Shy speakers often are selected to give speeches or toasts at weddings, and this can be a nightmare for them, though they don’t want to tell the bride and groom. Being selected as a best man or giving your daughter away at her wedding is a huge honor, so you try to suck up your shyness and learn how quiet man wedding toasts can be given that won’t make you feel as uncomfortable as you might at the idea of getting up in front of a crowd. Not to worry, a quiet man can deliver a great speech whether he is the best man, the father of the bride, or a quiet friend of the family that would just like to say something to the new couple!

Thankfully, a quiet best man speech or father of the bride speech will likely go unnoticed by all of those in attendance if you plan ahead. It’s likely that no one will require that you make a very long speech, so work on congratulating the new couple. If you are the father of the bride simply explain that you are happy to welcome the groom into the family and you know that he will fit in well. If you are quiet but have a great sense of humor, think about adding some humor into the mix. Humor may help you break out of your shy self and enjoy the moment as well as make everyone laugh so that they may not notice how shy or nervous you may be!

Because there will likely be other people that will want to make speeches or toasts, perhaps you can go first and get it out of the way. Shy speakers often have a difficult time getting up after that alpha male that seems to be able to do anything in public without thinking twice, so if you go first you won’t have time to get even more nervous. This will also help if you have your speech memorized and you don’t want to run the risk of forgetting what you want to say as well as repeating what others may have said.

If you’re going to give a quiet man speech, wedding receptions are the place to start. If you are nervous, you don’t need to be. By the time everyone gets around to giving speeches many simply aren’t paying attention because they are enjoying great food and drinks. Perhaps giving this speech will get you over your fear of public speaking, or at least you will prove to yourself that you can give speeches and be a pleasantly quiet man! Though it seems like a contradiction, quiet men often give the best speeches because they put a lot of thought into what they have to say.

Whether you are a shy speaker or a somewhat quiet man, you can give a great speech or toast at a wedding. Remember that there is no real length of time that you need to spend speaking in front of the crowd, so you can keep things short and sweet. The key is to think about what you want to say ahead of time so that you can deliver a speech or a toast that will be sincere and will allow people to look past the fact that you typically are a quiet man! When you are planning your speech think about both the bride and the groom and what will make both of them laugh, smile, or appreciate what you have to say.

Article by James Nardel, expert author at EasyWeddingToasts.com. For more tips and information on wedding speeches and toasts, toasting tips and free wedding speech examples for entire wedding party visit http://www.easyweddingtoasts.com .

Weddings are a joyous celebration of the love and bond between two people who have chosen to come together as one. They are usually conducted in front of a minister or priest, in order to celebrate the solemnity of the occasion and to make it more binding in the eyes of God and man. And what better way to celebrate that bond other than with music–with Christian wedding songs, to be precise. Although the traditional wedding march is the common music that plays in the background, imagine walking down the aisle, looking all beautiful, while there is music playing that expresses exactly how you feel that special day. A Christian wedding song whose words evoke a special meaning between you and your future husband. Now that would indeed be something special.

Religion & Music

Most religions consider wedding ceremonies to be a form of worship service, and thus, are very strict about preserving the solemnity of the event. This is the reason why most churches do not allow the playing of popular love songs during the wedding. So, how do you choose songs that are not only religious in nature, but also focus on values and ideals related to love and marriage? Well, this happens to be where Christian wedding songs come in.

Christian wedding songs offer a balance between a love song and a religious song, which is extremely perfect for wedding ceremonies and the receptions as well. These types of songs set the tone for the whole event, ushering in an ambiance of being not too solemn and not too informal. Hence, you can have the wedding song of your dreams playing as you walk down the aisle through Christian wedding songs.

Searching for the Songs

There is quite a remarkable selection of Christian wedding songs that you and your future spouse can choose from. Choosing a song can be a challenging task, because there are a lot of very good songs out there. You would want to choose a song that carries a special meaning for you and your future partner, something that’s not so common that you’ve heard it a hundred times at other weddings you’ve been to.

If you’re not too familiar with Christian wedding songs, you can opt to visit your local music or record store and browse through the available selections there.

Or, you can also surf the Internet. You will surely find a whole lot of sources for Christian wedding songs. Some websites even post lists for the most popular Christian wedding songs being used, which you can also check out.

If you’re going to hire a DJ or a vocal soloist for your wedding, you can also ask him or her with regard to the music selection they have available on Christian wedding songs. You can ask for recommendations as well, in order to limit your search. Have them play it in order for you to be able to make a decision whether you want to use it in the wedding or not.

Hiring Vocal Soloists

Hiring a vocal soloist for your wedding will indeed bring with it a more special and intimate touch. Accompanied by either a piano, guitar, or violin, singing Christian wedding songs live can definitely make your wedding into a more unique one.

The vocalist can sing the Christian wedding songs you chose, be it during the lighting of the candles, before the procession, before the vows, during communion, etc. It all depends on you.

Christian Music

Music happens to be one of the most important elements in a wedding as it sets the tone and mood of the whole event. Whatever Christian wedding songs you choose to play in your wedding, it will surely be imbedded in your memory forever. So choose something that corresponds with what you feel in your heart and has special meaning to you and your future spouse, because hearing it again would surely bring back memories of your very special day.

Visit www.aragia.com for tips on etiquette for wedding toasts and bridal shower favors.
 

Writing your own wedding vows can be a way to ensure that your vows express your exact sentiment. Many vows commonly used in weddings are very lovely and express your love for each other but they are usually not specific to the couple. While it is not necessary to write your own vows, many couples opt to do so in order to make sure that the vows that they recite at the wedding are meaningful to them as a couple. It is not important that you be an eloquent writer to write beautiful wedding vows. What is important though is that you write from your heart. This will ensure that your vows express your feelings adequately and in a way that your partner will understand.

The first tip for writing your wedding vows is to make sure that both you and your partner are committed to reciting original vows. Many couples are not comfortable expressing something so personal in front of others. While the love that is expressed in pre-written vows is also personal, it does not leave the couple feeling so vulnerable. There are plenty of existing vows available and a couple should realize that they are free to use these existing vows and are under no obligation to write their own vows.

Once you have decided that you would like to write your own wedding vows you might want to consider whether or not you want your vows to have a theme or themes. Love is sure to be an underlying theme in any vow but you may also want to incorporate other ideas in your vows as well. Virtues of trust, understanding, friendship and honesty may be a few themes that you may want to include in your vows.

Another tip for writing your wedding vows is to make sure the vows are written well before your wedding date. It is important not to procrastinate with writing your vows because if you put it off until the night before the wedding you are likely to become stressed out and have a great deal of difficulty writing your vows. Writing your vows well in advance of your wedding helps to eliminate stress and allows you time to really think about what you want your vows to say to your partner.

Writing your own wedding vows can be difficult. The most difficult part of writing your own wedding vows is just getting started. Chances are that once you get on a roll you will be able to write freely but getting started can be difficult. For this reason, you may choose to read through a number of existing vows. This will help you to get a feel for the language that is used in vows and can give you some ideas about how you want your vows to read.

An important tip for writing your wedding vows is to make sure that you have plenty of quiet time to work on your vows when you do sit down to start writing them. This may be a long arduous process and it is important to allow plenty of time to write your vows. If you know that you have an appointment in less than an hour, it’s probably not a good time to start working on your wedding vows.

Considering co-writing your vows with your partner is another tip for writing meaningful vows. You may choose to write your vows completely on your own to ensure that they are a surprise for your partner but you may also wish to work on your vows with your partner so that the two of you can enjoy the process of writing your vows together. This can be a wonderful opportunity to reminisce and remember the good times that you have shared.

Still another useful tip for writing your wedding vows is to avoid talking about the bad times. While you may wish to include these to demonstrate how you and your partner have persevered and overcome many obstacles, this type of talk can be upsetting to your partner and your guests. Sticking to the happy memories helps to make the vows more light-hearted and does not make them any less meaningful.

It is also important to not worry about the length of your vows. You may feel compelled to shorten a long drawn out vow because you feel as though it may bore those in attendance or you may feel as though you need to add onto vows that are concise but this is not necessary. All that truly matters is whether you think you have adequately conveyed the desired sentiment in your vows.

Another tip for writing your wedding vows is to not be afraid to use language from a song that is special to you and your partner as a couple. Chances are that the two of you enjoy a meaningful song because it is symbolic of your relationship. In this situation it is appropriate to recite a portion of the lyrics as part of your vows.

A final tip for writing original wedding vows is to first make a list of all the things that you love and admire about your partner. You might want to create this list and then set it aside for a few days before you begin writing your vows. When you are ready to start working on your wedding vows, you could read the list that you had previously written to remind you of all the wonderful characteristics your partner possess and to get you really thinking about your partner.

Writing original wedding vows can be difficult but many couples believe that original vows are more meaningful than pre-existing ones. Following the tips above will help to make the vow writing process a little easier by providing you with a few basic guidelines for writing your vows. It is important to remember the original vows are not obligatory and that it is perfectly acceptable to use existing vows if you choose to do so.

Masni Rizal Mansor provide tips and review on informal wedding dresses.

Music is an essential ingredient of a memorable wedding day, so care is needed in deciding what role it will play on your big day.

CDs and discos are fine, but there’s no substitute for live music when it comes to providing a great wedding atmosphere.

Depending on where you’re getting married, there are three main areas where you need to consider what music and musicians you need - before, during and after the ceremony.

Civil weddings in secular locations are becoming more and more popular these days. However, you need to set a good atmosphere as family and friends gather ready for the wedding ceremony itself.

In churches it’s usually down to the resident organist to provide background music while the guests assemble. Of course, there’s no direct counterpart at a hotel or stately home, and this is one area where the presence of a good wedding pianist, for example, can really help.

Unlike the church setting, where pre-ceremony music is usually chosen (or sometimes improvised) by the organist, you’re likely to have more active input with the hired musician or musicians of your choice as to what material you’d like played.

Of course, the local church still remains a very popular choice for wedding ceremonies, so how should you handle the music here?

You should ideally ask the member of the clergy who is officiating at the ceremony to put you directly in touch with the organist. This will give you a chance to meet, listen to him or her play, and discuss choices of processional/recessional music and which hymns you would like sung.

You should pick music which is technically well within the capability of the designated organist - simpler music, well-played, is far better than having an inexperienced musician make an utter hash of something difficult.

When choosing hymns, it’s best to stick to the most popular ones unless a) you have paid for the church’s choir to sing at the ceremony and b) the choir itself is loud and musical - try attending morning service to guage their ability.

If neither applies, you’ll be relying on the congregation. Therefore, stick to familiar and easy-to-sing hymns that most people will know.

If you prefer to appoint an organist of your own for the ceremony most churches will allow you to do so, but some may insist that you also pay their regular organist fee as well.

Music for civil ceremonies usually has quite a different character - for a start there’ll be no hymns to worry about. But many ceremonies feature music for the entrance of the bride, the signing of the register and the newlyweds’ departure.

Piano music with a romantic theme can be used to full effect here and your pianist should have a broad range of possibilities from which to choose.

Many couples have “our tune”, a song or melody which has special significance for them and for their relationship, and a good wedding pianist should be able to handle most requests.

Bear in mind, though, that the instrument being used needs to be suited to the music in question - Deep Purple’s Smoke On The Water may be your all-time favourite tune, but it’ll sound rubbish played on a piano!

So now you’re hitched (good luck!) and have arrived at, or are already at, the venue for the wedding reception. What next, music-wise?

You may decide that a function band is ideal for the party after the ceremony - again, it’s up to you to decide the mood. A good rule of thumb is to be as inclusive as possible - you may be fans of heavy metal, but is that AC/DC tribute band really going to go down a treat with Auntie Flo?

Far better to aim slightly more middle of the road and use a band whose repertoire tries to offer something for everyone.

By far the biggest bone of contention surrounding most music at weddings is its volume. Remember that weddings are social occasions, so there’s little point in your guests not being able to hear themselves speak.

To be fair to bands, it’s worth pointing out that any group featuring a live drummer is going to be on the loud side, due to the nature of the instrument. Again, it’s possible to create quite a different mood with a solo wedding pianist playing favourite tunes into the night.

It’s important to consult any band or pianist in advance about the repertoire. While most musicians are happy to play a couple of particular favourites, given enough notice, wholesale customisation of their set list is probably something that won’t be possible without paying a significant additional fee.

When planning your schedule, you should allow enough time for the musicians to set up - usually about 30 minutes to an hour, depending on the size of the act - and enough physical space for them to play in. Consult with the act in question about this. Similarly, access to power points is an important matter to sort out - one plugboard run from a single socket is neither adequate nor safe!

The musicians will appreciate being looked after a little. You should supply some sort of changing room. It should be warm and ideally have washing facilities. Please note, toilets are not acceptable as changing rooms!

While your wedding pianist or function band won’t necessarily expect the same food as you’re giving your guests, some light refreshment is very welcome. Most venues can usually arrange a few sandwiches for the band, providing you arrange it well before the date. At the very least, you should provide a supply of drinking water for use before, during and after the performance - making music is extremely thirsty work!

What about the cost? As a rule of thumb, most acts will charge an absolute minimum of 150UKP per musician, plus travel expenses. Remember, professional musicians pay tax on what they earn just like you. They work very unsocial hours and spend a great deal of time in rehearsal and money on expensive equipment.

You may be able to cut costs with cheaper acts, but largely speaking - as with all things in life - you get what you pay for. This is where listening to audio samples and demo discs is vital. It’s simple - good acts don’t come cheaply.

Choose wisely - and have a lovely day!

Aidan Goldstraw is a leading UK pianist for weddings, civil partnership ceremonies, parties and corporate events. Samples of his playing can be found at his own web site Art of Piano.

I consider myself an expert on love, due to my life experiences. I have loved someone or many ones all my many years of living. I have been in love with the same man for forty-five years.

Please remember, love and romance are not always the same. Those who love romantically, will often practice a few romantic ideas, but the lack of “romantic” actions does not always mean the lack of love. Also romantic behavior doesn’t always mean love.

My husband isn’t a “romantic,” as such, yet he shows in many ways how much he loves me. He brings me roses for no reason except he loves me, this man who doesn’t believe in giving flowers. He awakens to rub my leg when a cat jumps on the bed and lands on my already-aching calf. He forces himself to go with me somewhere even though he doesn’t want to go. He, who doesn’t like the idea of giving Christmas gifts, makes arrangements for me to receive a lovely winter cape for Christmas (even if it didn’t arrive in time).

So what is love? It’s putting the loved one’s needs and desires above ourselves. Love is something as mundane as taking the baby’s two o’clock feeding so that one’s spouse can sleep. It’s bringing a bouquet to someone even if we believe flowers are a waste of money. Showing love takes many forms.

I wrote and dedicated a series of poems to my husband. All deal with what love is to me; two follow:

Song of Love
A song of love I hear
In the whisper of the wind
Ruffling the leaves and sending
Them dancing through my dreams.

A song of love I see
In the bright face of sun-down,
Glowing in the golden clouds
Mirrored in my mind.
A song of love I taste
In the sweet drops of rain
Sliding down the windowpane,
Cleansing doubts from my memory.
A song of love I feel
In the softness of a touch
Reaching into the depths of me,
Leaving a part of him.
Dreams of Loving
Dreaming -
When young, my dreams
Brought thoughts of happiness,
Being a princess with a knight
On a black horse, I preferred black, not white,
Coming to carry me away
Because he fell in love
With my beauty.
Dreaming.
Hoping -
When some years passed,
Maybe the horse could leave.
As long as the handsome knight came,
I could still be happy with the results.
My knight would come for me alone,
The part of me that kept
Dreaming of love,
Hoping.
At last
My dream came true.
Not actually tall,
But he had ridden a black horse.
Importantly, he loved me, only me.
No one else could capture his heart.
He thought me a beauty.
Love came to me,
At last.
Loving -
This knight of mine
In his tarnished armor
Sees me through the eyes of love each day,
Never noticing the sags or wrinkles
That mar any lasting beauty
Which I may still possess.
Indeed, we keep
Loving.
Love is that bond that cannot be broken except by betrayal by the loved one, and if he or she betrays then love was not there on one side of the equation. An elderly woman told me before my wedding day, “When the time comes when you think you no longer love him, keeping acting and reacting as if you do. You’ll be surprised how quickly love does return, for it was just hiding for a bit.”

Now I’m that elderly woman, and I understand exactly what she meant.

An author and poet on a site for Poetry Contests, Vivian Gilbert Zabel currently has three books published: Hidden Lies and Other Stories, Walking the Earth/i>, and The Base Stealers Club. This article is submitted in affiliationwith http://www.Prye.Com/ which is a site for Wedding Invitations.

Many nationalities have their own wedding traditions. The people of Ireland have their own distinct traditions that make it easy to distinguish an Irish wedding from weddings of other cultures. The traditions include Claddagh rings, superstitions, a special toast, as well as kilts and bagpipes.

One of the most important aspect of a Catholic wedding is the location. Many couples may wish to be married in an outdoor ceremony but it is important to realize that an outdoor wedding would not be recognized by the Catholic Church. The purpose of holding your wedding ceremony is to demonstrate that you are seeking God’s blessing and influence in your marriage. For this reason the Catholic Church does not recognize any marriage ceremonies that are held outside of a church. While you will still be legally married in accordance with all state guidelines your marriage will not be recognized by the church.

Traditional Irish weddings also adhere to several unusual superstitions in an attempt to ward off bad luck. A rain or overcast day might be cause for concern at a traditional Irish wedding. This is because one of the strange superstitions is that the sun must shine directly on the bride to ensure that the couple will be blessed with good luck. Birds also factor into some of the traditional Irish superstitions. Hearing a cuckoo bird or seeing three magpies are also considered to be signs of luck for the couple.

Another Catholic wedding tradition requires that previous marriages receive an annulment before the couple can be married in the church. Even if the previous marriage was not held in the church or recognized by the church, they still require an annulment before they will perform a marriage ceremony. In this situation a divorce decree is not enough. The previously married party will have to seek an annulment that verifies that the previous marriage was not valid.

The music of a Catholic wedding also holds quite a bit of tradition. While religious music is encouraged, many churches will allow secular music as long as it is approved by the priest prior to the wedding. Although there are many beautiful love songs that have been written over time, it is important to understand that since a Catholic wedding takes place inside of God’s domain, many priests are hesitant to allow any music that might be offensive. They take extra precautions to ensure that the music will be appropriate and that guests will not be offended. The easiest way to avoid this problem is to not include secular music in a Catholic wedding.

The guests then respond to the toast with the following answer: “On this special day, our wish to you, the goodness of the old, the best of the new. God bless you both who drink this mead, may it always fill your every need.” “Friends and relatives, so fond and dear, ’tis our greatest pleasure to have you here. When many years this day has passed, fondest memories will always last. So we drink a cup of Irish mead and ask God’s blessing in your hour of need.” The guests respond: “On this special day, our wish to you, the goodness of the old, the best of the new. God bless you both who drink this mead, may it always fill your every need.”

Both parties do not have to be Catholic in order to have their wedding recognized by the Catholic Church. It is required, however, that at least one member of the couple be an active member of a Catholic Church. The non-Catholic party, however, is required to participate in the required pre-marital counseling in order to ensure that the church will recognize the union. Additionally, if either party was married previously, they would have to seek an annulment before they could be married in the church.

In order for a marriage to be recognized by the Catholic Church it is important to adhere to certain traditions. These traditions include location, music selections, seeking annulments for previous marriages and participating in church sanctioned counseling

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While wedding toasts are very common, it can be difficult to give a great toast if you’ve never done it before. Sure, you see the movies where toasts are spoken as if they are poetry, seemingly with no forethought or effort. You might find it difficult to do this, which is why you should give a toast like the famous. Be prepared! Even mega stars such as George Clooney who just found out he will be hosting Brad and Angelina’s wedding come prepared. Sure, he is the typical alpha male that seems relaxed and ready for anything, but do not kid yourself into believing that he will be able to host the wedding and give a toast without some planning! There will be plenty of people at Brad and Angelina’s wedding as well as any other upcoming celebrity wedding that will have had some help in writing their toast for the famous couple!

Do Some Research

Search your library or even the Internet for some great quotes on weddings to sort of incorporate into your speech. You don’t have to do something overly tacky or sentimental if that is not your personality, but there are some great sentiments that can help you express your thoughts, feelings, and happiness for the new couple. Most famous people have toasts and speeches prepared for them, and when you do some research you are basically using something old or something you’ve found elsewhere to really help you say what you need to say in an elegant way! Unfortunately, most of us do not have script writers on hand to help us write a toast, so the best thing you can do is look up some great toasts that have been used in history.
Use What You Know

If you know that the couple really likes a certain poet, look at some of the poems by the poet, and see if you can’t somehow incorporate a line or a thought of the poet. This is what many famous people do because it shows that they really thought about the couple when planning their toast, instead of just writing something really generic. Using what you know is always the best idea,
and if you don’t know much, well then you just have to sort of wing it, but using sayings from history or from famous authors or other celebrities is a great idea. It’s very hard to find actual celebrity wedding toasts that have been used in the past because these things are usually kept private, but look for sayings on love, marriage, and living a happy, healthy life.

Some Ideas

A couple of ideas are written below to help you start thinking in the right direction. Remember that toasts usually are a bit silly, so get in the right frame of mind, and start planning how you will give your celebrity-esque toast! Below are two commonly used toasts that have undoubtedly been used for celebrities past and present.

Idea #1: Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success.

Idea #2: Seek a happy marriage with wholeness of heart, but do not expect to reach the Promised Land without going through some wilderness together.
These ideas should give you some idea of what you are aiming for. Remember that even the most practiced celebrity plans for any and all public appearances and speaking, so plan for yours to make sure that your thoughts come out as well thought out as they should be!

Article by James Nardel, expert author at EasyWeddingToasts.com. For more tips and information on wedding speeches and toasts and free wedding speech examples for entire wedding party visit http://www.easyweddingtoasts.com

Since most weddings are romantic and poetic, poetry has been attending them for more than two millenniums. Epithalamiums, first wedding poems of the western world, were sung by Greek and Roman poets outside the happy couple’s room. During the fourteenth century the poems became more sophisticated and this change eventually led to the writing of wedding poetry by well-known poets like Donne, Jonson, Herrick, and Edmund Spenser.

Spenser wrote his famous “Epithalamion” to his young bride Elizabeth Boyle for his own wedding ceremony. “Epithalamion” starts with:

“YE learned sisters which haue oftentimes
beene to me ayding, others to adorne:”

430 lines later the poem ends with:
“Ye would not stay your dew time to expect,
But promist both to recompens,
Be vnto her a goodly ornament,

The Irish, also, blessed a marriage with ale and this 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 God hold you in the palm of his hand.

May God be with you and bless you;
May you see your children’s children.
May you be poor in misfortune,
Rich in blessings,
May you know nothing but happiness
From this day forward.

May the road rise to meet you
May the wind be always at your back
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.

During the eleventh and twelfth centuries, Spanish Jews wrote some notable poems on matrimonial themes, and in Italy, during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, Jews and Christians offered to the couple wedding poems–sacred, romantic, or in riddles–commemorating the occasion. These poems–some one hundred lines long–were often commissioned by the rich to the famous poets of the day to be luxuriously illustrated and handwritten in calligraphy on parchment. The wedding riddles were given to the guests several days before the wedding to give people time to solve the riddles.

In old China, most of the wedding rituals were performed with a lot of writing exchange between the two families. Also, quoting from the I Ching during the marriage ceremony was customary.
” When two people are at one
in their inmost hearts,
they shatter even the strength of iron or bronze.
And when two people understand each other
in their inmost hearts,
their words are sweet and strong,
like the fragrance of orchids.”

In India, wedding poems are not only written by the couple to each other but also by the people surrounding the couple who bless them and tell them the importance of marriage in their own words. As part of the entertainment, old wedding poems are also sung the couple’s friends and family to the accompaniment of sitars and other Indian musical instruments.

In most Christian weddings, this piece from the Bible from the Corinthians 13:4-8, which can be considered a prose-poem, is read.

“Love is patient and kind; love is not jealous or boastful; it is not arrogant or rude. Love does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrong, but rejoices in the right. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.”

In Catholic weddings, sometimes people read their poetic thoughts or sign a wedding scrapbook adding their lines of poetry.

In view of the history of wedding poetry, if wooing, pleasing, and luring your partner to eat out of your hand is your aim, why not compose a poem for your wedding day? After all, a poem is communication in its most attractive finery and it shows that you are paying special attention to that special person; therefore, the most meaningful wedding gift you can give to your partner can be a poem of your own creation with your individual tone of intimacy.

Poetry is the language of love. For centuries, poems have expressed intimate feelings and emotions, and have been used to record significant thoughts and events in an artistic form. Naturally, a wedding ceremony is the perfect forum for a heartfelt poetry reading.

Wedding poetry is a lovely gift for the bride and groom when it is composed and be read by a close friend or a member of the family. If you would like to offer this personal gift but are not a poet at heart, you can turn to a professional wedding writer to create a composition. Readings of poetry by literary greats like Keats or Wordsworth, or even beautiful song lyrics can also bring an element of romance and beauty to the ceremony or reception. If it is decided that the task of writing the wedding poem will be delegated to an experienced professional, the bride and groom or a family member should choose the composer carefully and coordinate with the writer as often as possible.

Before choosing the poet to compose your piece, consider what style of poetry you desire. An elegantly written poem is best for a traditional or formal wedding. Poetry with a touch of humour can bring fun to a more casual ceremony or reception.

Once you’ve decided what you need, it’s time to start looking for someone to write the poem. Ask friends, family or contacts in the wedding service industry. A wedding consultant or coordinator, the manager of the reception site and even the person officiating the marriage can offer suggestions. You can also search online for poetry writers and vendors.

Before hiring a composer, be sure ask for sample works and suggestions to enhance your ideas. Also, check if the wedding poet can work within your given budget. Wedding poems can cost $100 or more, depending on the length of the poem and the experience of the poet.

The poet should not begin composing the piece until the locations for the wedding and reception have been confirmed. Including references to the site details will bring a more personal element to the poem, so this information should be supplied to the wedding poem composer as soon as possible. It is important to confirm specific wedding rites before proceeding with your plans. Some religious institutions do not allow alterations to the wedding ceremony, such as personally written vows or poetry readings. In this case, the poetry reading should be performed during the reception. The wedding poem must represent the personalities and beliefs of the bride and the groom. If the wedding has a theme, the poem can include those style elements. If the ceremony is to be longer than two hours, do not choose a lengthy poem. Decide whether music will be played while the reading takes place.

Don’t expect the poet to include every detail into the finished piece, but feel free to provide as many points as possible. Pass along as much information as you can, including the couple’s beliefs and interests, the type of ceremony, locations of the ceremony and reception, number of guests and wedding theme. Share a little background information on the person who will be perform the poetry reading. Include a few personal details about the couple or circumstances leading to their union, to allow the composer to make the poem as unique as possible.

Be sure to ask for a rough draft of the wedding poem well before the ceremony takes place, so that you can be sure that it will be appropriate for the wedding. Begin working with your composer as soon as the wedding is taking shape. It is best to allow a full year when composing the wedding poem. In doing so, there will be time to allow for edits to the poem if details and circumstances change.

The wedding poem may be printed in the program, and a copy should be given to the couple as a keepsake. A beautifully written poem will become a treasured memento for the bridal couple. For this reason, careful thought must be given when choosing or composing the poem, or when selecting the wedding poem writer.

Planning a wedding involves so much work and so many details, it’s easy to lose sight of the most important element: the romance. Your gift of a personal poetry reading will enhance the beauty of the day, and highlight the love that has brought the couple together.

Are you getting married soon and need to write your wedding vows? Can’t think of the right words to say or use? Do you need some sample wedding vows to jump start your thinking? Hey, we know what you’re going through, so relax a little bit and check out these sample vows you can use for your wedding.

Now, keep in mind that there are differing vows for each religion. Also, these are not set in stone, and can be changed around to your liking or combined with other vows. The choice is yours, just remember to check with your officiant before totally committing to whatever vow you choose. (Especially if you are getting married in a church or synagogue - they probably have set standards on what is acceptable.)

Common Sample Wedding Vow:
I, (Bride or Groom), take thee, (Bride or Groom) to be my lawfully wedded (wife or husband), to have and to hold from this day on, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness or health, to love and to cherish, ’til death do us part.

Roman Catholic Sample Wedding Vow:
I, (Bride or Groom), take you, (Bride or Groom), to be my (wife or husband). I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will love you and honor you for all the days of my life.

Muslim Sample Wedding Vow:
I pledge, in sincerity and honesty, to be for you a faithful and obedient (bride or groom).

I hope that some of these wedding vow samples have eased your mind somewhat and maybe even given you a few ideas to use for your own vows. Theses samples are just that - samples, it’s your wedding and you can do whatever you want.

If you’re the more creative type you may want to consider writing your own vows. It’s really not all that hard and can add a very personal touch to your wedding vows

Amy Lee Johnson is a freelance writer that often contributes to Wedding Vows 4U - a site that offers information on such topics as writing wedding vows and selecting wedding gowns.