I stumbled across this wedding reading by Neil Gaiman and loved it so much I had to write it in calligraphy. I even recorded myself writing it... which is rare for me, as I prefer not to have a camera in the way when I'm doing calligraphy work.

Extract from The Kindly Ones – Neil Gaiman

Have you ever been in love? Horrible isn’t it? It makes you so vulnerable. It opens your chest and it opens up your heart and it means that someone can get inside you and mess you up. You build up all these defences, you build up a whole suit of armour, so that nothing can hurt you, then one stupid person, no different from any other stupid person, wanders into your stupid life … You give them a piece of you. They didn’t ask for it. They did something dumb one day, like kiss you or smile at you, and then your life isn’t your own anymore. Love takes hostages. It gets inside you.

Neil Gaiman wedding reading Have you ever been in love calligraphy version

I made a little video to share on my social media. If you're not following on instagram, find me at @bymoonandtide and I'll share it very soon!

If you're looking for wedding reading inspiration, I've listed more of my favourites in Something Old, Something New: wedding readings for 2024. If you're giving a reading at a wedding, or would like to send a really unique gift to a special couple this summer, please drop me an email!