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Mrs. Petunia, Ft. Lauderdale Age and Occupation: 31, College Professor Fiance's Age and Occupation: 29, Engineering Student/Part-time Barista Engagement Date: December 8, 2006 Wedding Date: March 2, 2008 Venue: Riverside Hotel Blogging Since: August 6, 2007 About Me: Our original idea of running off to get married quickly turned into an event with 100+ guests once other people got involved and I, too, got swept away in the lovely madness that is wedding planning. Mr. Petunia and I are obsessed with all things World of Warcraft, Monopoly, and Nintendo, so we’re planning on including some fun “game-y” details into our wedding.
About Mrs. Petunia

Planning The Ceremony

April 11th, 2008 @ 2:31 pm by Mrs. Petunia

The writer in each of us just sometimes goes missing. You want to piece together the most beautiful ceremony, but don’t know where to start. Don’t worry: we weren’t creative cats either. We were only able to do it with the help of Judith Johnson’s book, The Wedding Ceremony Planner, which I believe Miss Penguin too has referenced before.


This is how our ceremony was structured:

- Gathering Words
- Charge for the Couple
- Reading 1
- Declaration of Support
- Reading 2
- Vows
- Prelude to Ring Exchange
- Ring Exchange
- Reading 3
- Reading 4
- Final Blessing

(The first reading was a selection from Ernest Hemingway’s A Farewell to Arms. A bit of an odd choice, I’ll admit, since the man has a rep for being a misogynist, but what can I say? I’m an English professor and I have a soft spot for Papa. Then my sister read Rafael Alberti’s poem “Sabes tanto de mi,” in Spanish. We also asked Mr. P’s stepfather to recite the Seven Blessings, and finally, my brother and his wife read the text of our ketubah. Only the Seven Blessing reading came from the book: I should clarify that we did have to look elsewhere for the other ones).

The book lists other possible readings though, and lots of other options to incorporate, such as opening prayers, remembrances, friendship circles, ways to involve children and many more. It really is invaluable.

I’d love to give away my copy to a happy bride. I made a couple of pencil marks in it, but I have erased them as dutifully as possible (I hope I didn’t miss one!), and the book is asking for a nice home where it can be of help. If you’re interested, just comment below and at the end of the day, I’ll ask Mr. Petunia to randomly pick the winning number!

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100 Responses to “Planning The Ceremony”

1.
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GetMarried4Less (message)  915 posts, Busy bee

I could definitely use some help finding our readings!

 
2.
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rebecca (message)  1,316 posts, Bumble bee

i’d love this one! i got “creative jewish weddings” but i’m pretty clueless when it comes to everything else (and we’re having an interfaith ceremony), so having another reference would be great.

 
3.
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Lee

ooh, that’d be super helpful! :)

 
4.
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goldtome

3! 3! pick 3!

 
5.
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cheri

I could use some help . I have found several readings on the internet, but a book full would be really nice. Also to get it from another bride who used it would make it that much more nice.

 
6.
ktdid23
Member
ktdid23 (message)  482 posts, Helper bee

I def. need some help with my ceremony and this would be the perfect!

 
7.
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danathebride

Do you accept me to be your lawfully wedded reader?
I hope so!

 
8.
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Kate

Lucky number… 9 ?
This seems like the best book!

 
9.
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lil9cc (message)  63 posts, Worker bee

ohh I sure do need the help! That book would be a blessing because the closer the wedding comes, the more stressed out I am. Please pick me and help me alleviate a little bit of that stress! =)

 
10.
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Linzerella

Maybe he’ll pick 10??? If so that’ll be me!!

 
11.
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l3r0wnEyedGurL

Thank you Mrs. Petunia for offering this up! I would love to get some help with the ceremony….I’m scared to go it alone…

 
12.
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dimplez78 (message)  13 posts, Newbee

I would love this! I’m trying to figure out ways to make the ceremony last more than 10 minutes.

 
13.
BunnyBlue
Member
BunnyBlue (message)  502 posts, Busy bee

I just love how supportive all the Bees and evryone here is to all the new brides and brides-to-bee!!

 
14.
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Christina

This would be a major help! My super-fab aunt is getting ordained to marry us and we are a little clueless as to where to start!

 
15.
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smilinfox (message)  22 posts, Newbee

I’ve actually spent my day TODAY working on our ceremony (shh…don’t tell my boss), so this would really be invaluable! I also appreciate the motion of your spanish poem, as my fiance is half Spanish and I’d like to incorporate that background into the ceremony.

 
16.
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Beth

what a great resource to have!

 
17.
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jenniferb (message)  168 posts, Blushing bee

I’m a happy bride! Pick me!

 
18.
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swp02138

We’ve been struggling to put together a ceremony and would love some help!

 
19.
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Chrystal

This would be an amazing resource! Is 19 a lucky number?

 
20.
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jennyt

this would be great! thanks for being so kind!

 
21.
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ambinsb

Oh, this would be so useful, pick me!

 
22.
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gazella

thank you for doing this! i could definitely use this!

 
23.
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sweetvenus (message)  97 posts, Worker bee

I would love to have the book!

 
24.
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indecisivebride (message)  337 posts, Helper bee

that is so thoughtful and kind of you :)

 
25.
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indecisivebride (message)  337 posts, Helper bee

that is so thoughtful and kind of you :)

 
26.
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Kyleigh

Our wedding is a huge PITA as he’s jewish, im christian and we want to also include my greek and scottish heritages in there too. Holy crap, mr p, pick 25! :)

 
27.
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Quyen

We would definitely be a great new home for your book!! =)

 
28.
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makeeda

Perfect timing - I would love the book!

 
29.
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jkl216

This book looks like it’d be a great resource.

 
30.
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clq1976

How thoughtful of you to pass this forward!

 
31.
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Jess

I was just thinking that I needed to buy that book and then you said you were giving away a copy! How convenient.

 
32.
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Kelly

I would love the book to help me plan a meaningful ceremony for my wedding day that reflects our personalities and involves our family members, since we are not very religious.

 
33.
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sassyb2b

That is so generous. We are doing a non religious ceremony and have no real ties to a cultural ceremonies, so we have a blank slate for a ceremony. It is kinda scary.

 
34.
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Tiki

How wonderful! The ceremony has been something that weighs on my mind quite a bit and this would be such a nice relief.

 
35.
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Laura

Aww, that is so sweet of you to give this away. I hope that FI and I have a wedding as beautiful as you and Mr. Petunia.

 
36.
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Jayme-Lyn (message)  71 posts, Worker bee

Yeah for English majors and professors! We just finished reading A Farewell to Arms in my Major American Writers class— which section did you use? I can’t think of a spot off the top of my head that would fit it with a wedding ceremony— I’d love this book! What a great way to incorapte a huge part of who I am into the ceremony

 
37.
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Julianne

Gah - we have no idea what to do as we are doing a non-religious ceremony. I would love to have that book as a guide!

 
38.
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Ada

That is so nice of you! I would love to have this to help me plan a meaningful, intercultural, interfaith ceremony!

 
39.
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SeattleSunshine

I think the hardest part of the planning is the intimate details of ceremony . . .would LOVE and to hold this book till DEATH do us part : )

 
40.
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Lia

Yay! I need help!

 
41.
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SBH

I’ve thought of breaking from the plain vanilla ceremony (that, quite frankly, I hate) that the judge has written and doing something special, but I didn’t know where to begin. This book would be a MAJOR help for me. I hope I win!

 
42.
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Nic

Oh that would be so helpful right about now! Our wedding is exactly a month from today and I’ve been stuck on picking out the readings. Trying to find something that is meaningful to the both of us has been challenging.

 
43.
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Cricket (message)  179 posts, Blushing bee

Oh, I could definitely use the help. This portion of planning is yet to come. Thanks for this offer!

 
44.
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octoberwed

I’d be forever grateful for the much needed inspiration!

 
45.
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AKline (message)  40 posts, Newbee

wow that is so nice….i would love to have a copy…..Go 46!

 
46.
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Angela

Ooooooooh, I would LOVE this! The jewelry and other gifts that are being given away are beautiful, but this is just practical!

 
47.
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EastportBride

How generous and thoughtful of you, Mrs. Petunia, for passing along something that helped you.

 
48.
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Caroline

I’d just love to have this book — it sounds like a super resource. Thanks!

 
49.
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Miss Albany

I would love to have this book!

 
50.
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echo (message)  91 posts, Worker bee

Lucky number 51!! Thanks for sharing such a helpful resource Mrs Petunia :)

 
51.
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KSW

How thoughtful of you!!

 
52.
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KSW

How thoughtful of you.

 
53.
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ahzucar (message)  10 posts, Newbee

ooo! ooo! pick me! pick me! mr. petunia!….i’m local!! ;-)

 
54.
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ahzucar (message)  10 posts, Newbee

did i mention that i am local?….

 
55.
trisch84
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trisch84 (message)  48 posts, Newbee

You’re so generous. We’ve been looking for some help planning our secular wedding!

 
56.
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ms-c (message)  20 posts, Newbee

thanks for such a nice offering to the rest of us. i would love to have a copy! thanks mrs. p! :)

 
57.
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Kels

would love it!

 
58.
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melodicsighs

i’m definitely interested. this is such a good idea! :)

 
59.
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Miss Jenny

Thanks for offering this up, Mrs. Petunia! I hope to win!

 
60.
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Jen

Ooohh, I didn’t even know this existed! Considering my FI and I were just last night arguing…ahem…discussing our ceremony, this would be SO helpful!

 
61.
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julia453

What great timing! We just started working on our ceremony last night and we could definitely use some help!

 
62.
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nash0922 (message)  75 posts, Worker bee

We are currently working on our ceremony right now and this would be a big help, since we are not sure where to begin. Although only a month and a half to go, so we need to get moving. :)

 
63.
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KF7879

My sister and my fiance’s brother are conducting our ceremony and I’d love to give this to them to help them get started. Thanks for offering the opportunity!

 
64.
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Miss Cherry Pie

OOH OOH! ME ME ME! :d

I am writing the entire ceremony and I don’t know where to start. -_-

 
65.
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Miss Daffodil (message)  561 posts, Busy bee

can bees enter?? me me me!

 
66.
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Robin

pretty pretty please…PLEASE help me with my ceremony!!!:) i actually need that book at this very moment.

 
67.
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Jasmine

This would be so helpful! We have asked a friend to officiate our wedding, but none of us have any idea what to say during the ceremony! :)

 
68.
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Pamerjo

Pick me Mr. P!! I am helping my daughter with her wedding and the ceremony has been a challenge for us! Sure could use this book.

 
69.
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Deborah

I would love this book!

 
70.
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Erica

I would love this too! Thank you so much for offering this to us:)

 
71.
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Mar

We SOOO need this book!!!

 
72.
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katie

Sending winning vibes to Mr. Petunia…

 
73.
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cookiechristina (message)  87 posts, Worker bee

yay that sounds great!

 
74.
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visionarybride08

I JUST TODAY bought a different interfaith wedding planning book, but I would love to have more than one resource!

 
75.
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Alison

I’d love to have it!

 
76.
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scharms805

thanks for offering! I’d love to have it!

 
77.
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eggplantgirl

I’d love this! I actually just put a copy on reserve at the library and was waiting for it to come in… we need to plan a secular interfaith wedding and definitely need some help!

 
78.
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nicole3381 (message)  127 posts, Blushing bee

OOooo tell Mr. Petunia to choose number 79 please! I’ve been trying to get my hands on this and it’s not working well!

 
79.
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Alice

that would be so helpful

 
80.
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hulafish (message)  75 posts, Worker bee

oh, I hope it isn’t the end of the day yet!! (I’m behind you in Hawaii.) I could really use this book for my ceremony woes…how to blend Christian/Jewish/non-cheesiness together?

 
81.
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meli (message)  115 posts, Blushing bee

Oooh! I would love to have it and I promise to pass it on to another bride after I’m done with it!

 
82.
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katie

I need this book!

 
83.
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lotuslover

I would absolutely love this Mrs. P. Congrats to you both!

 
84.
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diana

pick me please…. i only have till May to figure this all out and need all the help i can get. thanks!!!

 
85.
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MsLisaR

This would be so nice as we have no clue what the reading should be for the ceremony! Awesome idea.

 
86.
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katelovescoffee

Wow, thank you for offering!
My FI and I are asking a friend to be ordained to marry us, so this book could give us LOADS of ideas!

 
87.
briannie
Member
briannie (message)  273 posts, Helper bee

Ooh, I would love it, too!

 
88.
lilneko69
Member
lilneko69 (message)  470 posts, Helper bee

Please consider us for the book. We are currently writing our ceremony and really want to personalize it to reflect us. Thanks so much!

 
89.
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Maude

Throwing my hat in the ring - this sounds like a book I could use!

 
90.
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kate

I would love to have it!

 
91.
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Miss S

That is so nice of you!

 
92.
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birdie

you are really generous! hope i get picked!

 
93.
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Mrs. Petunia (message)  288 posts, Helper bee

It’s midnight here on the East coast, so Mr. Petunia randomly picked a number and we have a winner! (I hope everyone else on the other coast had a chance to comment!).

@sweetvenus: You’re the winner sweetvenus! I’ll private message you so that I can get your mailing information!

Thanks everyone and best of luck planning that beautiful ceremony!

 
94.
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leia582

It is so nice of you to give it away! It would be so helpful!

 
95.
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joe's girl

my brother is officiating my wedding and I really need some help with the ceremony. please pick me!

 
96.
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Linda

I used that book to write our ceremony. It was invaluable!

 
97.
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carrieitly (message)  241 posts, Helper bee

How sweet of you! I’d love it!

 
98.
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smt

Ms. Petunia, Thanks for your generous offer. We have asked my first grade teacher to marry us, this would be a great reference to help us get started :)

 
99.
alaud41
Member
alaud41 (message)  66 posts, Worker bee

Thanks for the tips. Now pick me! Pick me! :)

 
100.
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Michelle

I have a copy of this book too and will no longer be needing it in about a month. If anyone wants it, email me:

michellegood6@Hotmail.com

I’ll be happy to send it to you when I am done. It might even be sooner than a month! I’ll send it to the first person that emails me.

 


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Mrs. Petunia
Mrs. Petunia Mrs. Petunia, Ft. Lauderdale Age and Occupation: 31, College Professor Fiance's Age and Occupation: 29, Engineering Student/Part-time Barista Engagement Date: December 8, 2006 Wedding Date: March 2, 2008 Venue: Riverside Hotel Blogging Since: August 6, 2007 About Me: Our original idea of running off to get married quickly turned into an event with 100+ guests once other people got involved and I, too, got swept away in the lovely madness that is wedding planning. Mr. Petunia and I are obsessed with all things World of Warcraft, Monopoly, and Nintendo, so we’re planning on including some fun “game-y” details into our wedding.
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