25 Timeless Wedding Readings

Romance, Ritual & Readings: 25 Timeless Wedding Readings FOR YOUR WEDDING

Romance sets the feeling. Ritual gives it meaning. Wedding readings give it a voice.
The right reading doesn’t just fill a moment in your ceremony — it defines it. It’s the pause that draws everyone in, the words that linger long after the vows are spoken.

Whether you’re planning a timeless church wedding, a modern civil ceremony, or something entirely your own, the readings you choose should reflect not just how you feel, but who you are. From poetic and traditional to contemporary and heartfelt, the right words elevate the ceremony from beautiful to unforgettable.

Below, you’ll find 25 carefully chosen wedding reading ideas, complete with actual reading text, guidance on when each works best, and inspiration to help you choose readings that resonate — with you, your guests, and the moment itself.

Wedding Readings: Beautiful Words for a Meaningful Ceremony

Choosing the right wedding readings can transform your ceremony into a deeply personal and emotional experience. Whether you’re planning a traditional wedding, a modern civil ceremony, or something entirely unique, the right words can perfectly reflect your love story.

Below, you’ll find a carefully curated collection of popular wedding readings, complete with actual reading text, ideas on when to use them, and guidance on choosing the perfect one for your ceremony.

Why Wedding Readings Matter

Wedding readings:

Add emotion and personality to your ceremony
Involve family and friends in a meaningful way
Reflect your values, beliefs, and relationships
Create memorable moments for guests (and on film)

As wedding filmmakers, we see first-hand how powerful the right words can be — they often become the most replayed moments in a wedding film.

Classic & Timeless Wedding Readings

1. 1 Corinthians 13:4–8 (The Bible )

A traditional and widely loved wedding reading

“Love is patient, love is kind.
It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
It does not dishonour others, it is not self-seeking,
it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”

Perfect for: Church weddings or couples wanting a traditional ceremony.

2. Sonnet 116 – William Shakespeare

A timeless poem about unwavering love

“Let me not to the marriage of true minds
Admit impediment. Love is not love
Which alters when it alteration finds,
Or bends with the remover to remove:
O no! it is an ever-fixed mark
That looks on tempests and is never shaken.”

Perfect for: Elegant, literary, or classic ceremonies.

Romantic & Literary Wedding Readings

3. From a Letter by Jane Austen

Romantic, heartfelt, and beautifully written

“I cannot determine what to say about my feelings,
but they are so strong that I feel quite overpowered.
I love you more than I can express,
more than words can describe.”

Perfect for: Romantic and intimate weddings.

4. Excerpt Inspired by The Amber Spyglass – Philip Pullman

“I will love you forever, whatever happens.
Till I die, and if there’s a life after that,
I’ll love you then.”

Perfect for: Modern couples who love storytelling and symbolism.

Spiritual but Non-Religious Wedding Readings

5. Apache Wedding Blessing

(Traditional wording – commonly used in ceremonies)

“Now you will feel no rain,
for each of you will be shelter for the other.
Now you will feel no cold,
for each of you will be warmth to the other.
Now there is no loneliness,
for you are two persons, but there is only one life before you.”

Perfect for: Outdoor, boho, or spiritual ceremonies.

6. An Irish Blessing

“May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
and the rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
may God hold you in the palm of His hand.”

Perfect for: Cultural, heritage-inspired, or blessing-style ceremonies.

Modern & Romantic Wedding Readings

7. “i carry your heart with me” – E. E. Cummings

“i carry your heart with me (i carry it in
my heart) i am never without it
(anywhere i go you go, my dear;
and whatever is done by only me is your doing, my darling)”

Perfect for: Artistic, emotional, and modern weddings.

8. The Art of Marriage – Wilferd A. Peterson

“The art of marriage is learning to stand together
and face the world.
It is forming a circle of love
that gathers the whole family.”

Perfect for: Thoughtful, reflective ceremonies.

Light-Hearted & Joyful Wedding Readings

9. From The Velveteen Rabbit – Margery Williams

“Once you are real you can’t become unreal again.
It lasts for always.”

Perfect for: Relaxed, joyful, and family-friendly weddings.

10. Union of Hands (Traditional Wedding Blessing)

A classic, ceremonial reading often used in handfasting ceremonies.

“These are the hands of your best friend,
young and strong and full of love for you,
that are holding yours on your wedding day,
as you promise to love each other today,
tomorrow, and forever.”

Best for: Traditional or symbolic ceremonies.

11. From Les Misérables – Victor Hugo

A powerful reflection on love as life’s purpose.

“To love another person is to see the face of God.”

Best for: Short, impactful readings with emotional weight.

12. Aristotle on Love & Friendship

A philosophical but deeply human reflection.

“Love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies.”

Best for: Couples who want something thoughtful and refined.

13. From Captain Corelli’s Mandolin – Louis de Bernières

A favourite modern wedding reading about lasting love.

“Love is not breathlessness, it is not excitement, it is not the promulgation of promises of eternal passion.
That is just being ‘in love’.
Love itself is what is left over when being in love has burned away.”

Best for: Mature, reflective ceremonies.

14. Neil Gaiman on Marriage

A contemporary, honest take on partnership.

“Marriage, ultimately, is the act of two people saying to one another,
‘I see who you are, and I choose you.’”

Best for: Modern, non-traditional weddings.

15. From The Prophet – Kahlil Gibran

Poetic and spiritual without being religious.

“Stand together, yet not too near together:
For the pillars of the temple stand apart,
And the oak tree and the cypress grow not in each other’s shadow.”

Best for: Artistic or spiritual ceremonies.

16. Winnie the Pooh – A. A. Milne

Gentle, nostalgic, and heartfelt.

“If you live to be a hundred,
I want to live to be a hundred minus one day,
so I never have to live without you.”

Best for: Warm, family-focused weddings.

17. From The Velveteen Rabbit – Margery Williams

A simple truth about lasting love.

“Once you are real you can’t become unreal again.
It lasts for always.”

Best for: Short readings with emotional resonance.

18. An Irish Wedding Blessing

Timeless and lyrical.

“May your days be many and your troubles be few.
May all God’s blessings descend upon you.
May peace be within you, may your hearts be strong,
May you find what you’re seeking wherever you roam.”

Best for: Cultural or heritage-inspired ceremonies.

19. From Jane Eyre – Charlotte Brontë

A declaration of equality in love.

“I am no bird; and no net ensnares me:
I am a free human being with an independent will.”

Best for: Romantic yet empowering ceremonies.

20. From Cold Mountain – Charles Frazier

Quiet, poetic, and deeply moving.

“I am changed by you.
I am forever marked by your presence in my life.”

Best for: Intimate, emotional ceremonies.

21. From The Alchemist – Paulo Coelho

A spiritual reflection on love and destiny.

“When we love, we always strive to become better than we are.
When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better too.”

Best for: Reflective, inspirational weddings.

22. From Pride and Prejudice – Jane Austen

A timeless expression of deep affection.

“You have bewitched me, body and soul, and I love, I love, I love you.”

Best for: Classic romance lovers.

23. From Shadowlands – C. S. Lewis

A profound look at love and vulnerability.

“To love at all is to be vulnerable.
Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken.”

Best for: Thoughtful, emotionally honest ceremonies.

24. Blessing for a Lifetime

A ceremonial close is often used before vows.

“May your love be modern enough to survive the times
and old-fashioned enough to last forever.”

Best for: Elegant, simple ceremonies.

25. From The Little Prince – Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

A poetic ending for a wedding ceremony.

“Love does not consist of gazing at each other,
but in looking outward together in the same direction.”

Best for: Closing readings or final reflections.

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25 Timeless Wedding Readings

Romance, Ritual & Readings: 25 Timeless Wedding Readings FOR YOUR WEDDING