UPDATED September, 2010 – My first book, Hear My Soul Speak : Wedding Quotations from Shakespeare, is available now!
Last month I wrote of my desire to “kick things up a notch” here at ye olde blogge and see if I can put a little more effort into getting the Shakespeare Geek brand out in the universe.
Well, those folks who’ve been following for years have heard it from me before, I want to publish something. I don’t want to *write* something, heck, I’ve been doing that for five years (and over 1500 posts, if my blog software is to be believed). I want to create something independent of the blog, something with valuable content that will stand independently and gain its own following. If somebody ever wanted to actually publish it for real and pay me real money then all the better :), but I’ll take what I can get.
Anyway, I am happy (and a bit nervous) to announce that I’ve cut a deal with some wedding planners in my neighborhood to distribute a project I’ve been thinking of, a sort of “Shakespeare for Weddings” quote book that covers all the good stuff – readings, toasts, blessings, stuff to write on your thank you notes, you name it. I know that if you google “Shakespeare wedding quotes” you’ll get a zillion generic sites that slap up a few quotes and twice as many ads. That’s not what I’m talking about. I believe that whoever is writing about the topic should have as much passion for it as the people who’ve come to read about it, don’t you?
So my planners have agreed that if I can write it, they’ll get it in the hands of the brides. Awesome! <—Me being happy.
Now, of course, I have to write the blessed thing. <—Me being nervous.
We’ve covered weddings in the past, and I’m going through and collecting my notes, but right now what I need is content and lots of it. Anybody who wants to contribute, hit me! Sonnets, snippets, you name it I’ll take it all. Stuff for husbands to say to wives, for parents to say to children, for groomsman to say to each other. Stuff to write on the “save the date” cards. The more the merrier! Who’s got the best marriage in all of Shakespeare (and have you got a quote to back it up? I will swear I love thee infinitely!) Young or old, rush-to-the-altar or long-time-coming, I’ll take it all and organize it later. I’d rather have too much and work on a version 2.0 than not have enough and be disappointed in the final product. They are in the very wrath of love, clubs cannot part them.
This is strictly a promotional effort, not a for-money one, so the finished product will have a blurb about ShakespeareGeek.com and a modest number of links back to the site for more information on certain topics.
Thanks in advance for any help I can get, and wish me luck! I’m off to mark up my copy of the Complete Works with a yellow highlighter ….
UPDATED September, 2010 – My first book, Hear My Soul Speak : Wedding Quotations from Shakespeare, is available now!
This sounds like an awesome project. Congratulations!
The French Queen in Henry V pronounces a nice blessing over her daughter and soon-to-be son-in-law:
"God, the best maker of all marriages,
Combine your hearts in one, your realms in one!
As man and wife, being two, are one in love,
So be there 'twixt your kingdoms such a spousal,
That never may ill office, or fell jealousy,
Which troubles oft the bed of blessed marriage,
Thrust in between the paction of these kingdoms,
To make divorce of their incorporate league…"
Of course the quote is thematically tied to the combination of kingdoms, but I think its a good example of a parental blessing on a marriage from Shakespeare.
Way to go! That sounds fun!
My husband and I actually got married at the local Shakespeare center in our area. Much Ado was playing in one of the theatres in the building, so we put "Man is a giddy thing" on our napkins. 🙂
Well, it's not totally wedding-related, but "Give me your hand" "And my heart too" is one of my favorite exchanges in Shakespeare. (And totally romantic, out of context. Or in it.)
Best couple in Shakespeare? Brutus and Portia. I know that sounds strange, especially with some of Portia's comments, but I really think they have the longest, most positive marriage in all of Shakespeare. Brutus loves Portia so much that he doesn't want to burden her with his fears, but she knows him so well that he can't keep the truth from her. He eventually unburdens himself–and there are consequences, but their genuine love for one another shines.
"O ye gods,
Render me worthy of this noble wife!"
One of the more relevant lines must have been, "I come to marry Caesar, not to praise him."
He did say marry, right? 🙂
Good luck with the book!