Buying presents for your loved ones on the big day can be a difficult task, so how do you buy a gift that says everything you want it to say? I Want A Poem is a brilliant service where owner Amy creates a poem around your big day. We caught up with her to learn more about this brilliant service…
What’s the most touching poem you’ve ever written?
All the poems we write are touching in their own way. I’ve had a groom who wanted a poem for his bride list all the things he loved about her – right down to her not being the best singer in the world, but how he loved to hear her sing as it meant she was happy. There’s been a couple who wanted a personalised wedding reading, they’ve been through tough times, but against all the odds, they made it to the altar and are looking forward to the future together.
There have been some more tragic poems that we’ve had to write, too. There was a bride who had been told she that only had a short time to live, and so they had organised the wedding in a hurry and she wanted a poem for her groom thanking him for sticking by her, and loving her through tough times. They also had a poem to read at the reception, thanking all their friends and family who helped her to put the wedding together so quickly. She sadly passed away not so long ago, but her husband will always have the poem she gave to him that day, to remember just how much they loved each other. I am sure it’s a very precious keepsake.
What sort of information do you need?
I ask them to simply tell me any key points that they would like to include, taking into account the purpose for their poem. So a poem to be given as a gift to the bride or groom on the morning of the wedding may have slightly more personal information in it, rather than a poem that’s destined to be read in front their nearest and dearest. They can include anything from a brief potted history of their love story, to cherished memories of times they have shared together, and hopes for the future, along any other messages or details, it’s entirely up to them as it’s their poem.
It’s the little details that make the difference, so in each case I try to weave their personal memories and feelings into something that they are proud to deliver, either written down, or read aloud.
How is a poem useful when used in a best man speech?
Poems are incredibly useful when used as best man speeches. Often the best man doesn’t have a lot of public speaking experience and it can be daunting, and so it can be nice to have the rhythm of a poem as something to focus on while they are trying to deliver their speech. Also, for a best man, what they really want to do is be there for their friend in the run up to the wedding, so having me write a poem to be used as their best man speech frees up their time to really be there for them. Then all they need to do is practice their poem, present on the big day and then sit back and take all the praise for their clever delivery! Perfect!
Best Man poems can contain all the regular things you would put into a best man speech, so humorous tales from the grooms younger days, and how he met his bride and what his friends think of her, messages from friends who can’t be there and thanks yous and so on. They can choose to have their full speech as poem, or just a small part, perhaps to be used as the crowning glory and rounding off their speech.
Apart from being framed, how else can you use the poems as gifts?
Poems can be presented as gifts in a number of ways, as the main gift where the sentiment is in the words, or as thank you poems for the bridesmaids to go alongside any other little gifts that you may give them. They may want to simply write it into a card, frame it with a photo, record themselves reading it and then share it on YouTube, or have it transcribed into calligraphy. I’m always happy to look into bespoke presentation options or to simply provide the words so that they can present their poems in a way that suits them best.
Would you like Amy to write a poem for your special day? Go to iwantapoem.com for more information or email her at [email protected]
