Creating Personalized Wedding Readings
How to Adapt a Piece of Wedding Poetry for the Bride and Groom
Nov 23, 2008
A love poem or prose can easily be adapted to make a personalized wedding reading. First of all, decide on the type of love poem. Should it be
- spiritual
- romantic
- mysterious
- creative
- humorous
- secretive
- modern
- traditional
Make sure that it fits in with the theme of the wedding ceremony. Look through books, other wedding reading articles, and on the net – there is plenty to choose from.
How to Personalize the Wedding Reading
When the poem has been selected, look for ideas as to how to include the names of the bride and groom. Here's an example with a spiritual wedding reading:
"From every human being including [bride’s name] and [groom’s name] there rises a light that reaches straight to heaven, and when two souls that are destined to be together find each other, the streams of light flow together and a single brighter light goes forth from that united being."
If a quote is used in this way, credit should be given to the writer, in this case Ba'al Shem Tov, with an acknowledgement of the adaptation. Something like, "This reading is adapted from the writings of Ba'al Shem Tov."
Adapting Love Poems
- Pablo Neruda’s secretive love poem called I Don't Love You As If You Were The Salt-rose can be adapted to wedding poetry in this way :
"[groom’s name] does not love you, [bride’s name] as if you were the salt-rose, or topaz, or the arrow of carnations the fire shoots off. He loves you as certain beautiful things are to be loved, in secret, between the shadow and the soul."
- Rabindranath Tagore’s love poem called Fireflies also evokes secrets and mystery:
"Let my love, like sunlight, surround you and give you illumined freedom.
Love remains a secret even when spoken, for only [bride’s name] and [grooms name] know that they are loved."
Personalized Wedding Reading for a Modern Wedding Ceremony
- This piece creates the perfect personalized wedding reading. It is called Poem Written Beneath a Blue Lampshade by Jose Garcia Villa and begins:
"I speak this poem tenderly
It being for you both [ bride’s name and groom’s name]
And
For you only
You were not
Afraid
And you took love
Gorgeously."
The poem continues with wonderful imagery and ends :
"And all this
Is remembrance,
and all this
Is desire.
But also it is love."
Personalized Wedding Reading for a Traditional Wedding Ceremony
- Words on Feeling Safe by George Elliot is a gentle reflection of unconditional love that converts well and would bring tenderness to a wedding ceremony.
"Oh the comfort of feeling safe, [the names of bride and groom]
with a person; [exchange a person for each other]
having neither to weigh thoughts,
nor measure words,
but to pour them all out "
The poem continues with sensitive thoughts in this vein.
Practise the Wedding Reading Out Loud
Remember that with personalized wedding readings, the poem is being read to the bride and groom, rather than the guests. It’s a good idea to practice reading it aloud to make sure the sense of the love poem is not lost by the adaptation.
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