Wedding Poetry
By Dorothy Miller


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.
 

About the Author: Dorothy Miller contributes to several online
magazines, such as http://mibow.com and http://himug.com