This weekend I went to Massachusetts for the wedding of a dear friend of mine. It was the only wedding ceremony I’ve ever been to 
where I laughed until I cried for part of it, and simply cried for the rest. I was deeply moved by the love between this couple, and by the sentiments of their close friends and family who were given an opportunity to share during the ceremony.
Between traveling and spending time with friends, I did not have much of an opportunity to craft a blog article. I did, however, write something very important: a rhyming wedding toast/roast. I thought I would share it with you, if nothing else as an example of how to tell a story in a short space. As you read, pay attention to what details are shared, what is left to the imagination, and how connections are drawn between earlier and later couplets.
I acknowledge my father, who is no longer with us in body, but who inspired me by his example to write poems such as these. Here’s the toast/roast, a bit about what transpired from sharing it, and a few things you might learn from my experience.
Wedding Toast/Roast – September 25, 2011
At DNE Camp, a story began
Of Leslie (our bride) and Gary (our man).
They met at a table across from each other,
(Leslie freed up from her duties as mother)
And gazed, and gazed, and gazed some more.
Then brought their flirtations onTO the dance floor.
They danced, and they talked… for hours they flirted…
This bond that they had just could not be averted.
But no matter how well she and Gary were matched,
Leslie preferred to stay unattached.
This line gave the couple a fairly fine start:
“You CAN have my body but NEVER my heart.”
But Gary was sure there was still more to gain.
They rendezvoused once on a Turnpike in Maine
And yes, since that meeting 15 years ago,
A lot has transpired… as many here know.
There were moves, there were moods, there were protests and OH
There were bondings with dogs – the world’s cutest, you know.
A year’s separation, and a new job for Gary,
All served to bring forth the real chance they would marry.
An engagement took shape, and a life more entwined.
It seems that for union this pair was designed.
And I hear Bucket’s heart shouting “Never say never!”
‘Cause Gary’s sure got it… forever.
[Note: "Bucket" is Gary's nickname for Leslie; capitalized letters indicate emphasis]
Unexpected Results
I read this poem to a crowd of 125 wedding guests, and had a lot of people ask me about what I do for a living. One long-time acquaintance asked me if I wrote the poem myself, surprised to find out that I was a writer! I had the opportunity to share about my resume writing, jokingly telling one of the wedding guests that I write rhyming resumes.
I let people know about my more creative resumes, including one that was nominated for a TORI Award in the Best Creative Resume Category. One wedding guest asked for my card, telling me she was interested in hiring me to help both her and her husband with their resumes. Another guest has a daughter applying to college, and was thrilled to meet an “Essay Expert” who offers help with personal statements for college!
The Gift of Creative Expression
I wrote this wedding poem because I love my friend Gary and had a TON of fun writing and reading it. Not once did it cross my mind that the poem would lead to business. Yet that’s exactly what it did. The experience reminds me that by being yourself, by giving, and by sharing who you are with others, you can obtain unexpected results.
Whether you are a business person or a job seeker, keep putting yourself out there and giving your gifts. If you have a story to tell, tell it. You never know who might be listening.
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I invite you to share any wedding toasts or roasts you have written you are particularly proud of… or to share an experience of getting an unexpected result just by being/sharing yourself.
Steven Sawyer is a blogger, author, editor and online English teacher and writing consultant. Read his blog at 
