Wedding Reading #10

I’m always on the lookout for a great reading to incorporate into the wedding ceremony.  Here is another one for consideration…

“THE HUNGERING DARK – Frederick Buechner

Matrimony is called holy, because this brave and faithful promise of a man and a woman, to love and honor and serve each other through thick and thin, looks beyond itself to more faithful promises still, and speaks mightily of what human life at its most human and most alive and most holy must always be.  Every wedding is a dream, and every word that is spoken there means more than it says and every gesture – the clasping of hands, the giving of rings – is rich with mystery.  And so it is that we hope with every bride and groom, that the love they bear one another, and the joy they take in one another, may help them grow in love for this whole world where their final joy lies.

Wedding Readings – Selection # 9

I’m always on the lookout for a great reading to incorporate into the wedding ceremony.  Here is another one for consideration…

“YOU WERE BORN TOGETHER” (from The Prophet) – Kahlil Gibran

You were born together, and together you shall be forevermore.

You shall be together when the white wings of death scatter your days.

Aye, you shall be together even in the silent memory of God.

But let there be spaces in your togetherness,

And let the winds of the heavens dance between you.

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 one cup.

Give one another of your bread but eat not from the same loaf.

Sing and dance together and be joyous, but let each of you be alone,

Even as the strings of the lute are alone though they quiver with the same music.

Give your hearts, but not into each other’s keeping.

For only the hands 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 grow not in each other’s shadow.

Wedding Readings – Selection #7

Another heartfelt reading to share with my readers.  Many couples include readings within their ceremonies, and I ask for a copy to keep in my file.  This one is very nice, but unfortunately it has no title nor author.  Enjoy…

Marriage is a lifetime commitment to the best that two people can find and bring out in each other.  It offers opportunities for sharing and growth that no other human relationship can equal.  Within the circle of its love, marriage encompasses all of life’s most important relationships.  A wife and husband are each other’s best friend, confidant, lover, teacher, listener, and critic.  Marriage deepens and enriches every facet of life.  Happiness is fuller; commitment is stronger; even anger is felt more intensly but passes away more quickly.  Marriage understands and forgives the mistakes life is unable to avoid.  When two people pledge to love and care for each other in marriage, they create a spirit unique to themselves, which binds them closer than any spoken or written words.  Marriage is a promise that takes a lifetime to fulfill.

Wedding Readings – Selection #6

I’m always on the lookout for a great reading to incorporate into the wedding ceremony.  Here is another one for consideration…

excerpt from “THE ART OF A GOOD MARRIAGE”, by Wilferd Arlan Peterson

“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 having a mutual sense of values, and common objectives.

It is standing together and facing the world.

It is forming a circle that gathers in the whole family.

It is speaking words of appreciation, and demonstrating gratitude in thoughtful ways.

It is having the capacity to forgive and forget

It is giving each other an atmosphere in which each can grow.

It is a common search for the good and the beautiful.

It is not only marrying the right person – it is being the right partner.”

Wedding Readings – Selection #5

 Below is another sample of a lovely reading to include within the wedding ceremony.  Today’s selection is very popular and familiar to many.  Check out the previous posts to review other Wedding Readings. 

I LOVE YOU  by Roy Croft

“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 of yourself, but for what you are making of 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 the works of my every day, not a reproach, but a song.  I love you, because you have done more than any creed could have done to make me good, and more than any fate could have done to make me happy.  You have done it without a touch, without a word, without a sign.  You have done it by being yourself.  Perhaps that is what being a friend means, after all.” 

Wedding Readings – Selection #3

As I have written before, including a sentimental, meaningful reading in your wedding gives the ceremony more depth. Enjoy another offered selection ; the author of this one is anonymous.

Sooner or Later

Sooner or later we begin to understand that love is more than verses on Valentines and romance in the movies. We begin to know that love is here and now, real and true, the most important thing in our lives. For love is the creator of our favorite memories, and the foundation of our fondest dreams. Love is a promise that is always kept, a fortune that can never be spent, a seed that can flourish in even the most unlikely of places. and a radiance that never fades, this mysterious and magical joy, is the greatest treasure of all – one known only by those who love.

Wedding Readings – Selection #2

Thought I’d share another very thoughtful reading that one might consider to incorporate into the wedding ceremony. This one is by Laura Hendricks, and is entitled:

Love is Friendship Caught Fire
“Love is friendship caught fire; it is quiet mutual confidence, sharing and forgiving. It is loyalty through good and bad times. It settles for less than perfection, and makes allowances for human weaknesses. Love is content with the present, hopes for the future, and does not brood over the past. It is the day-in and day-out chronicles of irritations, problems, compromises, small disappointments, big victories, and working toward common goals. If you have love in your life, it can make up for a great many things you lack. If you do not have it, no matter what else there is, it is not enough.”

I like this one… it is so true.

Wedding Readings – Selection #1

Some couples tell me “we want the ceremony short and quick!” However, the ceremony is the MOST important part of the entire day (in my humble opinion) and so by incorporating a meaningful reading makes for a tad bit more interest.
I will post different readings over the next few weeks, for your consideration. If one strikes you, share with your honey, and then advise your officiant that you’d like it included into the service:

In Marriage
In marriage, walk the path together, side by side whenever possible. Remember to hold each other when it is cold. If the air becomes too close, make a little space so each can breathe. When the path is narrow, pick one to go first. Always be willing to follow; don’t be afraid to lead. Trust your partner; trust yourself, for marriage is a journey that leads to great love.