Unique Wedding Readings:
How to Choose a Reading that Feels Right
Choosing the perfect wedding reading takes more than a quick Google search. Here’s how to find the right words for your ceremony.
As an experienced wedding celebrant, I speak with lots couples every week about their ceremony’s. A topic that almost always comes up in our conversations is wedding readings, and more specifically, how to make theirs feel unique. Often when couples spend many hours Googling away, looking for readings they think could work, but without really having any sense of direction.
Thanks to the internet, we now have a wealth of information at our fingertips. And for couples planning their wedding, this can be a blessing, but also and a curse. Because there’s just so much advice, tips and info out there!
Which, can sometimes be a little overwhelming. Looking for unique wedding readings is the perfect example. You’ll have found already, I’m sure, so many sites all offering up their top 10, top 50, top 1000 wedding readings! Each with their own spin. Be it non-religious, modern, romantic etc.
These ‘best of’ lists are great, and can be a useful resource. But to really find wedding readings that feel unique to you, it takes a bit of work. That’s right. It’s time to roll your sleeves up, and carry out some research of your own
How to Find Wedding Readings that Feel Unique
In this post, I’ll share my advice as a professional wedding celebrant in Buckinghamshire, on how you can find unique readings for your ceremony.
What Are Your Cultural Interests?
When chatting with my couples about their wedding readings, I always say to my couples, think about what interests you both? Are you film buffs, die-hard romantics or maybe musical theatre aficionados? Use what you love to influence the feel of your ceremony.
Remember, it doesn’t just have to be a reading, in the traditional sense. It could be song lyrics that mean something to you, or to you both as a couple. Or perhaps there are some lines from your favourite TV show that have forever stuck in your head, and you feel they would suit the moment?
Maybe you’re a Trekkie, Star Wars or Game of Thrones fan? Well, why not find something from one of those shows that work for the occasion. Although, maybe steer clear of reading anything in Klingon, or Valyrian, unless your guests also speak the language!
Be Inspired By Your Childhood
If you’re anything like me, you’re just as happy watching The Lion King, or Snow White, as you are the latest blockbuster. And that’s because those classic children’s stories still hit the spot, even when you’re all grown up. Finding wedding readings from your childhood is a
wonderful way to discover something unique, and will probably stir something childlike in your loved ones too. The Little Prince, Peter Rabbit and Winnie the Pooh all have such lovely verses, and each would make beautiful additions to any modern wedding ceremony.
How About Writing Your Own Wedding Reading
If you like to write, and want a truly unique wedding reading, then why not write your own! As a wedding celebrant, it is always so joyful when my couples share something that comes straight from the heart. Words they’ve conjured up themselves that mean the world to them and their partner. Nothing could be more unique and personal.
However, writing is not a skill we all possess. And if you lack confidence in it, or just don’t feel you could come up with a whole reading yourself, don’t panic. Why not edit something that already exists? Taking some great lines from literature, or modern culture, and shaping them to suit your style is a skill in itself. But thankfully you don’t have to start with a blank page, so for me, that’s a lot less daunting!
Feel Free to Be Funny
A wedding reading can be as serious, or as light-hearted as you want. If you feel the ceremony should be broken up with a few laughs, and that reflects your personalty, then go
for it! A funny poem, song, or rhyme can be such a fun thing to include. As long as you remember that this is your wedding ceremony, and not an audition for the Comedy Store!
Before the big day, share your comedy ideas with your partner, and wedding celebrant, and together you’ll be able to strike a balance.
Involve Your Loved Ones in the Ceremony
During the wedding ceremony, you’re welcome to hand over the responsibility of delivering a unique reading to a loved one/s. To ask someone to give a reading during a ceremony is such an honour. And if you have a special someone in your life who you just can’t imagine getting married without, then don’t hold back in getting them involved!
Depending on how trusting you are of them, you could even ask them to choose a reading for you. This is such a sweet way to bring loved ones into the occasion, and ideal if you’d rather it was just yourself and your partner speaking during the ceremony.
This is Your Unique Wedding Reading
You should never feel pressured to select a reading just because a family member had it at their wedding maybe 30 years ago, and they’d love to hear it again. This is your wedding ceremony, and the readings you pick should be unique, and memorable because you
decided on them yourselves.
If a certain poem, story, or stanza from a loved ones’ wedding does feel fitting for your ceremony, then by all means, include it. But throughout your wedding planning journey, you should always steer clear of anyone who wants, or demands, that your big day be about anything less than 100% you.
Let your wedding readings reflect how unique and wonderful you are as a couple. And right now, don’t stress about top ten lists, you will find the perfect prose for you both. It just takes a little thought.
Would You Like Further Help in Finding The Right Wedding Reading For You?
I do hope this post has help guide your search for unique wedding readings, and maybe inspired you to find those perfect few lines. It would be a pleasure to help you further, and actually be your celebrant! I’m fortunate enough to have been a wedding celebrant in Buckinghamshire and surrounding counties for many years now creating beautiful, personal ceremony moments for countless couples across the UK.
Weaving together your love story with, readings, music, and if you wish rituals such as hand fasting or unity candles. I will create a ceremony that’ll set the stage for the next chapter in
your life together. You’re welcome to find out more about what’s included in my wedding services, and also how much if cost via my ceremony fees page, and if you have any questions, would like to book an initial chat or me as your celebrant, please get in touch.
Nicola West, Celebrant