Although I’ve been officiating weddings for about a decade, I still delight in new ideas and happy surprises for celebrations, large and small. Some time ago, during the warmer months, I happily trotted off to Brooklyn Bridge Park to marry a young eloping couple, in an event coordinated by Simply Eloped. As I approached our designated meeting area, I noted a fedora wearing fellow who’d set up shop across the street from the Shake Shack. (I consider this Danny Meyer restaurant a landmark location!) With a small desk for working, he had a classic old typewriter and an offer to write personalized poems on the spot. Who doesn’t like art…and instant gratification? I was eager to see what he could come up with.
The pop-up poet is Ryan Ashley, an artist based in Brooklyn. I explained that I was preparing to marry a couple and asked if he could quickly pen a poem for their wedding. I gave him some details about the bride and groom. He promptly handed me a typed poem that I easily integrated into the ceremony. Most surely, the last minute literary addition is a treasured memento the couple.
After the wedding, I chatted with Ryan at greater length. He explained that part of his work portfolio was serving as a featured artist at larger weddings. During the reception, guests could have a bit of poetry written to honor the celebration and commemorate the day. Brilliant!
To learn more about Ryan’s work visit his website.
