The New Wedding Worry: Is My Big Day PC?

When Princess Beatrice married Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi in Windsor over the weekend, her mother Sarah Ferguson read 'I carry your heart with me' by American poet Edward Estlin (EE) Cummings to the happy couple and their guests.

The love poem is a popular reading at weddings because of its romantic sentiment, but in recent years questions have been posed about the story behind the poem and about the political correctness of EE Cummings himself.

The poet reportedly had multiple relationships with sex workers, including with Marie Louise Lallemand, who he met in Paris in 1917 and who Cummings' drew much of his early inspiration from. In one of his poems, Little Ladies, the writer refers to Lallemand as 'the putain with the ivory throat'. Putain is a French word for 'whore' or 'prostitute'.

The couple were said to be deeply in love and letters between the two are now on show at Houghton Library at Harvard University in the US. However Cummings was unfortunately too terrified to consummate their relationship for fear of catching venereal disease.

Aside from the relatively unknown inspiration behind Cummings' poetry, the language used in his poems has also been called into question. He often wrote racial slurs in his poems and, as a result, was accused of being racist. He denied this of course, claiming his poetry was simply commenting on prejudice.

Regardless of what he meant then, it didn't take long for Beatrice and Edoardo to be called out on their choice of poem today. But with many historic poets creating art out of their problematic views, it's hard to tell what is and what isn't an acceptable detail to include at your wedding.

Concerns for the environment may have been rare 10 years ago, but today they are at the top of every fashion brand's list of priorities. Luckily Princess Bea was able to tick this one off by borrowing an old dress from the Queen in which to tie the knot. But considering what we know now about the risks posed to the environment by humankind, should we really still be using non-biodegradable confetti? And what about disposable cups at the wedding reception?

Another aspect up for consideration is the music. Until recently, it was fine to have a dance to Michael Jackson's Billie Jean or to do the two-step to R Kelly's Ignition at the wedding reception. But now we're fully aware of the abuse suffered at the hands of many popular artists, and regardless of your personal views on whether or not we should separate the art from the artist, there's bound to be someone offended by your choice of playlist on your wedding day without careful consideration.

It seems when it comes to getting married, we need to tread carefully when choosing the finer details. What seems romantic to you and I may be particularly problematic for one of your guests.

READ MORE: 'The Johnny Depp Case Is Dangerous For Survivors Of Domestic Abuse’

READ MORE: Vogue Williams And Spencer Matthews' Second Baby Has Arrived