Recently I was teaching an OPD session on ceremony writing. One of the newer celebrants noted she was a bit nervous about sending written draft ceremonies to her clients because she knows she writes very differently from the way she speaks, and she was concerned that if they read the words on the page, they might not understand how they would change when they were delivered on the day, with all her personality and inflection injected into them.
I started to tell her how important it was to learn to write the way you speak when I had an idea: what if, instead of sending them a written draft that they might read in a totally different way to how it was to be delivered, she recorded herself “performing” the ceremony just as she was planning to on the day, with all the pauses, vocal inflections, and personality included, and sent them the recording? The couple would still have the opportunity to check if there was anything they didn’t like, but they wouldn’t be correcting spelling or grammar issues, or getting caught up in the framing of individual words. Instead they would understand how the ceremony was supposed to sound, which could be very different from their reading of it.
I’m putting it out there for discussion: do you think this could work? I know I write very much the way I speak so it’s not something I’ve really considered before (people often comment that they can hear me saying it in their head as they’re reading my words), but I wonder if I’ve accidentally stumbled upon something incredible! What do you all think?
This is possibly the best idea you’ve had yet, Aird. I wholeheartedly endorse this idea and in 2030 and this is the norm, we’ll look back at this post and know you started it.
Wow! This is an awesome idea. For years I have been telling my couples, “When you read the draft, remember that the written word, sounds different to spoken word. There will be pauses, inflection…etc…blah, blah”
If I record it, that solves having to explain how it sound on the day! Great idea, Sarah!
However, I still think there will be couples out there, that will want to scrutinise every word and every sentence (we have all had “those” couples), so it may not suit all of them. I guess you could give them the option of one or the other.
I love this idea!
It’s a brilliant idea! I often record myself reading the ceremony so I can change/improve/edit etc for own development. Taking it that step further would be great! I think I would only send an excerpt though to save some magic for the day.
Fabulous idea – I might try it!!
Love this Sarah, 100% going to give it a shot!
Excellent idea. With my funeral ceremonies especially – when writing/typing – I use a few emojis here & there to help me with delivery on the day – eg, if I see a smiley face face in the next line – I know there is something perhaps mildly amusing coming up and helps me morph into it more naturally (if you know what I mean).
Love the emoji idea Craig!
Any tech-inclined folks know if there is a way to send an expiring link or something of the likes so the couple can only listen to it for 24 hours or so and not over-listen? I still want it to be fresh the day of…just a thought!
This is a great idea and I’m keen to hear how it goes if anyone tries it. Like everything I think it would work for some celebrants and couples and not others.
I record myself delivering each ceremony as part of my preparation, to get it all in my head before the ceremony. So I thought about sharing a recording as a way of sharing the ceremony with the couple, but decided against it because I was thinking there’s something special about hearing the words that create the feeling in the moment on the day. I like sending the draft to make sure I’ve got all the facts correct too.
I don’t record my ceremonies but I do have a meeting (either face to face or on zoom) to read to them the script. Its very different hearing it, to reading it. It also means any changes can be discussed at the time. It gets them excited and I really feel this helps build rapport with them. I find a lot of its in the delivery and it can be hard to convey this in a draft.
LOVE IT!
I quite often put the way I would say sentences it in brackets if I think they might read it differently to how I mean.. eg. (jokingly)
For those couples who want to know all the ins and outs that is! Love it when they are cool with a full surprise….. 🙂
Great idea and I am a big believer in the couple hearing the draft from me rather than receiving a written script. I always have a personal face to face meeting, read the script, watch their emotion, and then afterwards send a written copy to them. I have then found that the script is about 98% approved with just some minor tweaking.
Sarah, you are an ideas woman! I think this is a great idea for using the technology we have available. I think I will add this to my toolbox of ideas, but I might throw it over to the couple about whether they would prefer a written or recorded draft. I think some people are great at imagining what things would sound like in real life, and they also may want the actual delivery to be more of a surprise on the day whereas other people would have difficulty imagining it being delivered and would be better to listen to a recording.