With the Sense and Sensibility movie and all things period drama trending again for 2026, we are returning to some of our favourite passages in literature that are close to our hearts, and Thomas Hardy is a writer that always touches mine. He is, in fact, probably my favourite of that genre of writers, as from Jude the Obscure to Tess of the d'Urbervilles, there is something so completely raw and stripped back about his work. One of the most often cited passages for a wedding ceremony reading is in Far From the Madding Crowd and the famous "Paths and Journeys" excerpt.

While Hardy's personal views on marriage were complex in most of his writing - and his own personal life seemed anything but perfect - in this prose he captures so well the comforting reality of companionship, describing walking side-by-side through both joys and sorrows, and framing life as individual paths that naturally intersect, turn into deep friendship, and eventually merge into a single, shared journey. Lines like "At home by the fire, whenever I look up, there you will be" offer a warm, visual, and unpretentious promise of presence and steadfastness.

There's a print and go download of this excerpt below as well as the passage here:

Paths and Journeys (from Far From the Madding Crowd) by Thomas Hardy

We are all on our own paths, all on our own journeys. Sometimes the paths cross, and people arrive at the crossing points at the same time and meet each other. There are greetings, pleasantries are exchanged, and then they move on. But then once in a while the pleasantries become more, friendship grows, deeper links are made, hands are joined and love flies. The friendship has turned into love.

Paths are joined, one path with two people walking it, both going in the same direction, and sharing each other's journeys. They will now skip together in harmony and love, sharing joys and sorrows, hopes and fears, strengthening and upholding each other as they walk along side by side. At home by the fire, whenever I look up, there you will be. And whenever you look up, there I shall be.

Still looking for the perfect wedding ceremony reading? See our Essential List of Ceremony Readings which are broken down into categories to make it super easy and be sure to follow us on Instagram!