Here you'll find lots and lots of poems and readings that may appeal to you or they may not.
Take your time with this, come back again and again, a little at a time and most importantly......go with your gut!
There's absolutely no right or wrong way to do this.
Les Miserables: (Victor Hugo)
You can give without loving, but you can never love without giving. The great acts of love are done by those who are habitually performing small acts of kindness. We pardon to the extent that we love.
Love is knowing that even when you are alone, you will never be lonely again. And great happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved. Loved for ourselves. And even loved in spite of ourselves.
Every Day: (David Levithan)
This is what love does: It makes you want to rewrite the world. It makes you want to choose the characters, build the scenery, guide the plot.
The person you love sits across from you, and you want to do everything in your power to make it possible, endlessly possible. And when it’s just the two of you, alone in a room, you can pretend that this is how it is, this is how it will be.
A Vow: (Wendy Cope)
I cannot promise never to be angry;
I cannot promise always to be kind.
You know what you’re taking on, my darling
It’s only at the start that love is blind.
And yet I’m still the one you want to be with
And you’re the one for me, of that I’m sure.
You’re my closest friend, my favourite person,
The lover and the home I’ve waited for.
I cannot promise that I will deserve you,
From this day on. I hope to pass that test.
I love you, and I want to make you happy.
I promise I will do my very best.”
A Marriage: (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 to 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 Day: (Adrian Lomas)
This day of days,
your separate ways
become one.
This ring, this vow,
tell you that now
a new life’s begun.
Two roads converging,
then, finally, merging,
under the sun.
Good luckholding,
A future unfolding,
that can’t be undone.
A History of Love: (Diane Ackerman)
Love. What a small word we use for an idea so immense and powerful it has altered the flow of history, calmed monsters, kindled works of art, cheered the forlorn, turned tough guys to mush, consoled the enslaved, driven strong women mad, glorified the humble, fuelled national scandals, bankrupted robber barons, and made mincemeat of kings.
How can love's spaciousness be conveyed in the narrow confines of one syllable? Love is an ancient delirium, a desire older than civilization, with taproots stretching deep into dark and mysterious days.
The heart is a living museum. In each of its galleries, no matter how narrow or dimly lit, preserved forever like wondrous diatoms, are our moments of loving and being liked.
The Promise: (Heather Berry)
Within this blessed union of souls, where two hearts intertwine to become one, there lies a promise. Perfectly born, divinely created, and intimately shared, it is a place where the hope and majesty of beginnings reside. Where all things are made possible by the astounding love shared by two spirits.
As you hold each other’s hands in this promise, and eagerly look into the future in each other’s eyes, may your unconditional love and devotion take you to places where you’ve both only dreamed. Where you’ll dwell for a lifetime of happiness, sheltered in the warmth of each other’s arms.
Traditional Irish Blessing:
May the road rise to meet you,
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
The rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May you be poor in misfortune,
Rich in blessings,
May you know nothing but happiness
From this day forward.
May the warm rays of sun fall upon your home
And may the hand of a friend always be near.
May green be the grass you walk on,
May blue be the skies above you,
May pure be the joys that surround you,
May true be the hearts that love you.
The Celtic Blessing
Above you are the stars, below you are the stones.
As time passes, remember...
Like a star should your love be constant,
Like the earth should your love be firm.
Let the powers of the mind and of the intellect
guide you in your marriage,
Let the strength of your wills bind you together,
Let the power of love and desire make you happy
and the strength of your dedication make you inseparable.
Possess one another, yet be understanding.
Have patience with each other,
For storms will come, and they will go quickly,
Forced to dissipate in the light of your love.
Be free in giving of affection and of warmth.
Have no fear, and let not the ways
Or words of the unenlightened give you unease.
For your love is with you,
Now and always!
The Apache Wedding Blessing
Now you feel no rain, for each of you will be a shelter to the other.
Now you feel no cold, for each of you will be warmth to the other.
Now there is no loneliness, for each of you will be a companion to the other.
You are two bodies, but there is one life before you and one home.
When evening falls, each will look up and the other will be there.
He’ll take her hand; she will take his and you’ll turn together
To look at the road you travelled to reach this: the hour of your happiness.
It stretches behind you, even as the future lies ahead, long and winding road, whose every turning means discovery.
Old hopes, new laughter, shared fears.
Your adventure has just begun.
All I Ever Really Needed to Know I Learned in Kindergarten: (Robert Fulgham)
All of what I really need to know about how to live, and what to do, and how to be, I learned in Kindergarten. Wisdom was not at the top of the graduate school mountain, but there in the sandbox at nursery school.
These are the things I learned:
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Share everything.
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Play fair.
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Don't hit people.
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Put things back where you found them.
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Clean up your own mess.
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Don't take things that aren't yours.
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Say sorry when you hurt somebody.
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Wash your hands before you eat.
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Flush.
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Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you. Give them to someone who feels sad.
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Live a balanced life.
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Learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work every day.
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Take a nap every afternoon.
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Be aware of wonder.
Remember the little seed in the plastic cup? The roots go down and the plant goes up and nobody really knows how or why, but we are all like that.
Everything you need to know is in there somewhere.
And it is still true, no matter how old you are, when you go out into the world, it is best to hold hands and stick together.
Friendship: (Judy Bielicki)
It is often said that it is love that makes the world go round. However, without doubt, it is friendship which keeps our spinning existence on an even keel.
True friendship provides so many of the essentials for a happy life it is the foundation on which to build an enduring relationship, it is the mortar which bonds us together in harmony, and it is the calm, warm protection we sometimes need when the world outside seems cold and chaotic.
True friendship holds a mirror to our foibles and failings, without destroying our sense of worthiness. True friendship nurtures our hopes, supports us in our disappointments, and encourages us to grow to our best potential.
Bride and Groom came together as friends. Today, they pledge to each other not only their love, but also the strength, warmth and, most importantly, the fun of true friendship.
I Cannot Promise You…
I cannot promise you a lifetime of sunshine,
I cannot promise you riches, wealth or gold,
I cannot promise you an easy pathway,
That leads away from change or growing old.
But I can promise all my hearts devotion,
A smile to chase away your tears of sorrow,
A love that’s ever true and ever growing,
A hand to hold in yours through each tomorrow.
From Beginning to End: (Robert Fulghum)
The symbolic vows that you are about to make are a way of saying to one another, "You know all those things we've promised and hoped and dreamed, well, I meant it all, every word."
Look at one another and remember this moment in time. Before this moment you have been many things to one another, acquaintance, friend, companion, lover, dancing partner, and even teacher, for you have learned much from one another in these last few years.
Now you shall say a few words that take you across a threshold of life, and things will never quite be the same between you. For after these vows, you shall say to the world, this is my husband, this is my wife.
I Fell In Love With All Of You:
I didn’t just fall in love with the best of you, like,
The way your eyes light up the room,
The way you laugh makes me smile,
The way your hand fits in mine,
The way your personality stands out,
The way your smile gives me butterflies,
or the way your body moves.
I fell in love with all of you,
I fell in love with your scars,
The way you make sarcastic remarks,
The way you feel helpless at 2am,
The way you cry about something from years ago,
The way you can sometimes get angry,
or the way you sometimes want to be alone.
I fell in love with all of you,
I fell in love with the great in you,
I fell in love with the bad you see in yourself,
but the bad you see is the great that I see because I love every part of you , every bit.
I fell in love with all of you.
Love Sonnet 17: (Pablo Neruda)
I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where,
I love you simply, without problems or pride:
I love you in this way because I don’t know any other way of loving
but this, in which there is no I or you,
so intimate that your hand upon my chest is my hand,
so intimate that when I fall asleep it is your eyes that close.
I love you as the plant that doesn’t bloom and carries hidden within itself the light of those flowers, and thanks to your love, darkly in my body lives the dense fragrance that rises from the earth.
Collide: (R.M. Drake)
You will be the clouds and I will be the sky.
You will be the ocean and I will be the shore.
You will be the trees and I will be the wind.
Whatever we are, you and I will always collide.
I Choose You: (Tyler Kent White)
I choose you again and again,
at the start and finish of every single day.
No matter the season no matter the year,
I choose you to struggle and succeed with,
To fight and make up with,
To love and grow old with,
I choose you knowing there are still trails we must travel,
Knowing there are mountains left to climb,
I choose you to always be by my side.
I Love You So:
I love you so deeply, I love you so much,
I love the sound of your voice and the way that we touch.
I love your warm smile and your kind thoughtful way,
the joy that you bring to my life every day.
I love you today as I have from the start,
and I ‘ll love you forever with all of my heart.
Buried Light: (Beau Taplin)
Home is not where, you are from, it is where, you belong.
Some of us travel the whole world to find it. Others, find it in just one person.
My Everything:
You’re my love, my life. The air that I breathe,
You’re my soul, my happiness the all that I need.
You’re my light, my dark, the stars in the sky,
You’re my up, my down, the reason I try.
You’re my strength, my weakness, the love from the start,
You’re my heartache, my pain the beat of my heart.
You’re my tears and my joy in the love that you bring,
You’re my world my galaxy, you’re my everything.
The Wedding Singer: (Movie)
I want to make you smile whenever you're sad.
Carry you around when your arthritis is bad.
All I want to do is grow old with you.
I'll get your medicine when your tummy aches.
Build you a fire if the furnace breaks.
Oh it could be so nice, growing old with you.
I'll miss you, Kiss you, Give you my coat when you are cold.
Need you, Feed you, Even let you hold the remote control.
So let me do the dishes in our kitchen sink.
Put you to bed if you've had too much to drink.
I could be the man who grows old with you.
I want to grow old with you.
I Didn’t Fall In Love With you:
I didn’t fall in love with you, I walked into love with you,
with my eyes open, choosing to take every step along the way.
I do believe in fate and destiny, but I also believe we are only fated to do the things that we’d choose anyway.
And I’d choose you; In a hundred lifetimes, In a hundred worlds, In any version of reality, I’d find you and I’d choose you.
Sex and the City: (Movie)
His hello was the end of her endings.
Her laugh was their first step down the aisle.
His hand would be hers to hold forever.
His forever was as simple as her smile.
He said she was what was missing.
She said instantly she knew.
She was a question to be answered.
And his answer was "I do."
The Bridge Across Forever: (Richard Bach)
A soul mate is someone who has locks that fit our keys, and keys to fit our locks. When we feel safe enough to open the locks, our truest selves step out and we can be completely and honestly who we are; we can be loved for who we are and not for who we’re pretending to be. Each unveils the best part of the other. No matter what else goes wrong around us, with that one person we’re safe in our own paradise. Our soul mate is someone who shares our deepest longings, our sense of direction. When we’re two balloons, and together our direction is up, chances are we’ve found the right person. Our soul mate is the one who makes life come to life.
I Choose You: (Sara Bareilles)
My whole heart, will be yours forever. This is a beautiful start, to a lifelong love letter.
Tell the world that we finally got it all right. I choose you. I will become yours and you will become mine.
We are not perfect, we’ll learn from our mistakes, and as long as it takes, I will prove my love to you. I am not scared of the elements, I am underprepared, but I am willing and even better, I get to be the other half of you.
Love is an Adventure: (Pierre Tielhart de Chardin)
Love is an adventure and a conquest. It survives and develops like the universe itself only by perpetual discovery. The only right love is that between couples whose passion leads them both, one through the other, to a higher possession of their being. Put your faith in the spirit which dwells between the two of you. You have each offered yourself to the other as a boundless field of understanding, of enrichment, of mutually increased sensibility. You will meet above all by entering into and constantly sharing one another's thoughts, affections, and dreams. There alone, as you know, in spirit, which is arrived through flesh, you will find no disappointments, no limits. There alone the skies are ever open for your love; there alone lies the great road ahead.
The One:
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 hold 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 found the one and only love you’ll share your whole life through.
Wedding: (Alice Oswald)
From time to time our love is like a sail
and when the sail begins to alternate
from tack to tack, it’s like a swallowtail
and when the swallow flies it’s like a coat;
and if the coat is yours, it has a tear
like a wide mouth and when the mouth begins
to draw the wind, it’s like a trumpeter
and when the trumpet blows, it blows like millions …
and this, my love, when millions come and go
beyond the need of us, is like a trick;
and when the trick begins, it’s like a toe
tip-toeing on a rope, which is like luck;
and when the luck begins, it’s like a wedding,
which is like love, which is like everything.
Blessing of the Hands:
These are the hands of your partner, young and strong and full of love, holding your hands 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 hold you and comfort you in grief and uncertainty. These are the hands that will countless times wipe the tears from your eyes, tears of sorrow and joy. These are the hands that will hold your family as one. These are the hands that will give you strength. And 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.
Fairy-tale Wedding:
Once upon a time, a boy met a girl, she gave him her hand & he held it tight. Together, they set off down the unknown path in front of them. Sometimes they walked slowly; sometimes at a quicker pace. Sometimes they ran so fast it felt kind of like flying. Whenever he lost his footing, she steadied him and whenever she tripped, he helped her back up. Sometimes they didn’t know which direction to go, and although they occasionally lost their way, they never lost each other. They wandered contentedly and lived happily, forever and always side by side.
Jane Eyre: (Charlotte Brontë)
I have for the first time found what I can truly love, I have found you. You are my sympathy, my better self, my good angel, I am bound to you with a strong attachment. I think you good, gifted, lovely; a fervent, a solemn passion is conceived in my heart; it leans to you, draws you to my centre and spring of life, wrap my existence about you and, kindling in pure, powerful flame, fuses you and me in one.
He’s Not Perfect: (Bob Marley)
He’s not perfect. You aren’t either, and the two of you will never be perfect. But if he can make you laugh at least once, causes you to think twice, and if he admits to being human and making mistakes, hold onto him and give him the most that you can. He isn’t going to quote poetry, he’s not thinking about you every moment, but he will give you a part of him that he knows you could break. Don’t hurt him, don’t change him, and don’t expect for more than he can give. Don’t analyse. Smile when he makes you happy, yell when he makes you mad, and miss him when he’s not there. Love hard when there is love to be had. Because perfect guys don’t exist, but there’s always one guy that is perfect for you.
Never Above You: (Walter Winchell)
Never above you,
Never below you,
But Always beside you.
Love Song: (Mary Carolyn Davies)
There is a strong wall about me to protect me:
It is built of the words you have said to me.
There are swords about me to keep me safe:
They are the kisses of your lips.
Before me goes a shield to guard me from harm:
It is the shadow of your arms between me and danger.
All the wishes of my mind know your name,
And the white desires of my heart,
They are acquainted with you.
The cry of my body for completeness,
That is a cry to you.
My blood beats out your name to me, unceasing, pitiless
Your name, your name.
The Bargain: (Sir Philip Sidney)
My true love hath my heart, and I have his,
By just exchange one for another given:
I hold his dear, and mine he cannot miss,
There never was a better bargain driven:
My true love hath my heart, and I have his.
His heart in me keeps him and me in one,
My heart in him his thoughts and senses guides:
He loves my heart, for once it was his own,
I cherish his because in me it bides:
My true love hath my heart, and I have his.
Sensual Pleasure Passes: (Voltarire)
Sensual pleasure passes and vanishes in the twinkling of an eye,
but the friendship between us, the mutual confidence,
the delights of the heart, the enchantment of the soul,
these things do not perish and can never be destroyed.
I shall love you until I die.
From This Day Forward:
From this day forward,
you shall not walk alone.
My heart will be your shelter,
And my arms will be your home.
I’ll Still be Loving You: (C. David Hay)
When your hair has turned to winter and your teeth are in a plate,
when your getter up and go has gone to stop and wait –
I’ll still be loving you.
When your attributes have shifted beyond the bounds of grace,
I’ll count your many blessings, not the wrinkles in your face –
I’ll still be loving you.
When the crackle in your voice matches that within your knee
and the times are getting frequent that you don’t remember me –
I’ll still be loving you.
Growing old is not a sin, it’s something we all do.
I hope you’ll always understand –
I’ll still be loving you.
I’ll Be There: (Louise Cuddon)
I’ll be there, my darling,
Through thick and through thin
When your mind is a mess
When your head’s in a spin
When your plane’s been delayed
When you’ve missed the last train
When life is just threatening
To drive you insane
When your thrilling who dun it
Has lost its last page
When somebody tells you
You’re looking your age
When your coffee’s too cool
And your wine is too warm
When the forecast said ‘Fine’
But you’re out in a storm
When you ordered the korma
But got the Madras
When you wake in the night
And are sure you smell gas
When your quick-break hotel
Is more like a slum
And your holiday photos
Show only your thumb
When you park for five minutes
In a residents’ bay
And return to discover
You’ve been towed away
When the jeans that you bought
In hope or in haste
Stick on your hips
And won’t reach round your waist
When the dentist looks into
Your mouth and just sighs
When your heroes turn out
To be wimps in disguise
When the food you most like
Brings you out in red rashes
When as soon as you boot up
The bloody thing crashes
When you’re in extra time
And the other team scores
When someone informs you
There’s no Santa Claus
When you gaze at the stars
And step on a nail
When you know you’ll succeed
But, somehow, you fail
When your horoscope tells you
You’ll have a good day
So you ask for a rise
And your boss says, ‘No way.’
So my darling, my sweetheart, my dear …
When you spill your beer
When you shed a tear
When you burn the toast
When you miss the post
When you lose the plot
When I’m all you’ve got
When you break a rule
When you act the fool
When you’ve got the flu
When you’re in a stew
When you’re last in the queue
Don’t feel blue
Cause I’m telling you
I’ll be there
I’ll be there
I’ll be there for you.
No Mistake: (Martha Simms)
I know that you were made for me,
and I was made for you.
A wise old owl up in a tree,
told me this was true.
I asked him only yesterday,
if I should marry you?
He answered – ‘I can safely say,
you’re not a twit to woo.’
A Word To Husbands: (Ogden Nash)
To keep your marriage brimming, with love in the loving cup.
Whenever you’re wrong, admit it; and whenever you’re right, shut up!
Silent Unspeakable Memories: (George Eliot)
What greater thing is there for two human souls, than to feel they are joined for life. To strengthen each other in all labour, to rest on each other in all sorrow, to minister to each other in all pain, to be one with each other in silent unspeakable memories.
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 Art of 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 the big ones. 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. It is having a mutual sense of values and common objectives. It is standing together facing 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 cultivating flexibility, patience, understanding and a sense of humour. It is having the capacity to forgive and forget. It is giving each other an atmosphere in which each can grow. It is finding room for the things of the spirit. It is a common search for the good and the beautiful. It is establishing a relationship in which the independence is equal, dependence is mutual and the obligation is reciprocal. It is not only marrying the right partner, it is being the right partner.
On Your Wedding Day:
Today is a 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 lives 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.
Irish Toast:
My you have warm words on a cold evening,
a full moon on a dark night,
and the road downhill all the way to your door.
The Most Wonderful Of All Things In Life: (Sir Hugh Walpole)
The most wonderful of all things in life is the discovery of another human being with whom one's relationship has a growing depth, beauty and joy as the year's increase. This inner progressiveness of love between two human beings is a most marvelous thing; it cannot be found by looking for it or by passionately wishing for it. It is a sort of divine accident and the most wonderful of all things in life.
To Be One With Each Other: (George Eliot)
What greater thing is there for two human souls than to feel that they are joined together to strengthen each other in all labour, to minister to each other in all sorrow, to share with each other in all gladness, to be one with each other in the silent unspoken memories?
Blessing For A Marriage: (James Dillet Freeman)
May your marriage bring you all the exquisite excitements a marriage should bring, and may life grant you also patience, tolerance, and understanding.
May you always need one another - not so much to fill your emptiness as to help you to know your fullness. A mountain needs a valley to be complete; the valley does not make the mountain less, but more; and the valley is more a valley because it has a mountain towering over it. So let it be with you and you.
May you need one another, but not out of weakness. May you want one another, but not out of lack. May you entice one another, but not compel one another. May you embrace one another, but not out encircle one another. May you succeed in all important ways with one another, and not fail in the little graces. May you look for things to praise, often say, "I love you!" and take no notice of small faults.
If you have quarrels that push you apart, may both of you hope to have good sense enough to take the first step back.
May you enter into the mystery which is the awareness of one another's presence - no more physical than spiritual, warm and near when you are side by side, and warm and near when you are in separate rooms or even distant cities. May you have happiness, and may you find it making one another happy. May you have love, and may you find it loving one another!
