blessing.
You have come over smooth roads and rough
But you have had each other and that was enough.
For even the darkest and stormiest weather brings rainbows of love;
when you share it together.
And because you have shared your smiles and your tears,
You have built up rich treasures in these many years.
For the memories of things you have both shared and faced,
Are engraved in your hearts and they can't be erased.
And life with its problems has been but the blending,
Of a love that's divine and therefore unending.
For love that endures through a long earthly life,
And keeps folks together as husband and wife,
Is fashioned by trust and both have been true,
To the marriage vows that were taken by you.......
And all of your children and their children too are so proud of you.
(Reading) N96
“THROUGH THE YEARS”
Through the years we have learned
A lot about each other,
And we have grown together.
We have learned about forgiveness;
It takes two understanding people
To accept one another's faults
And still find it in their hearts
To forgive each other
And forget old arguments.
We have learned about friendship;
Friends stick together
They're always truthful to each other
And always comfort one another
In times of turmoil
Most of all, we have learned about love;
It is something that takes time
And after all our time together
Our love has never been stronger.
(Reading) N97
53
Wedding Reading
"Greet this day with love in your hearts.
Look on all things with love and you will be born again.
Love the sun - for it warms your bones
Love the rain - for it cleanses your spirit
Love the light - for it shows you the way,
Yet love the darkness - for it shows you the stars.
Welcome the happiness, for it enlarges your heart
Yet endure sadness - for it opens your soul
Acknowledge rewards - for they are your due
And accept the obstacles - for they are your challenge.
Look to this day - in it lies all the realities of existence.
The bliss of growth - the splendour of action - the glory of power.
But today well lived Makes every yesterday a dream of happiness and
every tomorrow a vision of hope.
The future belongs to those who believe
In the beauty of their dreams….
(Reading) N98
“Written by Bob Carlisle & Randy Thomas)
There's two things I know for sure.
She was sent here from heaven,
and she's daddy's little girl.
As I drop to my knees by her bed at night,
she talks to Jesus, and I close my eyes.
And I thank God for all of the joy in
my life, But most of all, for...
Butterfly kisses after bedtime prayer.
Stickin' little white flowers all up in her hair.
"Walk beside the pony
daddy, it's my first ride."
"I know the cake looks funny,
daddy, but I sure tried."
Oh, with all that I've done wrong,
I must have done something right
To deserve a hug every morning,
54
And butterfly kisses at night.
Sweet sixteen today,
She's looking like her momma
a little more everyday.
One part woman, the other part girl.
To perfume and makeup,
form ribbons and curls.
Trying her wings out in a great
big world. But I remember...
Butterfly kisses after bedtime prayer.
Stickin' little white flowers all up in her hair.
"You know how much I love you daddy,
But if you don't mind,
I'm only going to kiss you on
the cheek this time."
With all that I've done wrong
I must have done something right.
To deserve her love every morning,
And butterfly kisses at night.
All the precious time
Like the wind, the years go by
Precious butterfly
Spread your wings and fly
She'll change her name today.
She'll make a promise,
and I'll give her away.
Standing in the bride room
just staring at her,
she asked me what I'm thinking,
and I said "I'm not sure,
I just feel like I'm losing my baby girl."
Then she leaned over....and gave me....
Butterfly kisses, with her mama there
Sticking little flowers all up in her hair
"Walk me down the aisle, daddy, it's just about time"
"Does my wedding gown look pretty, daddy?"
"Daddy, don't cry."
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With all that I've done wrong, I must have done
something right
To deserve her love every morning,
And butterfly kisses
I couldn't ask God for more, man, this is what love is
I know I've gotta let her go, but I'll always remember
Every hug in the morning, and butterfly kisses...
(Reading) N99
Your marriage is not unlike a plant,
given the right amount of light and shade
well tendered soil and nurturing
in a loving environment
will grow.
It will become a flower in full bloom,
and will bring beauty to the world.
(Reading) N100
Irish Toast:
May you be poor in misfortune,
Rich in blessings,
Slow to make enemies,
Quick to make friends.
But rich or poor, quick or slow,
May you know nothing but happiness
From this day forward.
After a while you learn
the subtle difference
between holding a hand
and chaining a soul.
And you learn
that love doesn't mean leaning
and company doesn't mean security.
And you begin to learn
that kisses aren't contracts
and presents aren't promises.
And you begin to accept your defeats
with the grace of a woman or a man,
not the grief of a child,
and you learn to build all your roads on today
because tomorrow's ground is too uncertain for plans,
56
and futures have a way of falling down in mid-flight.
And after a while you learn
that even sunshine burns if you ask too much.
So plant your own garden
and decorate your own soul
instead of waiting for someone to bring you flowers.
And you learn
that you really can endure
that you really are strong
and you really do have worth.
And you learn
and you learn
with every new day you learn.