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Poetry and readings
Couples are welcome to include poetry and readings in their
ceremony and it is a way of lengthening the ceremony while at the
same time including a guest who wishes to be actively involved and
who would like to read. Some guests write a piece especially for
the couple which makes it particularly personal but most choose
poems by others.
Below are some poems and prose which have been used in
ceremonies recently. There are a great many others available on the
internet and from other sources. At civil ceremonies, it is not
possible to include readings or poems that are religious or that
have religious connotations. If you are unsure if a piece is
suitable, please contact the register office and staff will be
pleased to advise.
Recently used readings:
The One
Author unknown
When the one whose hand you’re holding
Is the one who holds your heart,
When the one whose eyes you gaze into
Gives your hopes and dreams their start,
When the one you think of first and last
Is the one who holds you tight
And the things you plan together
Make the whole world seem just right,
When the one whom you believe in
Puts their faith and trust in you,
You’ve found the one and only love
You’ll share your whole life through
Sonnet 116
William Shakespeare
Let me not to the marriage of true minds
Admit impediments; love is not love
Which alters when it alteration finds
Or bends with the remover to remove.
Oh no! It is an ever-fixed mark
That looks on tempests and is never shaken;
It is the star to every wand’ring bark,
Whose worth’s unknown, although his height be taken,
Love’s not time’s fool, though rosy lips and cheeks
Within his bending sickle’s compass come;
Love alters not with its brief hours and weeks
But bears it out even to the edge of doom.
If this be error and upon me proved,
I never writ, nor no man ever loved.
What is Love?
Author unknown
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 favourite 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 this radiance that never fades, this
mysterious and magical joy, is the greatest treasure of all –
one known only by those who love.
On Your Wedding Day
Author unknown
Today is the day you will always remember,
The greatest in anyone’s life,
You’ll start off the day just two people in love
And end it as husband and wife.
It’s a brand new beginning, the start of a journey,
With moments to cherish and treasure
And although there’ll be times when you both disagree,
These will surely be outweighed by pleasure.
You’ll have heard many words of advice in the past,
When the secrets of marriage were spoken
But you know that the answers lie hidden inside,
Where the bond of true love lies unbroken.
So live happy forever, as lovers and friends,
It’s the dawn of a new life for you,
As you stand there together with love in your eyes
From the moment you whisper "I do".
And with luck, all your hopes and your dreams can be real,
May success find its way to your hearts.
Tomorrow can bring you the greatest of joys
But today is the day it all starts.
The Key to Love
Author unknown
The key to love is understanding…
The ability to comprehend not only the spoken word
But those unspoken gestures,
The little things that say so much by themselves.
The key to love is forgiveness...
To accept each other's faults and pardon mistakes
Without forgetting but with remembering
What you learn from them.
The key to love is sharing…
Facing your good fortunes as well as the bad, together,
Both conquering problems, forever searching for ways
To intensify your happiness.
The key to love is giving…
Without thought of return
But with the hope of just a simple smile
And by giving in but never giving up.
The key to love is respect…
Realising that you are two separate people, with different
ideas,
That you don’t belong to each other,
That you belong with each other and share a mutual
bond.
The key to love is inside us all…
It takes time and patience to unlock all the ingredients
That will take you to its threshold.
It is the continual learning process that demands a lot of
work
But the rewards are more than worth the effort
And that is the key to love.
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