Choosing the Best Wedding Ceremony Readings: A Guide from a North East Celebrant
Updated: Aug 18
A beautiful reading really elevates a ceremony. It adds variety, emotion and depth, with the power to bring huge smiles, happy tears and plenty of laughter because the words feel so meaningful to everyone!
There are so many gorgeous options out there in all sorts of forms. Look out for what really feels like you!
The best ones really speak to you. They should feel as though they were written especially for you and your partner - trust me the words wont just move you on your big day - they will resonate with all your guests too!
Whether you're looking for something truly romantic, funny, heartfelt or completely unique, this blog will give you plenty of inspiration.
Why Include a Wedding Reading in Your Ceremony?
It's another perfect opportunity to add your personality, lots of emotion and meaning to your day, while creating a moment that everyone remembers long after the confetti has settled!
Who Should You Ask to Share a Reading?
It's one of the loveliest ways to involve special people in your wedding day too.
Giving a reading to a friend, sibling, parent or grandparent is a real honour, and it's a role that many people treasure.
If you're wondering who to ask, here are a few things to think about:
Choose someone who'll feel comfortable speaking in front of your guests.
Pick someone who can speak clearly and confidently.
Think about people who naturally tell a good story and can hold everyone's attention.
Most importantly, choose someone who genuinely means something to you both.
As lovely as it is to offer someone an important role, it's worth giving a little thought to whether they'll actually enjoy it.
A confident reader can really enhance the atmosphere and help your celebrant-ceremony flow beautifully, leaving you feeling relaxed and able to soak up every moment.
Wedding Ceremony Readings Can Come From Anywhere!
One of the best things about a celebrant-led wedding is that you aren't limited by tradition - you can use ANYTHING you love!
Your reading could be:
A Favourite Poem
An Extract from a Novel
A Passage from a Children's Book
A Film or TV Quote
A Selection of Meaningful Quotes
Song Lyrics
A Love Letter you've written to one another
Something humorous that perfectly sums up your relationship
Or Something Completely Original ... see below for ideas!!
There are thousands of beautiful readings out there. You might discover the perfect one immediately, or perhaps one simply inspires you to create something that's uniquely yours.
And if you happen to have some musical friends or family... who says a reading has to be spoken? It could be sung, performed, or shared in any creative way you like.
After all, there are no rules.
Why Not Write Your Own?
Have you thought about creating an original reading?
I've even had brides and grooms write their own poems and heartfelt words ( you could even use letters to one another). A beautiful bride at a recent wedding i conducted at Hardwick Hall wrote her own and I just had to record & share it (with her permission ofcourse!)
These add really emotional moments to a personalised wedding ceremony.
Nothing says this is our story quite like words written from your own hearts!
A Reading Written by Everyone You Love
Here's one of my favourite ideas...
Ask your guests to answer one simple question before your wedding, (ideally in their RSVP) such as:
What is love?
What's your best marriage advice?
What makes a happy relationship?
What's the secret to lasting love?
The answers are often hilarious, wonderfully honest and incredibly touching.
Inviting Little Ones?
If you have a number of children coming to your wedding, why not ask them - either alongside the adults or, even cuter, just ask the kids!!
Children have the most beautiful (and often unintentionally funny!) outlook on love. Their answers can have everyone laughing one minute and wiping away tears the next!!
A couple I'm conducting a Vow Renewal for at The Parlour in Blagdon, later this year, have chosen this option and we can't wait for their guests to hear the gorgeous and hilarious words the children shared!! Some are really surprising too - children can be very wise especially when it comes to love! This is even more meaningful as their own littles ones are involved too!
If you choose one of these options these are the next steps ...
Gather all of the responses together and either:
Create one super special reading or ask your celebrant to weave them into your ceremony! Then ...
Decide - do you want to invite one special person to read them aloud OR ...
My Favourite option ... Surprise your guests by asking different people to stand up to share their response!! Everyone loves something a bit different! Imagine your guests faces as voices pop up around your ceremony space, each sharing a little piece of wisdom or love!! It has a wonderful Love Actually wedding feel about it!!
Give Someone Special The Privilege of Writing it For You ...
Do you know someone who's brilliant with words? Perhaps a friend, a parent or a grandparent who could write something especially for you?
I've had a couple ask their own daughter to write a reading (Rather than a poem she opted for writing all about her parents love - it was so moving - especially since her parents hadn't heard it until during their ceremony on their big day! She sent it to me to check it over for her and this gave the couple complete peace of mind - they absolutely LOVED it - as did ALL their guests! There certainly wasn't a dry eye in sight! Well... I can't say "in the room" because they had their ceremony in their own beautiful garden in Eaglescliffe - yet another wonderfully personal touch.
I also have a couple I'm conducting a wedding ceremony for later this year in Barbados (trust me I will be sharing so many pictures and videos - I cant wait!!), who have asked the Mother of the Groom to write a reading about love & relationships.
Other Ways to Use Your Guests Words About Love & Marriage ...
If you like the idea of collating responses in your RSVP's - Why not display your guests' answers at your reception? Frame them alongside your favourite photographs, create a memory board, add them to your guestbook, or display them along the aisle for guests to read before the ceremony begins. They become another lasting reminder of all the love that surrounded you on your wedding day.
My Final Tip...
Avoid choosing a reading just because it's popular - choose one because, when you hear it, you look at each other and think..."That's totally us." Those are always the best readings by far.
As your celebrant, I'll help you find readings that reflect your personalities, your journey and the life you're building together. Whether you want something deeply romantic, wonderfully quirky or laugh-out-loud funny, we'll create a ceremony that feels completely authentic to you.
If you're still searching for the perfect reading, remember to explore my Wedding Readings page here on the website (coming very soon!), where I'm building a growing collection of my favourite readings. You'll also find videos of me reading many of them over on my TikTok, Instagram and Facebook, so you can hear exactly how they will sound in a real ceremony.
I'd love to know which readings you fall in love with - or if you've discovered a hidden gem yourself, let me know!
Whether you're planning your wedding in Teesside, North Yorkshire, County Durham or anywhere across the North East, I'd love to help you create a ceremony that feels completely YOU!
Comments