We have got some choices as far as the ceremony is concerned. There are certain words that must be said to be legally married in England. We chose the following:
Declaratory Words
I do solemnly declare that I know not of any lawful impediment why I ______ may not be joined in matrimony to ______
Contracting Words
I call upon these persons here present to witness that I ______ do take thee ______ to be my lawful wedded wife/husband
This is where we now are a bit confused. We know we can say our own vows, which we have both written (and blubbed at!) but there is also on the info sheet the registrar sent to us about the exchanging of rings. We have chosen:
I give you this ring as a token of my love and as a symbol of our marriage
Here is my sparkly - I love it! It goes so well with my e-ring!
And this is H2b's ring - he loves it!
I will have to call up the registrar in the morning before sending the stuff off to find out what is what!
I won't put up our vows as only we know what is in them! I am debating whether to learn them off by heart, or read them from a card.... (･_･?)
As we are having a civil ceremony we are not allowed to have anything with religious content, including the readings. Civil ceremonies are notoriously short (10 mins?) which is over just too quick! So we are allowed to interject the ceremony with readings and poems.
I looked high and low - Googling contemporary wedding readings, wedding poems, civil ceremony readings.... found lots but none that struck a cord - they were either all too gushy and mushy or too vomit inducing!
I then stumbled upon an extract from The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams. I've never read the book, and the only reason I know about it is because of that episode of Friends where Chandler buys a 1st edition copy for Joey's girlfriend for her birthday...
Here is the extract:
"What is REAL?" asked the Rabbit one day, when they were lying side by side near the nursery fender, before Nana came to tidy the room. "Does it mean having things that buzz inside you and a stick-out handle?"
"Real isn't how you are made," said the Skin Horse. "It's a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real."
"Does it hurt?" asked the Rabbit.
"Sometimes," said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful. "When you are Real you don't mind being hurt."
"Does it happen all at once, like being wound up," he asked, "or bit by bit?"
"It doesn't happen all at once," said the Skin Horse. "You become. It takes a long time. That's why it doesn't happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand."
It's not glaringly obvious what it is about (IMO) but I *got* it and LOVE it. I can't read it aloud with out a shake in my voice. It's a go! The last line gets me every time...
My Chief Bridesmaid (CBM), my gorgeous sister will be reading this on - she *got* it too! (’-’*)
Our second choice is a poem which I found - I don't know where, or what website, or even who wrote it - by that point I was pulling out my hair trying to find something that made me say "that's it". This one will be read by my 10 year old son, who is also our Pageboy.
The Loving Heart Someone may love you because you are clever Someone may love you because you are wise Someone may love you for beauty or humour The fun in your heart or the light in your eyes. But if there is one who discovers your failings And love all the good and bad that is you This is the love that will last you forever This is the love that will always be true.
And yes, I cried at this one too!!
I really am gonna be an emotional wreck on the big day!!
And now comes to the piece of music that we are struggling most with - the recessional song - or the one we walk out as husband and wife to.
We've narrowed it down to a few choices, but still don't know which one to choose. I would like it something a little upbeat and "celebration-y" but at the same time nice lyrics! I know a popular choice is "Signed Sealed Delivered" by the wonderful Stevie Wonder - but listen to the lyrics people it's about a dude who left his missus and hopes that she'll take him back! I know people go for it for the "Signed Sealed Delivered" bit, but uh-uh *shakes finger*
The number one choice at the moment, lyrics wise is
Forever and For Always - Shania Twain
It's a little bit country sounding, but it's nice an upbeat and has lovely lyrics too!
Then there's the rock choice
The Best Thing - Savage Garden
Which I think with the intro might be a bit rocky for the guests （．＿．） but the words, the words!
And then there's the song that I love the beat of, but I don't think the words go that well as the opening line is "I started talking then the line went dead" (>。<) I don't think so! The rest of the song gets nice though, but the opening is pretty much what we'll hear! So that's probably a no.
You're the World To Me - David Gray
Finally we've got
Everything - Michael Buble
So many choices - but which one do we choose (･_･?)
Setting the scene.... we've said our vows, we've heard our readings, we've exchanged the rings and now it's time to get all official and sign the register!
We've been told to have one or two song choices for this - depends on how long the the photographer takes to take the official photos apparently! Unfortunately the registrar doesn't allow photos to be taken during the ceremony itself which I'm gutted about, but what can we do? So, I'll probably milk it for all it's worth during the register signing!
Of course, our wedding day wouldn't be the same without a song by Darren Hayes!! Okay, so it's Savage Garden, but it's still his beautiful voice!
I Knew I Loved You - Savage Garden
'And in your eyes I see the missing piece, I think I found my way home'
I love the whole song but ^^^^I love this line^^^^ and this one too >>>>
'I am complete now that I've found you'
Just writing these posts and listening to the songs as I embed them into my post is making me all lip quivering and soooo excited for the wedding day. I really will be marrying the man of my dreams on that day ♥
Now for my big entrance! OMG, I have been waiting for the day that I walk down the aisle for a loooooooong time.... and I'm so glad to have found "the one" in my H2b. （*＾＾）＾*）
Everyone thinks, that as I love Darren Hayes (former Savage Garden) that I would have chosen one of his songs to walk down the aisle to. Don't get me wrong, my obsession with DH is huge and I even surprised myself when I didn't pick one of his songs....
...but I was Googling wedding processional songs and up popped
Shania Twain - From This Moment
I had NEVER heard this song. EVER. The guitar intro got me all a flutter... Then the lyrics... ---------------->blubbing like there was no tomorrow<----------------- It was the one... Without a doubt and stopped looking.
Shall I tell you the line that does it for me?
'I give my hand to you with all my heart Can't wait to live my life with you, can't wait to start'
I envision reaching H2b at the end of the aisle when the song gets to that line. I'll be in bits won't I?!
Music plays a big part in my life - I'm a words kinda gal, I really pay attention to the lyrics of songs and find their meaning - often having to explain to hubby to be (H2b) what the song is all about - he just either likes a song or doesn't - where as I'm like, listen to the words dude!
Of course I love the melody, but the lyrics really are what does it for me - they can make or break a song for me!
I'm adding the songs we've picked for your listening pleasure - stupid You Tube doesn't allow UK visitors to watch music videos any more so finding songs seems to be more difficult for the modern tracks (O_O；) We need to have several songs for the ceremony - a few whilst guests arrive and take their seats. We are going to go with classical songs since this is just background music. We have picked
Cannon in D by Johann Pachelbel
Ode To Joy by Beethoven
Falling in Love by Tim O'Neill
That's all we have - I figure we just put them on a bit of a loop - or maybe find another few classical songs to add - as they don't have lyrics, I can't see the registrar getting all stroppy as they won't have any religious context. I really love the song Eidelweiss but struggling to find a nice instrumental version.
What are your song choices whilst everyone waits in anticipation for the arrival of the Bride?!
Well, we've been procrastinating over the most. important. bit. of the wedding for a long time now - the ceremony.
We went and saw the registrar last August and picked up our Certificate for Marriage after a few weeks. We had planned to submit our vows, readings and song choices to the registrar along with the payment as soon as we got that certificate and the accompanying information... we didn't.
It is now 97 days till the wedding and the vows have been written - took a while, and I was blubbing like a baby when I read mine out.... （；_・）I'm gonna be a total wreck on the day I think!! I figure I'll just go with it if the tears do fall - I'm a such a cry baby anyways, and I know it's going to be an emotional day. Just have waterproof mascara on and make up artist on stand by after the floodgates open!
On the to do list for today is printing all the stuff off in readiness to send to the registrar at the weekend (waiting to get paid!) Once that has been sent off and approved then I can breathe a big sigh of relief as it's the most important part of the whole wedding, and without that being paid for, there won't be no wedding!!
Right, well, I did plan on setting up a blog with 100 days to go, but kinda got sidetracked and didn't do it - my bad, so it's now down to 98 days till the wedding day and I can't believe how quickly time is going!
It doesn't seem like so long ago that we were getting engaged and going through the initial planning steps. I wish I had thought back then to start a blog, but it didn't occur to me, and it was only through the reading of this bride to be's blog, that I thought what a good idea!
Although you won't get to read all about my ideas and planning stages which I've (we've) gone through in the last year or so, as there were so many things that we saw that we (I!) loved, it would take me forever and a day to bring you up to speed, so the easiest thing to do is tell you about what we have got done, and if I get the spare moments, interject those posts with things that I saw, loved, but didn't make the final cut.
Currently I'm in a "I can't believe it" mood, whereby, I can't believe that it's less that 100 days till the wedding, I can't believe that I haven't lost as much weight as I had planned too :( nor can I believe that I still have a "to do" list that is about 4 pages long!!!!!!!!
