Did Robert Fulgham really write this short reading?

April 19, 2011 11:17 AM

There's a sweet and commoner-than-I-expected wedding reading that's frequently attributed to Robert Fulgham. It starts "You have known each other from the first glance of acquaintance to this point of commitment..." and is sometimes referred to by the title "Union". Did he actually write it?

I plan to paraphrase it in my Best Man toast, but I'd like to properly attribute it. Can anyone point me to anything better than minor blogs and content farms to support its author?

posted by Plutor to Writing & Language (4 answers total)

This is....sort of sounding familiarly Fulghum, yes (I have a couple of his books, and this is sounding familiar). I'll have to check my sources at home, but I think this is his.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 11:19 AM on April 19, 2011

Best answer: GOT IT
posted by Perplexity at 11:23 AM on April 19, 2011 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: Hah, thanks.

I actually simultaneously was able to find it in the Book Previewer on B&N. It's from From Beginning To End.
posted by Plutor at 11:25 AM on April 19, 2011

Just a note: I had my officiant read this at my wedding right before we did our vows, and it was so effing amazing. I knew that he was going to read it. I knew it was common. But it's so emotional and romantic and CORRECT. So, good job. :D
posted by two lights above the sea at 3:50 PM on April 19, 2011