Bridal Club Magazine
Words of Love - Choosing Your Ceremony Readings
You're getting married and you want the world, or at least your
closest friends and family, to know what's in your heart. Choosing
ceremony readings that represent the beauty and love of your
relationship is a wonderful, and relatively easy way to share these
feelings and personalize your ceremony. Your readings should be
beautiful, moving and interesting to your guests, reflect the words
and feelings in your heart, yet still adhere to the formality and
"feel" that you want for your ceremony.
There are so many wonderful sources to find suitable readings. You
can find them in scripture; (I Corinthians 13:4-8 - "Love is
patient. Love is kind . . . ," Ephesians 5:21-32 - "Honor Christ by
submitting to each other. . . . And the two shall become one.",
Song of Solomon 6:3 - "I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine . .
. "; from selections of poetry (Alfred, Lord Tennyson - "In true
marriage lies, Nor equal, or unequal," anonymous Chinese poet, Han
Dynasty - "O, celestial beings, Let our feelings for each other,
continue without diminishing," ); or excerpts from literature,
William Shakespeare from As You Like It - " . . . no sooner met but
they looked, no sooner looked but they loved, no sooner loved but
they sighed, no sooner sighed but they asked one another the
reason, no sooner knew the reason but they sought the remedy . . .
"). However, since there are so many, it can get so overwhelming.
Don't let this send you down the simple route of merely looking at
a list of possible selections (usually provided by your officiant
or person who is helping with the ceremony), and picking a couple
readings only because they're on his/her list and therefore must be
the appropriate choices. Visit your local library and look under
topics such as poetry, literature, wedding readings. Check your
(and your fiancé's) bookshelves, and music collection. Some of the
most beautiful words of love are song lyrics.
Don't be too quick to dismiss readings that have "been done." If
you find yourself hesitating over a particular selection because
you're afraid that your guests will groan, "Oh, no! Not this one
again," stop a moment and give it a thorough once over. Read the
selection out loud, or have someone read it to you. The spoken word
has a much greater impact than just seeing them on a piece of
paper. You may need to back up a bit to include a preceding verse
or sentence or two, or if you have someone who is creative with
words, can write a suitable introduction. Including this intro can
help make the "same old" come alive, becoming something that is new
and fresh. In a beautiful introduction to Corinthians 13:4-8, an
aunt of the bride described the differences between love and
infatuation. An excerpt follows. "Infatuation is fleeting desire.
True love is a friendship that has caught fire. Infatuation says we
must get married right away, I can't risk losing you. Love says be
patient, don't panic, plan your future with confidence. Infatuation
might lead you to do things you will regret. Love never steers you
in the wrong direction. God, in His amazing, infinite wisdom, said
it perfectly in Corinthians."
Of course, you'll want to take special care in choosing the
person(s) who will be your readers. Look for someone who is
comfortable in front of a crowd, and can read in a good speaking
voice. Even the most beautiful, emotion evoking words will lose
their meaning if read in a droning, monotone voice.
Finally, to avoid any unpleasant surprises on your wedding day,
make sure to obtain a list of rules and regulations from your
ceremony site regarding what they do and do not permit for a
wedding ceremony, and get your officiant's okay before finalizing
any choices. And remember, if worse comes to worse, and you aren't
allowed to use a reading that you just cannot imagine doing without
- have someone read it at the reception. Words of Love aren't just
for the ceremony.
Article Source: Free Wedding
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