I've been mulling over blog topics and thought I'd tackle Readings; whether to have one or not.
When I first meet with a couple and ask what sort of ceremony they would like, the answer is, nearly every time, 'we want a relaxed ceremony, something short and sweet, definitely simple and definitely not too long.' I'd like a $ for every time my couples have said this to me. And, I get it. Our lives are complicated enough and planning the rest of the day can be onerous so I understand the desire to keep it simple. But, short and sweet, relaxed and basic doesn't have to mean boring, over-and-done-with-in-five-minutes, just-the-legals-please, type of ceremony. It can still encompass meaning, reverence and emotion and the decision of whether to include a Reading or not can often just add that personal stamp of you as a couple. As an added bonus, it may also provide an opportunity for you as it can be a great way to involve that special friend or relative in your big day.
L_R: Photos above provided by me, Regent Photography and Euro Photography.
Readings don't have to be biblical, stuffy or old-fashioned and they don’t need to be long. It might be a verse from a favourite song that you both love, a short poem from a modern-day poet or something more traditional. Whatever it is, make sure it resonates for you and your Reader. So, before you say no way Susie-Q, thanks but we don't want a reading, consider adding something short and simple in to your ceremony. It may only be 1-2 minutes in a 20-25 minute ceremony that sets an awesome vibe for the rest of your day. Give it a go, we can always delete it later or trim it back if needs be.
So, humour me and check out some of my suggestions below or scan the Readings document in my Wedding Kit.
A few of my favourite modern-day poets and authors:
Elise Bradfield (Sydney poet) https://www.elisebradfield.com/
Kiersten White http://kierstenwrites.blogspot.com.au/ Kiersten writes books but I love her poetry and one of my faves is "And I Choose You" from her book "The Chaos of Stars"
Beau Taplin http://instagram.com/beautaplin
And, if you don’t have someone special you’d like to do your reading, no problem, I can be your “Reader” as I was for Georgina and Dylan. They loved a specific poem and wanted to include it but didn’t have anyone they particularly wanted to ask. So, it was me!
Luke’s sister, Brooke, reading Carrie’s Poem from Sex & The City. Photo provided by Ebony Tannouri.
Some more well-known poets, authors and films:
Shakespeare https://www.romancefromtheheart.com/quotes/shakespeare-quotes.htm
Louis de Bernieres https://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/2771048-captain-corelli-s-mandolin
Carrie's Poem (Sex and The City) https://i.pinimg.com/736x/4f/53/b5/4f53b5d55585160f8ec2913e4fa63830--baby-wedding-wedding-poems.jpg
And, there we have it. I hope you have a bit of a think and a look before you make your decision. I like my couples to know everything they can include in a ceremony before they say no thanks!
Thanks for reading and hit me up with any of your faves.