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Sensual wedding readings
Some couples want the ceremony to name the fact that this is a love with a body in it — desire, closeness, the electricity that made them a couple in the first place. Done well, it's tender rather than racy.
These are the readings we suggest when a couple asks for something "a little warmer" — passionate, embodied, and still absolutely appropriate for the aisle.
Sensual readings we love
- 01
I know you knowby Michelangelo, 1475 ~ 1564Let the wall between our hopes and desires be battered down.Read the full poem - 02
I love youby Ella Wheeler Wilcox, 1850 ~ 1919I love your eyes when the lovelight lies lit with a passionate fireRead the full poem - 03
I want to die while you love meby Georgia Douglas Johnson, 1880 ~ 1966Who would care to live til love has nothing more to ask, and nothing more to give.Read the full poem - 04
Love meby Bee Rawlinson, contemporaryYou in shorts and socks and sandals; Me with warts and huge love-handlesRead the full poem - 05
Salt Rose and Topazby Pablo Neruda, 1904 ~ 1973I love you as certain dark things are to be loved, in secret, between the shadow and the soulRead the full poem - 06
The kissby Rabindranath Tagore, 1861 ~ 1941Love is writing a song in a delicate script, kiss-calligraphy on lipsRead the full poem - 07
When faces called flowersby e.e. cummings, 1894 ~ 1962Alive; we’re alive, dear: it’s(kiss me now)spring!Read the full poem
Choosing your reading
Are sensual poems appropriate at a wedding in front of family?
The pieces here are sensual, not explicit — the kind of thing a grandparent can nod along to. If in doubt, read it aloud to a trusted friend first and watch their face. For more help choosing your reading, check out the Free Resources we have for Resplendants (wedding readers), particularly the video 'Seven Tips to Find the Perfect Poem'.
What are the tips to delivering a "sensual" wedding reading like a pro?
Own it. Don't be shy and tentative. Fully commit to the piece, and trust the beauty these poems contain. Don't giggle and try not to blush. Make sure you check out the performance tips we have for each poem, and visit the Performance Bootcamp for general tips every Resplendant (wedding reader) can follow.