Your wedding ceremony is the most meaningful part of your wedding day as it is when you declare your love for each other and promise to support one another. Special touches, like unique wedding readings, can help make your ceremony even more personal. Ensure your ceremony is unique with a reading chosen for you & about you. Incorporating ceremony readings into your special day can bring wisdom, humour, and a sense of togetherness to your ceremony. The right reading can change the energy of your ceremony dramatically, lightening the mood or creating a sense of reverence,
Readings can be a way of saying something that you may not have the words for.
Asking a family member or close friend to read a special piece can also be an extraordinary way of including someone who is special to you but is not a part of your wedding party.
Sometimes, friends or family members, or even the couple themselves, write something special which adds a special emotional dimension.
Tips for readings at your wedding ceremony
When asking someone to read at your ceremony, you have 2 choices – you can choose the reading you would like them to read or ask them to choose a reading that they believe suits you as a couple.
Those chosen to read often love the challenge of finding “the one” and as a result read it with feeling and know they have chosen well.
Should you already have a reading you would like, then send the reading to them as far in advance as possible. This gives them time to familiarise themselves with it. Suggest they read it aloud several times which will make the reading flow better and help reduce nerves on the day. If necessary, print it using a larger font and double spacing. If you do pass readings on to others, please, wherever possible, add the author’s name. They deserve the acknowledgement for their beautiful words.
Don’t be afraid to ask your celebrant to recite a reading you have chosen, it is always an honour.
Trying to pin down the right ceremony readings can definitely be overwhelming. Before searching for your reading, think about what type of reading that best fits with you both:
- Classical love (eg. Love’s Philosophy)
- Holy love (A religious reading can honour the beliefs of family) (eg 1 Corinthians chapter 13 verses 4-7)
- Inspirational love (from The Prophet… you were born together…) The Prophet – Kahlil Gibran | Marriage Celebrant Queenstown (weddingcelebrantqueenstown.com)
- You and me, love (The one) THE most popular reading for this season | Marriage Celebrant Queenstown (weddingcelebrantqueenstown.com)
- Laughter and love (Falling in love is like owning a dog) Who would have thought you could compare falling in love to owning a dog? | Marriage Celebrant Queenstown (weddingcelebrantqueenstown.com)
- Prose love (marriage by Anon) A poem titled Marriage and beautifully written by Anon (weddingcelebrantqueenstown.com)
- Wishes for love (No name again written beautifully by Anon) When you find someone you love, rejoice… because that is beautiful (weddingcelebrantqueenstown.com)
- Readings to be read by children (a lovely love story written by Edward Monkton) A lovely love story by Edward Monkton – light hearted reading (itakeyou.co.uk)
Words are able to relay our inner most feelings, our humour and our understanding of love. It can describe your understanding of the commitment you will be making to one another. In a way your wedding readings allow your wedding guests to understand a familiar belief you both share. It will enhance your devotion to one another and conjure up a sense of something that was always meant to be.
You are more than welcome to check out more suggestions at Readings | Marriage Celebrant Queenstown (weddingcelebrantqueenstown.com)
Main Photo by Maria Orlova: https://www.pexels.com/photo/bride-with-bouquet-and-wedding-vow-in-hands-4947594/
