Let’s begin with something elegant by Vita Sackville-West:
“There is nothing more lovely in life than the union of two people whose love for one another has grown through the years, from the small acorn of passion, into a great rooted tree.”
A more romantic visual representation of ‘old married couple’ we could not hope to find. We like how she reminds us that love can be something robust, rather than whimsical and delicate:
“I think we have got something indestructible between us, haven’t we?”
Of course, Vita shared a passionate relationship with the inimitable Virginia Woolf, who was also no stranger to crafting beautiful prose. We love this from her 1919 novel Night and Day:
‘I see you everywhere, in the stars, in the river, to me you’re everything that exists; the reality of everything.’
Another inspiring lesbian couple we can’t help but stan is Ellen De Generes and Portia Di Rossi. Portia apparently quoted the following in her wedding vows:
‘It is good to be loved. It is profound to be understood.’
And here’s a pearl of wisdom from the queen of daytime telly, Ellen herself:
‘It’s our challenges and obstacles that give us layers of depth and make us interesting. Are they fun when they happen? No. But they are what make us unique.’
This would be a great one to quote before contextualising it with an example of what makes your partner unique. We always remind our clients to prove, not tell – so if you’re using a quote to tell, use a suitable anecdote or example to prove.
Screenwriter and actress Lena Waithe has a good line to set this one up:
‘The things that make us different, those are our superpowers.’
Don’t forget to describe your new wife’s superpowers, whether it’s reading the newspaper cover to cover backwards or her freakish ability to quote Juno word for word.
Speaking of which, Elliot Page has some wise words of their own on love:
‘Love, the beauty of it, the joy of it and yes, even the pain of it, is the most incredible gift to give and to receive as a human being. And we deserve to experience love fully, equally, without shame and without compromise.’
Fellow actress Jodie Foster provides the ideal opening to a maid of honour speech with this gem:
‘My definition of a friend is somebody who adores you even though they know the things you’re most ashamed of.’
Obviously, the audience requires immediate and hilariously-timed context to support this statement.
Back to the literary theme with some Radclyffe Hall wisdom:
‘Language is surely too small a vessel to contain these emotions of mind and body that have somehow awakened a response in the spirit.’
The Well of Loneliness author also wrote:
‘Life’s not all beer and skittles.’
Which might provide appropriate humour for some pub-dwelling couples.
Of course, you can go poetic with some Alice Dunbar-Nelson if highbrow is what you’re after:
‘The perfect loveliness that God has made,—
Wild violets shy and Heaven-mounting dreams.
And now—unwittingly, you’ve made me dream
Of violets, and my soul’s forgotten gleam.’
Alice was not just a writer, but a proud activist on a number of social issues, including women’s suffrage, anti-lynching and peace advocacy.
For a more contemporary take on love against the odds, try Cristina Marrero:
‘You had to be willing to fight in order for a love story to last a lifetime.’
Last but certainly not least is a true favourite on the Speechy bookshelves. Describing herself as a ‘black, lesbian, mother, warrior, poet’, Audre Lorde has an unmatched way with words when it comes to womanhood and loving. She advises:
‘Each time you love, love as deeply as if it were forever’.
If you’re using this, don’t forget to tell everyone why your new wife is your forever. Finally, our favourite Audre quote leaves you with some strong feminist energy to go and write that speech with:
‘Women are powerful and dangerous.’
Of course, as well as these specially curated quotes, you may want to check out some more generic options (but equally brilliant) in our bride speech quote blog.
Or just find out how we can help below!
