Into the Garden

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A wonderful book second time around too - Rated
This book was recommended to me (on an internet newsgroup in the days when decent websites were few and far between) shortly after the first hardback edition was published. I was having a hard time finding non-religious readings that I liked for my upcoming wedding. As it wasn't available in the UK my kindly American aunt found a copy for me and posted it to London.

I found the selection of secular yet spiritual poems absolutely inspiring and was hard pushed to narrow my choice down to 4 for my wedding ceremony in September 1994.

As another reviewer has mentioned, I was very pleased to also find in the book a section containing a number of different wedding ceremony texts and relied on these heavily when writing our own personalised ceremony.

10 years on my husband and I decided to renew our wedding vows in a private ceremony in a remote, favourite holiday destination in Africa. Having misplaced the original hard back copy I didn't hesitate to order a paperback replacement and was just as inspired by the selection as the first time.

The renewal ceremony combined new and fresh passages and readings with a passages and readings we used in the first ceremony and we both feel it was a wonderful experience. Thanks to Robert Haas and Stephen Mitchell for putting this book together and contributing to two wonderful wedding ceremonies.

Composing your own service - Rated
I came across this book when my husband and I were composing our service. I found this collection lovely and a real inspiration. Particularly enjoyable were the sample services in the back. We borrowed liberally from several of those services and the celebrant we used liked the language so much that he asked us if he might "borrow" the passages in future celebrations. Agreat book for marrieds-to-be as well as anyone wishing to peruse a thoughtfully compiled collection of poetry and prose.

Old, new and borrowed (not much blue) - Rated
This is a fantastic collection of both sacred and secular poems: old (Shakespeare, Donne, Herbert), new (Frost, Larkin, Plath and Stevens) and contemporary (Olds, Milosz, Atwood, Bly). I bought it looking for an intelligently selected group of works, and I certainly found that. What I didn't expect to get in the bargain was an interesting introductory essay on the form and function of marriage in history, and a broad selection of ceremonies, tucked away at the back. In addition to Catholic, Protestant, Jewish and even Zen ceremonies, there was the aptly if somewhat puzzlingly titled, "Non-Theistic Judeo/Christian" ceremony. My fiancee and I had been wondering how to have a ceremony that was formal and traditional, without being either clinical (a civil ceremony) or inappropriate for two agnostics (a religious one). The "Non-theistic" ceremony is adapted from The Book of Common Prayer, but does not refer directly to God or the Church: it's just perfect for us. In summary, a thoughtfully-selected group of poems and ceremonies we'll be glad to have on our shelf, even after all the cake is eaten.

A wonderful collection - Rated
This book includes selections from many cultures and traditions... the last section (of various wedding ceremonies) is particularly interesting. In addition, the many adaptations from the Bible brim with new energy. I wholeheartedly recommend it for anyone in a committed relationship.

For anyone planning a wedding! - Rated
Lots of wonderful readings for anyone planning a wedding, particularly nonsecular readings. During my own wedding planning, I have not found another source for readings so comprehensive with so many beautiful pieces. Shakespeare, the Bible, and modern poets of many different nationalities are all represented, among many others. If you're looking for passages about love, commitment, and/or marriage, this book has something for everyone's taste. It also contains sample ceremonies for different styles of weddings, some of which are more creative than you will find in any "wedding planning" book. If you are planning a wedding ceremony that is very personalized to you both, or you aren't interested in having a "traditional" ceremony and want to write your own, check out this book for inspiration. You will fall in love with some of the passages.