This is a guide to planning thoughtful, ethical wedding, baby-naming, coming-of-age, funeral, or other commemorative ceremonies, written by members of Humanist and Ethical Organizations. We offer ideas on planning your ceremony, and creating a simple, responsible meaningful event.

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Wednesday

Wedding poems and blessings about nature

We have been asked about spiritual readings for outdoor weddings (and readings which reference Nature). Many of the Native American readings, such as the Apache Wedding Blessing are frequently used for this purpose, as well as the Eastern Seven Steps wedding blessing.

Here is a page of wedding readings about nature with some other prose and poetry readings which may be suitable, as well as the usual passages by Khalil Gibran, a popular selection from Louis de Bernieres'
Captain Corelli's Mandolin, some Shelley and Yeats and some more unusual poems you might consider. Let us know anything else we should add!

I like this Classical Chinese poem:

I want to be your friend forever and ever
When the hills are all flat
and the rivers run dry
When the trees blossom in winter
and the snow falls in summer,
when heaven and earth mix -
not till then will I part from you.

and this:

Double Love Song by Thomas Whitebread

Open your heart, as if you could,
Let me come into it like fire,
And let me know it as dry wood,
Pretend your being is desire.

Then turn to sandstone, as you can
And let me flow like water through
Your pores toward air, where I began
As if your earth were all of you