I’m often asked for help with choosing wedding readings. It’s a tricky one indeed! You have to factor in individual preferences, the tone of the ceremony, length of reading (and proficiency of the reader!), and the message (if any).
So the piece can be partly – or wholly – humorous, depending on the desired atmosphere. You may have a particular reading (or even a shared one) that means a lot to you. I would recommend that it doesn’t last much longer than a minute (guests can get restless!), especially if the reader is inexperienced or has a voice that needs amplification. (Of course, the celebrant can read it, if that’s what you want.) If the text carries a message, it’s best that it is not too complex (people’s concentration spans are limited, remember!).
One reading I was introduced to quite recently was the following one. It was well-presented and was obviously suitable for a dog-friendly couple.
See what you think!
“How Falling in Love is like Owning a Dog” by Taylor Mali,
On cold winter nights, love is warm.
It lies between you and lives and breathes
and makes funny noises.
Love wakes you up all hours of the night with its needs.
It needs to be fed so it will grow and stay healthy.
Love doesn’t like being left alone for long.
But come home and love is always happy to see you.
It may break a few things accidentally in its passion for life,
but you can never be mad at love for long.
Is love good all the time? No! No!
Love can be bad. Bad, love, bad! Very bad love.
Love makes messes.
Love leaves you little surprises here and there.
Love needs lots of cleaning up after.
Sometimes you just want to get love fixed.
Sometimes you want to roll up a piece of newspaper
and swat love on the nose,
not so much to cause pain,
just to let love know, “Don’t you ever do that again!”
Sometimes love just wants to go out for a nice long walk.
Because love loves exercise. It will run you around the block
and leave you panting, breathless. Pull you in different directions
at once, or wind itself around and around you
until you’re all wound up and you cannot move.
But love makes you meet people wherever you go.
People who have nothing in common but love
stop and talk to each other on the street.
Throw things away and love will bring them back,
again, and again, and again.
But most of all, love needs love, lots of it.
And in return, love loves you and never stops.
For any further suggestions or simply to discuss ceremony plans, please have a chat with me.