Readings / poems / song lyrics for non religious ceremony.

grind gremlin

We aren't getting married until next year but I am super organised!
Does anyone have any suggestions for anything that could be read during the ceremony. We are free to write our own ceremony (except for the legal bits).

We would ideally need 2 / 3 readings.

Thanks in advance.

Sleepy

Been wondering about this myself lately as we'll be having a non religious ceremony too. Thinking we might use some poems we like thought the best I can think of for a wedding ceremony is extracts from Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet which is hardly non-religious!

grind gremlin

We both love music so I would love to use the lyrics of a song as a reading. He is a big metal fan. This will be the first time many of our guests will be at a civil ceremony, although they are getting more popular. We want to make it as unique and as 'us' as possible.

Sleepy

Nothing Else Matters?

Know a few friends who've used it as a first dance song but if you have someone who could play it acoustically it could make a nice part of a ceremony. At my fiancée's niece's humanist naming ceremony her uncle played Dylan's Forever Young and I thought it was a really nice touch...

grind gremlin

Unfortunately he hates Metallica
That Dylan song is lovely!!!!!

grind gremlin

Himself can't stand Metallica, although that Dylan song is lovely

cailinoBAC

A Poster on weddingsonline had made a long list.
http://www.weddingsonline.ie/discussion/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=349263&p=3810788#p3810788

I can forward it on if anybody wants it.

Gatica

Got a list from the solemniser. I will read through it and see if anything jumps at me. But I think google is your best friend unless you know of great poems yourself, which I don't really... I'd probably only know the well known ones: The Passionate Shepherd to his love, Sonnet 116, Sonnet 18... etc...

greeneyedspirit

Google IS your best friend for this -
we had a civil ceremony, and two readings - I can't find the second one, but I know we had to change one line by order of the registrar, to avoid possibly offending guests. So the registrar has some input, anyway.

One of our readings was this, which I love:

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

grind gremlin

We also got a list from the Solemniser (Tom Colton). I have been searching online quite a bit lately but it seems the same songs keep popping up in most lists.
I have a good bit to go before the big day so not under too much pressure.
Have a friend willing to read the 'Mawwiage' piece from the Princess Bride although I am not too sure how well it would be received!

bobbygirl

cailinoBAC wrote: »

A Poster on weddingsonline had made a long list.
http://www.weddingsonline.ie/discussion/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=349263&p=3810788#p3810788

I can forward it on if anybody wants it.

Would love a copy ! Thanks so much...

MarieClaire78

THeres a guardian article specifically with wedding poetry- great help- see http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2011/apr/23/wedding-carol-ann-duffy-poetry

annabella26

i have it planned for our first dance but look up "staind- tangled up in you"... some of the lyrics are beautiful

John Mason

my friend had "my love is like a red rose" by Robbie Burns (she is scottish) which was lovely.

we had "a lovely love story" by Edward Monkton

http://www.itakeyou.co.uk/wedding-ideas/wedding-readings-poems/a-lovely-story.htm


and "he doesnt leave the toilet seat up" by Pam Ayers

http://www.itakeyou.co.uk/wedding-ideas/wedding-readings-poems/he-never-leaves-the-seat-up.htm

Gatica

Those are really lovely!!!

DM addict

We're using "He wishes for the Cloths of Heaven" by Yeats and "The Owl and the Pussy-cat" by Lear.

John Mason

DM addict wrote: »

We're using "He wishes for the Cloths of Heaven" by Yeats and "The Owl and the Pussy-cat" by Lear.

Love the Owl and the Pussy-cat, it was on our shortlist