Wedding Verses and Readings
Apache Wedding Blessing
Now you will feel no rain,
For each of you will be shelter for the other.
Now you will feel no cold,
For each of you will be warmth to the other,
Now there will be no loneliness,
For each of you will be companion to the other.
Now you are two persons,
But there is only one life before you.
May beauty surround you both in the journey ahead,
And through all the years,
May happiness be your companion,
And your days together be good and long upon the earth.
******
Love is Giving
Love is giving, not taking,
mending, not breaking,
trusting, believing,
never deceiving,
patiently bearing and faithfully sharing
each joy, every sorrow, today and tomorrow.
Love is kind, understanding, but never demanding.
Love is constant, prevailing, its strength never failing.
A promise once spoken For all time unbroken,
Love’s time is forever.
*****
The Rabbit and the Rocking Horse
‘How can I become real?’ the little velvet rabbit asked the old rocking horse
‘It’s something that happens to you when someone loves you,
for a long long time, really loves you.’ replied the horse.
‘Does it hurt?’
‘Sometimes,’ answered the rocking horse, ‘but when you are real you don’t mind being hurt.
‘Does it happen all at once, like being wound up?’ asked the little velvet rabbit
‘No, not all at once’ said the horse.
‘It takes a long time. That’s why it doesn’t happen often to people who break easily,
or who have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept.’
‘By the time you are real your velvet will be worn out and loved off,
and you will look shabby, but these things don’t matter at all
because you are real and can’t be ugly,
except to people who don’t know how to love.’
****
THE ONE
When the one who's 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 face and trust in you,
You've found the one and only love
You'll share your whole life through.
*****
True Love
Truelove is a sacred flame
That burns eternally,
And none can dim its special glow
Or change its destiny.
True love speaks in tender tones
And hears with gentle ear,
True love gives with open heart
And true love conquers fear.
True love makes no harsh demands
It neither rules nor binds,
And true love holds with gentle hands
The hearts that it entwines
******
Blessing
May the sun bring you new strength by day
May the moon softly restore you by night
May the rain wash away your fears
And the breeze invigorate your being.
May you, all the days of your life,
Walk gently through the world
And know its beauty.
Now you will feel no rain, for each will shelter each other.
Now you will feel no cold, for each will warm the other,
Now you will feel no solitude, for each will company the other.
Now you are two persons, but both will lead one life.
Go to your dwelling to begin the days of your life together.
And may your days be good and long upon the earth.
*****
Reading
To love means not to impose your own powers on
your fellow person, but to offer them your help.
And if they refuse it, to be proud that they can do it on their own strength.
To love means to live without fear and
anxieties about tomorrow.
To love means never to be afraid of the wind-storms of life:
should you shield the canyons from the wind storms,
you would never see the true beauty of their carvings.
By Shanti Nilaya and Elizabeth Kubler Ross.
******
Reading… by Larry S Chengges
If you can always be as close
and happy as today,
Yet be secure enough to grow
and change along the way…
If you can keep for you alone
your love as man and wife.
yet find the time to share your joy,
with others in your life….
If you can be as one,
and walk through marriage
hand in hand,
yet still support the goals and dreams
that each of you have planned…
If you can dare to always go
your separate ways together
Then all the wonders of today
will stay with you forever..
******
Treat yourselves and each other with respect,
and remind yourselves often of what brought you together.
Give the highest priority to the tenderness,
gentleness and kindness that your connection deserves.
When frustration, difficulty and fear enter your lives -
remember to focus on what is right between you.
And if each of you takes responsibility for the quality of your life together,
it will be marked with abundance and delight.
******
Reading
LOVE IS PATIENT, love is kind…
It does not envy..
it does not boast, it is not proud.
It is not rude, it is not self seeking,
it is not easily angered,
it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil,
but rejoices in the truth.
It always protects, always trusts,
always hopes, always preserves.
LOVE NEVER FAILS.
Love is patient, Love is kind,
It does not envy, it does not boast,
It is not proud, it is not rude,
It is not self-seeking,
It is not easily angered,
It keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil,
but rejoices with the truth.
Love always protects, always trusts,
always hopes, always perseveres.
Love bears all things, believes all things,
hopes all things, endures all things.
Love never ends.
Lover never fails
(Corinthians 13:4-8)
*****
Love is a Mighty Power
Love is a mighty power, a great and complete good.
Love alone lightens every burden, and makes rough places smooth.
It bears every hardship as though it was nothing,
and renders all bitterness sweet and acceptable.
Nothing is sweeter than love, nothing stronger,
Nothing higher, nothing wider, and nothing more pleasant.
Love is free and unrestrained. Love knows no limits,
but ardently transcends all bounds. Love feels no burden,
takes no account of toil, and attempts things beyond its strength.
Love sees nothing as impossible, for it feels able to achieve all things.
Love is not fickle and sentimental, nor is it intent on vanities.
Like a living flame and a burning torch,
it surges upward and surely surmounts every obstacle.”*
*****
It's your Wedding Day
It's your Wedding Day
So perfect and fine,
With all your friends round you
To have a good time.
And we wish you much happiness
Starting your lives as one,
Always give love to each other
With lots of laughter and fun
*****(
On Marriage from “The Prophet” by Kahil Gibran
You were born together and together you shall be evermore
You shall be together when the white wings of death scatter your day.
But let there be spaces in your togetherness.
And let the winds of the heaven dance between you.
Love one another, but make not a bond of love.
Let it be rather a moving sea between the shores of your souls.
Fill each others cup but drink not from one cup.
Sing and dance together and be joyous,
but let each one of you be alone, even as the strings of the lute are alone,
though they quiver with the same music.
And stand together, but not too near together,
for the pillars of the temple stand apart, and the oak tree and the cypress grow not in each others shadow.
******
Ever wonder why God gives us two?
Ever wonder why God gives us two?
A right hand to show the left what to do.
One ear to listen and one to hear
the problems of others,
their laughter and fears.
One eye to watch and one to behold
the beautiful treasures
that life has to hold.
One foot to travel and one to stand tall.
Two feet to land on if we should fall.
One man to stand by a woman's side;
One woman to cherish being his bride.
The love between partners
comes shining through
and that is the reason
God has made two.
*****
May God Bless You
On Your Wedding Day
*****
Today you are joined in marriage,
remember to always…
Be understanding of your partner’s needs.
Hold each other in the highest regard.
Have a sense of humour as you meet life’s challenges.
Honour one another when you are together or apart.
Respect each other’s differences.
Enjoy the good times, and endure the storms.
Make your dreams come true, together…
Most of all, love one another…
*****
May you always feel as close as you do this day.
May your lives be graced with good health.
May you always find happiness in your home,
and may it be a refuge from the storms of life.
May your love grow ever stronger as you share
your lives together, and may your future be even
more wonderful than you dreamed possible
*****
Marriage begins with a wedding,
where two people promise “to have and to hold, to love
and to cherish” come what may...
The comfort in a marriage comes from caring
for one another, and showing it each day…
The happiness in marriage comes from knowing that the love you
share will grow ever stronger as you go through life together.
The blessings of marriage are the fulfilment of your
cherished hopes and dreams as your lives unfold,
and the realization of the meaning of
that beautiful promise “To have and to hold…”
Pour all of this into a Vessel Of Love,
Cook thoroughly over Radiant Joy
Garnish with Smiles
Serve with Quietness, Unselfishness and Cheerfulness
And you are bound to have a Happy Life.
*****
A Marriage by Mark Twain
A marriage... makes of two fractional lives a whole;
It gives to two purposeless lives a work,
and doubles the strength of each to perform it;
It gives two questioning natures a reason for living,
and something to live for;
It will give a new gladness to the sunshine,
a new fragrance to the flowers,
a new beauty to the earth and a new mystery to life.
*****
Wedding Cake Recipe:
1/2 lb good looks
1lb sweet temper
1lb butter of youth
1lb blindness of faults
1lb of wit
1lb good humour
2lb of sweet argument
1 pint of rippling laughter
1 wine glass of common sense
a dash of modesty
Put the love good looks and a sweet temper into a well furnished house.
Beat the butter of youth into a cream,
and mix well together with the blindness of faults.
Stir the wit and good humour into the sweet argument
then add the rippling laughter and common sense.
Work the whole thing together until everything is well mixed,
and bake gently forever.
*****
Good luck! Congratulations!
Best wishes! Cheers! Well done!
The futures full of promise and
Its only just begun
You're starting on a journey
A new, exciting life
Together, as a partnership
As husband and as a wife
Adventures, thrills and choices
Are waiting just for you
The road will have some turnings
And perhaps a bump or two
But you’ll be strong together
You’ll come through every test
Your love will deepen week by week
Be Happy All the best
*****
Reading for a Son
Today dear Son, as you walk down the aisle
You'll see all the faces wearing a smile.
But as we remember those young tender years
Our smiles will conceal a few hidden tears.
They're not tears of sorrow, but tears full of joy
As we're both thinking back to our dear little boy
And now you have grown up and made us so proud
As you smile for the camera and the rest of the crowd
Remember dear (name) as you take your new wife
You're still very much a part of our life!
We're gaining a daughter. not losing a son,
You're new lives as husband and wife have begun
So be blissfully happy and enjoy your 'Big Day'
Have a wonderful marriage with a rose strewn way!
*****
For a daughter
Today dear daughter, as you walk down the aisle
You'll see all the faces wearing a smile.
But as we remember those young tender years
Our smiles will conceal a few hidden tears.
It isn't through sadness , our emotions just whirl
As we're both thinking back to our dear little girl
And now you have grown and made us so proud
As you smile for the camera and the rest of the crowd
Remember dear (name) as you become a new wife
You're still very much a part of our life!
We're not losing a daughter, we are gaining a son,
You're new lives as husband and wife have begun
So be blissfully happy and enjoy your 'Big Day'
Have a wonderful marriage with a rose strewn way!
*****
With warmest wishes
for the best in life
as you both look forward
to a shared future
of love, friendship,
and the wonderful closeness
that is marriage.
Congratulations
*****
For a Special Couple on Your Wedding Day
Love grows deeper, stronger,
and more beautiful
when it is planted by God
...Kept in His Will
...Nourished by His Word
and warmed by the sunshine
of His ever-abiding presence.
May you always walk together
in the happy ways of love
Trusting in the grace of God
To lead you from above.
Congratulations
*****
Wishing You God's Blessing
on Your Wedding Day...
...and may He always be
the heart of your marriage,
the light of your home,
and the ever-present partner
in your life together.
Congratulations
*****
From this day forward,
as you share life's joys and trials,
may you always comfort one another
with a smile...
Always be together through
both laughter and the tears...
Depending on each other...
Loving happily ever after.
Wishing you an "always" kind of love.
Best Wishes on Your Wedding Day
******
Wishing you a happy marriage
and hoping that your
life together will be rich
in joy and love.
*****
May this day you share
be filled with love and laughter
May all the days ahead
be happy ever after!
*****
True Love
Truelove is a sacred flame
That burns eternally,
And none can dim its special glow
Or change its destiny.
True love speaks in tender tones
And hears with gentle ear,
True love gives with open heart
And true love conquers fear.
True love makes no harsh demands
It neither rules nor binds,
And true love holds with gentle hands
The hearts that it entwines.
******
This Day I Married My Best Friend
This day I married my best friend
...the one I laugh with as we share life's wonderous zest,
as we find new enjoyments and experience all that's best.
...the one I live for because the world seems brighter
as our happy times are better and our burdens feel much lighter.
...the one I love with every fiber of my soul.
We used to feel vaguely incomplete, now together we are whole.
Today I Married My Best Friend
Rachel Elizabeth Cooper (b.1977)
Today I married my best friend,
Our bond complete, it hath no end,
We share one soul, we share one heart,
A perfect time - a perfect start.
With these rings we share together,
Love so close to last forever,
This special day - two special hearts,
Let nothing keep this love apart.
*****
When You Are Old - William Butler Yeats (1865-1939)
When you are old and grey and full of sleep,
And nodding by the fire, take down this book,
And slowly read, and dream of the soft look
Your eyes had once, and of their shadows deep;
How many loved your moments of glad grace,
And loved your beauty with love false or true,
But one man loved the pilgrim Soul in you,
And loved the sorrows of your changing face;
And bending down beside the glowing bars,
Murmur, a little sadly, how Love fled
And paced upon the mountains overhead
And hid his face amid a crowd of stars.
*****
Now What Is Love - Thomas Rainborow (d.1648)
Now what is love? I pray thee, tell.
It is that fountain and that well,
Where pleasure and repentance dwell.
*****
Love's Philosophy - Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792-1822)
The fountains mingle with the rivers
And the rivers with the oceans,
The winds of heaven mix forever
With a sweet emotion;
Nothing in the world is single;
All things by a law divine
In one spirit meet and mingle.
Why not I with thine?
See the mountains kiss high heaven
And the waves clasp one another;
No sister-flower would be forgiven
If it disdained its brother,
And the sunlight clasps the earth
And the moonbeams kiss the sea:
What is all this sweet work worth
If thou kiss not me?
*****
If ever two were one, then surely we.
If ever man were lov'd by wife, then thee;
If ever wife was happy in a man,
Compare with me ye women you can
I prize thy love more than whole mines og Gold.
Or all the riches that the East doth hold.
My love is such that rivers cannot quench,
Nor ought but love from thee, give recompense.
Thy love is such I can no way repay,
The heavens reward thee manifold repay,
Then while we live, in love let's so persevere
That when we live no more, we may live ever.
*****
By Elizabeth Barrett Browning
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.
I love thee to the level of every day's
Most quiet need; by sun and candle-light.
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.
I love thee with the passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints,--I love thee with the breath.
Smiles, tears, of all my life!--and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.
*****
Karen Clodfelder
As we grow older together,
As we continue to change with age,
There is one thing that will never change...
I will always keep falling in love with you.
******
Seven Blessings
May you be blessed with love.
May the love between you be passionate and serene, strong and enduring bringing a deep
abiding peace into your lives.
May you be blessed with wisdom.
May you continually learn from one another and the world.
Together may you grow, deepening your knowledge and understanding of each other and of
your journey together through life.
May you be blessed with the fruit of the earth.
May your harvest be abundant and prosperous in all areas of your lives.
May you be blessed with art and beauty.
May your creative aspirations and experiences find expression and bring you joy and
fulfillment.
May you be blessed with balance.
May you respect the relationship between expanding and contracting, in giving and receiving,
in doing and in being.
May you be blessed with community.
May you always be blessed with the awareness that you are an essential part of the circle of
family and friends. May there always be within this group a sense of mutual love, trust,
support, and respect.
May you be blessed with health.
May life bestow upon you wholeness of mind, body and spirit.
May you live long that you may share many happy years together.
***********
Happiness in Marriage
Happiness in marriage is not something that just happens. A good marriage must be
created. In the art of marriage, the little things are 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 at no time taking the other for granted; the courtship shouldn't end with the honeymoon, it
should continue through all the years.
It is having a mutual sense of values and common objectives; it is standing together to face
the world.
It is forming a circle of love that gathers in the whole family
It is doing things for each other, not in the attitude of duty or sacrifice, but in the spirit of joy.
It is speaking words of appreciation and demonstrating gratitude in thoughtful ways.
It is not expecting the husband to wear the halo and the wife to have wings. It is not looking
for perfection in each other.
It is cultivating flexibility, patience, understanding and a sense of humour.
It is having the capacity to forgive and forget.
It is in giving each other an atmosphere in which each can grow.
It is finding room for things of the spirit.
It is a common search for the good and the beautiful. It is in establishing a relationship in
which the independence is equal, the dependence is mutual and the obligation is reciprocal.
It is not only marrying the right partner, it is being the right partner.
*******
Cherokee Prayer
Oh Great Spirit whose voice I hear in the wind, whose breath gives life to all the world. Hear
me; I need our strength and wisdom. Let me walk in beauty, and make my eyes ever behold
the red and purple sunset. Make my hands respect the things you have made and my ears
sharp to hear your voice, Make me wise so that I may understand the things you have taught
my people. Help me to remain calm and strong in the face of all that comes toward me. Let
me learn the lessons you have hidden in every leaf and rock. Help me seek pure thoughts
and act with the intention of helping others. Help me find compassion without empathy
overwhelming me. I seek strength no to be greater than my brother, but to fight my greatest
enemy, myself. Make me always ready to come to you with clean hands and straight eyes. So
when life fades, as the fading sunset, my spirit may come to you without shame.
******
Prayer of St. Francis
Lord, make us instruments of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let us sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is desire, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
Where there is sadness, joy
O'Divine Master, Grant that we may not so much seek to be
consoled as to console,
To be understood as to understand,
To be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned; And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
******
It is remembering to say "I love you" at least once a day.
It is never going to sleep angry,
It is at no time taking the other for granted; the courtship shouldn't end with the honeymoon, it
should continue through all the years.
It is having a mutual sense of values and common objectives; it is standing together to face
the world.
It is forming a circle of love that gathers in the whole family
It is doing things for each other, not in the attitude of duty or sacrifice, but in the spirit of joy.
It is speaking words of appreciation and demonstrating gratitude in thoughtful ways.
It is not expecting the husband to wear the halo and the wife to have wings. It is not looking
for perfection in each other.
It is cultivating flexibility, patience, understanding and a sense of humor.
It is having the capacity to forgive and forget.
It is in giving each other an atmosphere in which each can grow.
It is finding room for things of the spirit.
It is a common search for the good and the beautiful. It is in establishing a relationship in
which the independence is equal, the dependence is mutual and the obligation is reciprocal.
It is not only marrying the right partner, it is being the right partner.
The Greatest Gift
"The greatest gift that you could ever give to another is your own happiness, for when you are
in a state of joy, happiness, or appreciation, you are fully connected to the Stream of pure,
positive Source Energy that is truly who you are. And when you are in that state of connection,
anything or anyone that you are holding as your object of attention benefits from your
attention.
No one else needs you to be or do things for them in order for them to be fulfilled-for all of
them have the same access to the Stream of Well-Being that you do. Often, others (who do
not understand that they have access to the Stream) suffer in their inability to hold
themselves in a place of feeling good, and ask you to behave in a way that they believe will
make them feel better. But not only do they hold you in a place of discomfort as they try to
make you responsible for their joy, they hold themselves in a place of bondage as well. For
they cannot control the way any other behaves, and if that control is necessary for their
happiness, then they are truly in trouble.
Your happiness does not depend on what others do, but upon your own vibrational balance.
And the happiness of others does not depend on you, but only on their own vibrational
balance, own mix of Energies. The way you feel is simply, clearly and always the indicator of
the vibrational balance between your desires and your vibrational offering, which from your
vantage point, you have launched."
"There is no desire that anyone holds for any other reason than that they believe they will feel
better in the achievement of it. Whether it is a material object, a physical state of being, a
relationship, a condition, or a circumstance--at the heart of every desire is the desire to feel
good. And so, the standard of success in life is not the things or the money--the standard of
success is absolutely the amount of joy you feel.
The basis of life is freedom, and the result of life is expansion--but the purpose of your life is
joy."
The Hands Passage
Please face each other and hold hands, so you may feel the gift that you are to one another.
These are the hands of your best friend, young and strong and full of love for you, that are
hold yours on your wedding day as you promise to love each other today, tomorrow and
forever.
These are the hands that will work alongside yours as together you build your future.
These are the hands that will passionately love you and cherish you through the years, and
with the slightest touch will comfort you like no other,
These are the hands that will hold you when fear or grief wracks your mind.
These are the hands that will countless times wipe the tears from your eyes, tears of sorrow
and tears of joy.
These are the hands that will tenderly hold your children.
These are the hands that will help you to hold your family as one.
These are the hands that will give you strength when you need it.
And lastly, these are the hands that even when wrinkled and aged, will still be reaching for
yours, still giving you the same unspoken tenderness with just a touch.
******
Bernice Ellrick
I am a rose, you are my thorns,
clutching to me, protecting me.
I am the sun, you are my rays,
helping me to shine and to be all that I can.
I am a lake, you are my water,
filling me with ideas, dreams, and hopes for the future.
I am a tree, you are my leaves,
sharing who and what I am
and becoming an important part of my life.
I am a heart, you are my beat,
beating rhythmically to my happiness,
my fear, my sadness, my excitement.
I am me and you are with me,
to share all that I am,
to share life, love, and happiness.
Always.
*****
Steve Hodgin
You are the most beautiful flower
in the garden of my existance.
******
HIS "N" HERS
He never leaves the seat up
Or wet towels upon the floor
The toothpaste has the lid on
And hes always shut the door.
She's very clean and tidy
Though she may sometimes delude
Leave your things out at your peril
In a second they'll be moved
He's a very active man
As are all his next of kin
Where as she likes lazy days
He'll still drag her to the gym.
He romances and dines her
Hoe-cooked dinners and the like
He knows her very favourite food
and spoils her day and night.
She's very thoughtful when he looks at her
A smile upon her face.
Will he look that good in 50 years?
When his dentures aren't in place.
He says how much he loves her figure
And her mental prowess too
But when gravity takes over
Will she charm with her IQ
She says she loves his kindness
And his patience is a must
And of course she thinks hes handsome
Which of course is a big plus?
The're both not wholly perfect
But who are we to judge
He can be quite pig-headed
Where as she won't even budge.
He'll be more than just her husband
He'll also be her best friend
And she'll be more than just his wife
She'll be his soulmate to the end
*****
This poem (For) and (FOR)
A married couple now
Is a token of the love they share
And the promise behind each vow.
*****
Oh the Place You’ll Go – Dr. Seuss Congratulations!
Today is your day.
You’re off to great places!
You’re off and away!
You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself any direction you choose.
You’re on your own. And you know what you know
. And YOU are the couple who’ll decide where to go.
You’ll look up and down streets. Look ‘em over with care
. About some you will say, “We don’t choose to go there.
” With your heads full of brains and your shoes full of feet.
you’re too smart to go down, any not-so-good street.
And you may not find any you’ll want to go down. In that case, of course, you’ll head straight out of town.
It’s opener there in the wide open air
Out there things can happen and frequently do to people as brainy and footsy as you.
And when things start to happen, don’t worry. Don’t stew.
Just go right along. You’ll start happening too.
OH! THE PLACES YOU’LL GO!
You’ll be on your way up!
You’ll be seeing great sights! You’ll join the high fliers who soar to great heights!
You won’t lag behind, because you’ll have all the speed.
You’ll pass the whole gang, and you’ll soon take the lead.
Wherever you fly you’ll be best of the best.
Wherever you go, you will top all the rest.
Except when you don’t. Because sometimes, you won’t.
You’ll get mixed up of course, as you already know.
You’ll get mixed upwith so many strange birds as you go
. So be sure when you step. Step with great care and great tact
and remember that Life’s a Great Balancing Act.
Just never forget to be dexterous and deft. And never mix up your right foot with your left.
And will you succeed? Yes! You will indeed! (98 and ¾ percent guaranteed.)
So, be your name Buxbaum or Dowrie or Bass or Mordecai Ali Van Allen O’Shea,
you’re off to great places!
Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting. So … get on your way!