What to Choose for your wedding

What you will choose to read at the wedding ceremony is entirely up to you. Keep in mind your faith, your partner’s faith and that of your families. In modern days, the bride and groom may be bicultural, or from different religions, or may not be religious at all. Many couples choose to skip religion and read enthralling passages from the great Persian poets such as Khayyam, Ferdosi, or Rumi. Others choose to stay traditional and choose readings from holy books of scripture such as the Bible, the Koran or the Torah. Yet another unifying trend for wedding ceremonies are works of poetry by various classical poets ranging from Robert Herrick to Rumi. We have an exclusive selection of our favorite poets and also included some traditional and diverse readings you can choose from for your big day. For more on ancient and modern Persian poetry, be sure to read visit the literature sections in the PersianMirror Culture guide.

Traditional Zoroastrian Reading

This text is read at a Zoroastrian ceremony and follows the faith of Ahura Mazda.

Part 1: Confirmation From Bride and Groom
Part 2: Give Advice to the Bride and Groom
Part 3: Ask the Couple One More Time
Part 4: Bless the Couple

Prayers for Part 1: Confirmation from Bride and Groom
Bename Izade Bakshayande Bakshayashgare Mehraban
Emruz, ke Anjomane, pay-vande zanashui,
Be raveshe, deene, vahe, Mazdyasni, dar inja
Barps-ast, man, ke mobed (Mobed’’s name) hastam,
Be gavahiye, Dadar Ourmazda,
Rayumand-oKharumand,
Be gavahiye, Amsha-span-dane Piruzgar,
Be gavahiye, Mehr-o-Soroosh, o-Rash-ne rast,
Be gavahiye, Fra-vahare Ashoo Zartooshte Espentaman
Be khoshnudie Pedar-o-Madare Aroos-0 Damad,
Be gavahiye, vahane in Bazm
(Face Bride) Az shoma (bride) dokhte,
(name Bride’s mother and father) mi-porsam,
ke (Groom’s name)-ra, Poore,
(Name of Groom’s Parents)-ra
be dad-o-aeene, deene, vahe, Mazdyasni,
be ham-tan-o, ham-ravani, be hamsariye khod,
mi-pazirid?
(Face groom)
Az shoma (Groom) Poore,
(Name of Groom’s Parents) mi-porsam,
ke (Bride’s name), dokhte,
(name of Bride’s mother and father)-ra
be dad-o-aeene, deene, vahe, Mazdyasni,
be ham-tan-o, ham-ravani, be hamsariye khod,
mi-pazirid?
Brief Translation:
Today, in the presence of Ahura Mazda and the witnesses of this Assembly, I Mobed ……….. ask you (name of groom), son of (name of groom’’s parents), Will you accept (name of bride) daughter of (name of Bride’’s father and mother) to be your beloved wife, to be physically and spiritually united, in accordance with the laws and customs of the Zarathusthi religion?
Be kho-jas-tegi, va farkhom-degi
Man, va hame vahane in Anjoman,
As Ourmazde tavana, arzoo-mandeem,
Ke, be een payvande zana-shooi,
Pa-yandegi-o, ostovari-o, Mehr-o, khosi-o,
Shad-kami, ava, af-soo-niye, farzandane vah,
Va khaseteye fara-roon, va deer-ziveshni,
Va sar-anjame neek, ar-zani be-darad.
We pray to Ahura Mazda, that this marriage be Blessed with love and happiness. We ask
Ahura Mazda to guide you both on the path of Asha, Which is the path of righteousness and Peace.

Prayers for part Two: Give Advice to the Bride & Groom
Eenak, chand andarze, bayasteye deeni ast,
Beshnaveed, va dar zendeganiye kheesh, be kar
Bandeed, ta sha-veye, khoshnou-diye, Ahura Mazda
Va neek-bakhti bashad.
Now I would like to give you both advice which is based on The teachings of our Prophet Asho Zarathurshtra
Na-khost, setayesh, va niyayeshe Dadar Ourmazd hast Chera ke ma, adjad, va dah-shane kheesh
As har goone arzani dashte ast
Ahura Mazda ra dadare harvesp-agah daneed
Va be ayeene, deene vah, ba paras-tesh eesteed
First, pray to and praise Ahura Mazda our knowing-God. He has blessed us with all GOOD things.
Dovom be payam-barie, Ashoo Zartooshte Espenteman, avi-gaman beed,
Va be deene, vahe Mazdyasni, ostovar ma-need,
Har ayine, be ashooi, va rasti, gara-eed Va be andishe-o, goftar-o, kerdare neek dar jahan zeveed
Second accept Asho Zararthushtra as our prophet and have a firm belief in our Zarathushtrian religion.
Follow the path of Truth and Righteousness Lead your life following the principles of Good Thoughts, Good Words and Good Deeds.
Sevom be ravan-shadiye, gozash-the-gan, Va dastgeerie niyaz-mandan, dar yashtane
Gahanbar, kootahi makoonid. Andar panjeh va Farvardin-gan ke rooze vee-je, hame
Ravanan hast, as daroon, va myazd-o, afareen-gan, Onche dast-ras bashad, beja areed, ta hama
Ravanan khosh-nood band, va dorood feres-tand
Third, during Gahambars and at all times, help the needy. Hold memorial services for, and always rememberthose who have passed away.
Chaharom aeene rooze, va sale Gozashteh-gan, va khish-vandan-ra, anjam daheed,
Va az dastgiri-ye, bee-nava-yan, onche dast-ras Bashad, be-koo-sheed, che ke Khoshnu-diye meinu-an, Andar kar-o, kerfa, geeti-tan ast.
Fourth, remember to pray to the souls of your departed Family members. Also help the poor and needy regularly to the extent you can afford.
Panjom gami, bee-Sedreh-oKoshti, ma-naheed, Va farzandan-ra, Sedreh pooshaneed, va koshti bandeed, Ta andar ham-agah, be dade, deene, vah, be setayeshne Dadar Ourmazd, esteed.
Fifth, live by the meaning of the Sedreh and the Koshti. Teach your children its message and remind them to wear it always. Make them follow the Zarathushtrian religion and believe in our God Ahura Mazda.
Sishom, as pedaro, madaro, ostad, sepasdar beed, Va gerami-shan dared, che ke-khoshnu-diye
Ourmazd, khoshnu-diye, een she tan ast.
Sixth, respect your parents and your teachings and be appreciative of their good teachings.
Haftom, az Mehr Izad, Verahram Izad, ya Ashtad Izad, Yeki ra, bar gozee-need, va andar on rooz, be setayeshe Ourmazd Va be, dad-o-dadesh parda-zeed, Ta on Izad, negah-bane-tan bashad Va az har vanah-okaji, avaj darad
Seventh, pick a day from the three Zarathusti days Mehr Izad, Verahram Izad or Ashtad Izad. On that day of each month, make sure you help some needy person.
Hashtom, dar zende-gani, bayad rahne-maye danayi, bar gozineed, Ta dar hame kar, az ou dastoor khaheed Che ke danesh, parakande ast, Va kar bi-rahna-mouniye dana, nik farjam na-bashas
Eight, in times of trouble in your life, you should have One person who will guide you and show you the way Out of your troubles. Please select and name that person that Both of you can count on to resolve your differences. (wait for the name)
Nohom, Ourmazde Har-vesp-tavan, ke mardom-ra Be niruye danayi, va gu-yai, az har da-heshe gity,
Bartar afareed, dadash, mardom doosti ast. Pas mardom-ra, may azareed, na be manesh, na be govesh, Na be konesh, Beegane, ke fara-rasad, jayi va khorakesh dahid, va on-ra,
Az goros-negi, va teshnegi, va sarma, nigah-darid. Ava zeer-dastan va Ketaran mehraban beed, salaran va meh-taran-ra, gerami darid.Va be dad-o-ayeene, am-shas-pan-dan, ke foru-ze-gane,
Ourmazda, pak-and, rah poo-eed, ta Dadar-Ourmazd, as shoma, khoshnud bashad.
Ninth, and final advice. Ahura Mazda gave mankind speech, the Good Mind, and a conscience. Use your Good Mind to be kind to all of Ahura Mazda’s creations. Use your conscience to prevent harm to people.
(Advice to live by the qualities of Amsha-spandans)
Dad-o-ayeene Bahman amshas-pand ashti-o neek andishi-eest.
Keenevarz-o razm-kam mabasheed neek-kha-o-vahmanesh beed, Badi manokid, va piramoone badkaran magardeed danesh andoozeed Va kheradmandi peeshe konid farhang goshtareed
Va dojmaneshni barandazeed ava doshmanan be dad koosheed Ava doostan neeki varzeed charpayane sood-mandra khoob Negahdari koneed va kar aptadmaneshan mafarmaeed
Dad-o-ayeene Ardibehest amshas-pand rasti-o paki hast.
Daroon-o-boroone khod ra payvaste pak dared az kaji
Va napakee pahrikhtar beed ashoi setayeed va be dade asha
Ras pooyeed che ke rah dar jahan yeki ast va an ashooi-ist
Be maneshne neek maneed goveshne neek goyeed
Be koneshne neek varzeed
Ava ham digar yek del-o-yek zaban beed
Az doroog va sogand va jadooi gorizlan beed
Atash ke andar geeti mehr-o-ashoira nemayande hast
Gerami dared va be nesa-o-palashti may-a-layeed
Dad-o-ayeene Shahrivar amshas-pand
Nirumnadi-o-khish-dari ast
Andar rahe sarvari va tavangari koosha beed
Shahryaran-o-sarvarane dadgar ra farman bareed
Va gerami dared as fara rooni-o-dorostkari
Khaste andoozid Hootaksha-o-khish-kare beed
Az beekari va gedayi doori gozineed
Bar khasteye kesan dast mayazeed rash ma bareed
Zar-o-seem-o-mes-o rooye ahan arzeez-o berenj pak
Negah-dareed ta zang na zanad va be kar ayad
Dad-o-ayeene Spendaramazd amshas-pand
Foroutani va Mehrabani ast
Andar giti air-manesh va foroutan beed
Ava ham-deegar doostaro mehraban beed
Tarmaneshni va khodpasandi makoneed
Hu-cheshmbeed kheeshvandane mostamad-ra nang
Madaneed va az khasteye kheesh yarishan daheed
Amoozeshgah-o bimarestan va deegar bonyadhaye
Neek naheed va chon zameen ra pak-o-abadan dared
Dad-o-ayeene Khordad amshas-pand
Khorrami va abadani ast
Dele khodra khorram va tane lhod-ra pak dared
Che pakiye tan ashooiye ravan ast
Nasepaasi makoneed va andoohgeen mabasheed
Gity be cheshme neek beeneed
Va be dade Hormazd khorsand-o-sepasdar beed
Abadi sazeed va shadee afzayeed ab ke shaveye
Khoorami va abadani ast har ayeen pak dared
Pareedi-o-nasa andar ab may-afghaneed tan-o-jame
Dar abe ravan mashooyeed kareez
Kaneed-o-zameene khosk ra boroumand sazeed
Dad-o-ayeene Amordad amshas-pand
Tan-dorosti va deer zeveshni ast.
Tane khod-ra dorost-o-tavana dared
As doroj-o-paleedi doori koneed
Khane-o zame-ra pak va bi-alayesh dared
Ab armisht va istade khosk-kaneed
Va jayash keshtzar koneed dar-o-derakht afzayeed
Darakhte javan maboreed, bar-o-meeve na-raside
Ma cheenid, daroo-o-darman be arzaneeyan daheed
Va dard-mandan va oftadegan-ra parastar beed.

Prayers For Part Three: Ask Couple One More Time
Shoma ke (Bride) aya (Groom)-o be
Dad-o ayeene deene vahe Mazdayasni
Be khoshnoudi ba ham-tani va ham-ravani pazirotfd?
(wait for a yes answer)
Shoma ke (Groom) aya (Bride)-o be dad-o-ayeene deene vahe
Mazdayasni Be khoshnoudi ba ham-tani va ham-ravani pazirotfd?
(wait for a yes answer)
We pray once again to Ahura Mazda to give you both the strength
And love to take care of each other and always be happy and smiling In your life. I Mobed ……….. hereby pronounce you husband and wife.
Khashaothra Ahura Mazdao-Ashem Vohu (1)

Prayers For Part Four: Bless the Bride and Groom
Recite Doa-Tandorosti

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Rumi Wedding Poetry Readings

Wedding Bliss
Translation by Franklin D. Lewis "Rumi -- Past and Present, East and West" Oneworld Publications, Oxford, 2000

May the blessings which flow in all weddings
be gathered, God, together in our wedding!
The blessings of the Night of Power,
the month of fasting
the festival to break the fast
the blessings of the meeting of Adam and Eve
the blessings of the meeting of Joseph and Jacob
the blessings of gazing on the paradise of all abodes
and yet another blessing which cannot be put in words:
the fruitful scattering of joy
of the children of the Shayak
and our eldest!

In companionship and happiness
may you be like milk and honey
in union and fidelity,
just like sugar and halva.
May the blessings of those who toast
and the one who pours the wine
anoint the ones who said Amen and
the one who said the prayer.

This Marriage - Ode 2667
Kabir Helminski "Love is a Stranger" Threshold Books, 1993

May these vows and this marriage be blessed.
May it be sweet milk,
this marriage, like wine and halvah.
May this marriage offer fruit and shade
like the date palm.
May this marriage be full of laughter,
our every day a day in paradise.
May this marriage be a sign of compassion,
a seal of happiness here and hereafter.
May this marriage have a fair face and a good name,
an omen as welcome
as the moon in a clear blue sky.
I am out of words to describe
how spirit mingles in this marriage.

Words for a Wedding
Translation by A.J. Arberry "Mystical Poems of Rumi 2" The University of Chicago Press, 1991

May these nuptials be blessed for us, may this marriage be blessed for us,
May it be ever like milk and sugar, this marriage like wine and halvah.
May this marriage be blessed with leaves and fruits like the date tree;
May this marriage be laughing forever, today,tomorrow, like the houris of paradise.
May this marriage be the sign of compassion and the approval of happiness here and hereafter;
May this marriage be fair of fame, fair of face and fair of omen as the moon in the azure sky.
I have fallen silent for words cannot describe how the spirit has mingled with this marriage.

Our Feast, Our Wedding
Ghazal (ode) 31 Divan-i Kebir, Meter 1 Translated by Nevit Oguz Ergin Current Walla Walla, WA

Our feast, our wedding
Will be auspicious to the world.
God fit the feast and wedding
To our length like a proper garment.

Venus and the moon
Will be matched to each other,
The parrot with sugar.
The most beautifully-faced Beloved
Makes a different kind of wedding every night.

With the favor of our Sultan's prosperity,
Hearts become spacious
And men pair up with each other.
Troubles and anxieties are all gone.

Here tonight, You go again
To the wedding and feasting.
O beauty who adorned our city,
You will be groom to the beauties.

How nicely You walk in our neighborhood,
Coming to us so beautifully.
O our river, O One
Who is searching for us,
How nicely You flow in our stream.

How nicely You flow with our desires,
Unfastening the binding of our feet.
You make us walk so nicely, holding our hand,
O Joseph of our world.

Cruelty suits You well.
It's a mistake for us to expect Your loyalty.
Step as You wish on our bloody Soul.

O Soul of my Soul, pull our Souls
To our Beloved's temple.
Take this piece of bone.
Give it as a gift to our Huma*.

O wise ones, give thanks
To our Sultan's kindness, who adds Souls to Soul,
Keep dancing, O considerate ones.
Keep whirling and dancing.

At the wedding night of rose and Nasrin*
I hang the drum on my neck.
Tonight, the tambourine and small drum
Will become our clothes.

Be silent! Venus becomes the Cupbearer tonight
And offers glasses to our sweetheart,
Whose skin is fair and rosy,
Who takes a glass and drinks.

For the sake of God, because of our praying,
Now Sufis become exuberant
At the assembly of God's Absence.
They put the belt of zeal on their waists
And start Sama'*.

One group of people froth like the sea,
Prostrating like waves.
The other group battles like swords,
Drinking the blood of our glasses.

Be silent! Tonight, the Sultan
Went to the kitchen.
He is cooking with joy.
But a most unusual thing,
Tonight, the Beloved is cooking our Halva*.

* Huma: legendary bird which eats bone. The person on whom she casts her shadow becomes a Sultan. Also called stately bird.
* Nasrin: A variety of rose.
* Sama': Ritual of the Whirling Dervishes.
* Halva: Sweetmeats.

A Marriage at Daybreak
Rumi: One-Handed Basket Weaving Coleman Barks, Maypop, 1991

Do you know, brother, that you are a prince?
A son of Adam. And that the witch of Kabul,
who holds you with her color and her perfume,
is the world?
Say the words, I take refuge
with the Lord of the Daybreak.

Avoid the hot breathing that keeps you tied
to her. She breathes on knots and no one
can unknot them. That’s why the prophets came.

Look for those whose breath is cool.
When they breathe on knots, they loosen.

The old woman of the world has had you
in her net for sixty years. Her breathing
is the breathing of God’s anger. But God’s mercy
has more strength. Mercy is prior to wrath.

You must marry your soul.
That wedding is the way.
Union with the world is sickness.

But it’s hard to be separated from these forms!
You don’t have enough patience to give this up?
But how do you have enough patience
to do without God?

You can’t quit drinking the earth’s dark drink?
But how can you not drink from this other fountain?

You get restless, you say, when you don’t sip
the world’s fermentation. But if for one second
you saw the beauty of the clear water of God,
you’d think this other was embalming fluid.

Nearness to the Beloved is the splendor
of your life. Marry the Beloved.
Let the thorn of the ego slide from your foot.

What a relief to be empty!
Then God can live your life.

When you stay tied to mind and desire, you stumble
in the mud like a nearsighted donkey.

Keep smelling Joseph’s shirt.
Don’t be satisfied with borrowed light.
Let your brow and your face illuminate with union.

Wedding Night
Annemarie Schimmel "Look! This is Love - Poems of Rumi" Shambhala, 1991

The day I've died, my pall is moving on -
But do not think my heart is still on earth!
Don't weep and pity me: "Oh woe, how awful!"
You fall in devil's snare - woe, that is awful!
Don't cry "Woe, parted!" at my burial -
For me this is the time of joyful meeting!
Don't say "Farewell!" when I'm put in the grave -
A curtin is it for eternal bliss.
You saw "descending" - now look at the rising!
Is setting dangerous for sun and moon?
To you it looks like setting, but it's rising;
The coffin seems a jail, yet it means freedom.
Which seed fell in the earth that did not grow there?
Why do you doubt the fate of human seed?
What bucket came not filled from out the cistern?
Why should the Yusaf "Soul" then fear this well?
Close here your mouth and open it on that side.
So that your hymns may sound in Where-no-place!

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Hafez Wedding Poetry Readings

Ghazaliyat
Hafez Ghazal 01 Section 46

Amidst flowers, wine in hand, my lover I embrace
King of the world is my slave on such a day in such a place.
Bring no candles to this, our festive feast, tonight
Full moon is pale beside the light of my lover's face.
Drinking of wine, our creed has sanctified
Yet without you, drinking wine is disgrace.
My ears only hear the song of the harp and the reed
My eyes see your ruby lips, and the cup chase.
Keep perfumes away from our feast tonight
The fragrance of your hair, our feast will grace.
Speak not to me of sweetness of candy and sugar;
Since my lips, sweetness of your lips, did once trace.
Your treasures are hidden in the ruins of my heart
And my path to the tavern has now become sacred space.
Speak not of disgrace; that's my fame and my base
And fame and high place, I despise and debase.
Drunk and disconcerted and demented and deceived
Show me one who's not, within our town and our race.
Fault not the pious one, because he, also, like us,
Is seeking love and grace, in his own way, at his own pace.
Hafiz, wine in hand, always your lover embrace
'Cause flowers and joy fill this festive time and space.

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VARIOUS WEdding Poetry Readings

Art of Marriage
by Wilfred A. Peterson

The little things are the big things.
It is never being too old to hold hands.
It is remembering to say "I love you" at least once a day.
It is never going to sleep angry.
It is at no time taking the other for granted;
the courtship should not end with the honeymoon,
it should continue through all the years.
It is having a mutual sense of values and common objectives.
It is standing together facing the world.
It is forming a circle of love that gathers in the whole family.
It is doing things for each other, not in the attitude of duty or sacrifice, but in the spirit of joy.
It is speaking words of appreciation and demonstrating gratitude in thoughtful ways.
It is not expecting the husband to wear a halo or the wife to have wings of an angel.
It is not looking for perfection in each other.
It is cultivating flexibility, patience, understanding, and a sense of humor.
It is having the capacity to forgive and forget.
It is giving each other an atmosphere in which each can grow.
It is finding room for the things of the spirit.
It is a common search for the good and the beautiful.
It is establishing a relationship in which the independence is equal, dependence is mutual, and the obligation is reciprocal.
It is not only marrying the right partner,
it is being the right partner.

Gather Ye Rosebuds While Ye May
Robert Herrick (1591-1674)

Gather ye rosebuds while ye may,
Old time is still a-flying:
And this same flower that smiles today
Tomorrow will be dying.The glorious lamp of heaven, the sun,
The higher he's a-getting,
The sooner will his race be run,

And nearer he's to setting.That age is best which is the first,
When youth and blood are warmer;
But being spent, the worse, and worst
Times still succeed the former.Then be not coy, but use your time,
And while ye may, go marry:
For having lost but once your prime
You may for ever tarry.

Native American Wedding Reading

May the sun bring you new energies by day,
May the moon softly restore you by night,

May the rain wash away any worries you may have,
And the breeze blow new strength into your being,
And then, all the days of your life,
May you walk gently through the world,
and know its beauty and yours.

A Wedding Reading from The Hindu scriptures - The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, selected verses
Translated by Eknath Easwaran, Nilgiri Press, 1987

A wife loves her husband not for his own sake, dear one, but because the Divine Beloved lives in him. A Husband loves his wife not for her own sake, dear one, but because the Divine Beloved lives in her. Children are loved not for their own sake, dear one, but because the Divine Beloved lives in them... All things are loved not for their own sake, but because the Divine Beloved lives in them. The Divine Beloved must be realized. Hearing about and meditating upon the Divine Beloved, you will come to understand everything in life...

As long as there is the sense of separateness, one sees another as separate from oneself... But when the Divine Beloved is realized as the indivisible unity of life, who can be seen by whom... who can be spoken to by whom, who can be thought of by whom, who can be known by whom?

A Wedding Reading from The Buddhist Scriptures The Buddha's sermon at Rajagaha; verses 19-22

19 "Do not deceive, do not despise each other anywhere. Do not be angry nor bear secret resentments; for as a mother will risk her life and watches over her child, so boundless be your love to all, so tender, kind and mild.

20 Cherish good will right and left, early and late, and without hindrance, without stint, be free of hate and envy, while standing and walking and sitting down, what ever you have in mind, the rule of life that is always best is to be loving-kind.

21 Gifts are great, founding temples is meritorious, meditations and religious exercises pacify the heart,comprehension of the truth leads to Nirvana, but greater than all is lovingkindness.

22 As the light of the moon is 16 times stronger than the light of all the stars, so lovingkindness is 16 times more efficacious in liberating the heart than all other religious accomplishments taken together."

From" The Gospel of the Buddha" Paul Carus, 1915, Open court Publishing source:"The Mahavagga" Sacred books of the East. Oxford, 1881-82

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