Hello! It’s another day, and with it comes another wedding. I officially dedicate Thursdays to writing my ceremonies, and I often revisit them throughout the week, sometimes even on weekends. During my writing sessions, I reflect on the non-religious wedding readings and poems selected by the couple.
Here’s a little secret: many of my couples have admitted that finding the perfect reading is challenging. It shouldn’t be an afterthought, cheesy or a filler. Instead, it should be meaningful, change energy, and add humour, romance, wisdom, or reflection. The aim is to make guests giggle, swoon, and share in the emotions of the moment.
In my opinion as an officiant, a reading must enhance the ceremony emotionally, rather than serve as a dull distraction. Additionally, it’s a fantastic way to involve loved ones in the proceedings. From heartfelt odes and personal anecdotes to LGBTQ quotes and amusing vows, let these non-religious wedding readings and poems serve as your inspiration. They certainly inspire me!
Wedding Readings and Poems
Powerful wedding poems and readings and wedding wishes respect the diversity of modern life. Andaz Prinsengracht Amsterdam Hotel
1. Fun LGBTQ+ Wedding Readings
“I promise to make you a bacon sandwich when you’re hungover.”
And I promise to never watch the next episode on Netflix without you, no matter how much I want to.
I Will not forget to wash up when you cook dinner.
I promise to let you know when you’re making a slight error in fashion judgement.”
Non-traditional vows. Exchange wedding wishes, quotes, sayings and jokes. 10 cheese-free wedding readings. Raise an eyebrow and spark your partner’s and guests’ interest. Hans & Eric
2. Men’s LGBTQ+ – non-religious wedding readings
The Art of Marriage – Wilfred A Peterson
A good marriage must be created.
In the marriage, the little things are the big things.
It’s never being too old to hold hands.
Just remembering to say “I love you” at least once each day,
It’s never going to sleep angry.
But having a mutual sense of values and objectives.
It’s standing together and facing the world.
And forming a circle of love that gathers in the whole family.
It’s speaking words of appreciation and demonstrating gratitude in thoughtful ways.
And having the capacity to forgive and forget.
Give each other space in which each person can grow.
It’s not only marrying the right person, you are the right partner.
Opt for a wedding without saying vows: Share your feelings with powerful LGBTQ+ wedding readings, love quotes, and wedding wishes. pexels -brianna-swank-bbm
3. Lesbian Wedding Quotes & Non-Religious Vows
True Friendship part I– Judy Bielicki
It is often said that love makes the world go round. However, without doubt, true friendship keeps our spinning existence on an even keel. Providing so many of the essentials for a happy life — it is the foundation on which to build an enduring relationship, and it is the mortar which links us together in harmony. Love is the calm, warm protection we sometimes need when the world outside seems cold and chaotic.
True Friendship part II – Judy Bielicki
True friendship holds a mirror to our foibles and failings, without destroying our sense of worthiness. They nurture our hopes, support us in our disappointments, and encourages us to grow to our best potential.
Strangers who came together as friends. Today, they pledge to each other not only their love, but also the strength, warmth and, most importantly, the fun of true friendship.
Wedding wishes deep rooted in love.
4. Wedding Ceremony Readings for Straight Couples
Quote from William Butler Yeats
I think a man and woman should choose each other for life, for the simple reason that a long life, with all its accidents, is barely enough time for a man and woman to truly understand each other. And to understand is to love.
“You know you’re in love when you can’t fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams.”
A Dedication to my Wife by T S Eliot
To whom I owe the leaping delight
That quickens my senses in our waking time
And the rhythm that governs the repose of our sleeping time,
The breathing in unison.
Of lovers whose bodies smell of each other
Who think the same thoughts without need of speech
And babble the same speech without need of meaning.
No peevish winter wind shall chill
Or sullen tropic sun shall wither
The roses in the rose-garden which is ours and ours only
Wedding wishes and poems for LGBTQ+ wedding without saying vows – love is contagious whatever race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion, faith and nationality. #weddingdaywinners
5. Wedding wishes, blessings & readings
Extract from Admonitions to a Special Person by Anne Sexton
Love? Be it someone.
It must be a wave you want to glide in on,
Let your body feel it, give your laugh to it,
When the gravelly sand takes you,
your tears to the land. To love another is something
like prayer and can’t be planned, you just fall
into its arms because your belief undoes your disbelief.
Wedding wishes and poems for ceremonies without personal vows. “When love and skill work together, expect a masterpiece – John Ruskin” Suits by The Drop
6. African American Poems for non-religious wedding readings
“You Came Too” By Nikki Giovanni
I came to the crowd seeking friends
Yes, I was looking in the crowd seeking love
I came to the crowd for understanding.
And I found you.
I came to the crowd to weep
Yes, yet the crowd made me laugh.
You dried my tears
And you shared my happiness.
I went from the crowd seeking you
And within the crowd I was seeking me
I went from the crowd forever
Gender-Neutral Wedding wishes, blessings & LGBTQIA+ wedding readings intensify your vows – Shall I Compare thee to a summer’s day – Shakespeare! The Drop – custom suits made to measure!
7. Wedding Wishes for non-traditional vows
“Love” by Roy Croft
I love you
Not only for what you are,
But for what I am
When I am with you.
I love you,
Not only for what
You have made of yourself,
But for what
You are making of me.
I love you
For the part of me
That you bring out;
I love you
For putting your hand
Into my heaped-up heart
And passing over
All the foolish, weak things
That you can’t help
Dimly seeing there,
And for drawing out
Into the light
All the beautiful belongings
That no one else had looked
Quite far enough to find.
8. Wedding wishes by Maya Angelou
Touched by an Angel – Maya Angelou
We, unaccustomed to courage
exiles from delight
live coiled in shells of loneliness
until love leaves its high holy temple
and comes into our sight
to liberate us into life.
Love arrives
and in its train come ecstasies
old memories of pleasure
ancient histories of pain.
Yet if we are bold,
love strikes away the chains of fear
from our souls.
We are weaned from our timidity
In the flush of love’s light
we dare be brave
And suddenly we see
that love costs all we are
and will ever be.
Yet it is only unconditional love & kindness
which sets us free.
Powerful wedding readings unique sayings about love, loyalty and harmony. RODNAE Productions – Pexels
9. Wedding Wishes for Vows
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Yes, I’ll Marry You – Pam Ayres
It’s you – so, yes, I’ll marry you, my dear,
And here’s the reason why;
So I can push you out of bed
When the baby starts to cry,
And if we hear a knocking
When it’s creepy and it’s late,
I’ll hand you the torch, you see,
And you investigate.
Yes I’ll marry you, my dear,
You may not apprehend it,
But when the tumble-drier goes
It’s you that has to mend it,
You have to face the neighbour
Should our labrador attack him,
And if a drunkard fondles me
It’s you that has to whack him.
Yes, I’ll marry you,
You’re virile and you’re lean,
My house is like a pigsty
You can help to keep it clean.
That sexy little dinner
Which you served by candlelight,
As I do chipolatas,
You can cook it every night!
It’s you who has to work the drill
Put up curtain track & rail,
And when I’ve got PMT it’s you who gets the flak,
I do see great advantages,
But none of them for you,
And so before you see the light,
I do, yes – please, and some more I do!
Powerful Gender-neutral wedding blessings – “Walking hand in hand is where I want to be forever.” Krista Photography
10. Non-religious wedding readings for cisgender couples
“I will love you forever; whatever happens. Till I die and after I die, and when I find my way out of the land of the dead, I’ll drift about forever, all my atoms, till I find you again… I’ll be looking for you, every moment, single moment. And when we do find each other again, we’ll cling together so tight that nothing and no one will ever tear us apart. Every atom of me and every atom of you…
11. Romantic wedding readings
Sooner or later we begin to understand that love is more than verses on valentines, and romance in the movies. We begin to know that love is here and now, real and true, the most important thing in our lives. For love is the creator of our favorite memories, and the foundation of our fondest dreams. Love is a promise that is always kept, a fortune that can never be spent, a seed that can flourish in even the most unlikely of places. And this radiance that never fades, this mysterious and magical joy, is the greatest treasure of all — one known only by those who love.
Gender-Neutral wedding love poems & marriage readings for gender-neutral wedding blessings! michielstock_photography
12. Kickass Gay Wedding Ceremony Quotes
Imagine finding someone you love more than anything in the world, who you would risk your life for but couldn’t marry. And you couldn’t have that special day the way your friends do—you know, wear the ring on your finger and have it mean the same thing as everybody else. Just put yourself in that person’s shoes. It makes me feel sick to my stomach.
—Miley Cyrus
13. Mixed-faith & Secular Marriage Readings
On Your Wedding Day (Anon)
This day is a day you will always remember
The greatest in anyone’s life
You’ll start off the day just two people in love
And end it as Husband and Wife
It’s a brand new beginning the start of a journey
With moments to cherish and treasure
And although there’ll be times when you both disagree
These will surely be outweighed by pleasure
You’ll have heard many words of advice in the past
When the secrets of marriage were spoken
But you know that the answers lie hidden inside
Where the bond of true love lies unbroken
So live happy forever as lovers and friends
It’s
the dawn of a new life for you
As you stand there together with love in your eyes
From the moment you whisper ‘I do’
And with luck, all your hopes, and your dreams can be real
May success find its way to your hearts
Tomorrow can bring you the greatest of joys
But today is the day it all starts
Powerful wedding readings & love poems express how many couples feel for each other. ©Michelle Piergoelam | Vosse-entertainment.nl
14. Wedding wishes for your partner
I choose you to be my spouse, my partner in life.
And I promise you my unconditional love,
my fullest devotion, my most tender care.
Through the pressures of the present
and the uncertainties of the future,
I promise to love you, honor, respect
and cherish you all the days of our lives
You are everything I need
And at this moment I feel that all of
my prayers have been answered.
I know that our love is heaven sent
and I promise to be here forever and always
I pledge to respect your unique talents and abilities,
to lend you strength to reach your dreams
I promise to take care of you, to encourage and inspire you,
asking that you be no other than yourself
15. Queer wedding ceremony readings
Make our dreams come true by Joeri
I am proud of you and all what you do.
There is no mountain high enough to keep me from you.
Or river wide enough to stop me loving you.
Together we can make our dreams come true.
Powerful LGBTQ+ wedding love poems & marriage readings for your ceremony weddings without saying vows
16. I will follow you by Valeria
I will follow you until the end of time.
To follow you in rhythm and rhyme I do not mind
I will dance a slow tango with you.
To make sure that you never feel blue.
17. Non-traditional marriage sample readings
“The Vow,” by Roger McGough
I vow to honour the commitment made this day
Which, unlike the flowers and the cake,
Will not wither or decay. A promise, not to obey
But to respond joyfully, to forgive and to console,
For once incomplete, we now are whole.
I vow to bear in mind that if, at times
Things seem to go from bad to worse,
They also go from bad to better.
The lost purse is handed in, the letter
Contains wonderful news. Trains run on time,
Hurricanes run out of breath, floods subside,
And toast lands jam-side up.
But with this ring, my final vow:
To recall, whatever the future may bring,
The love I feel for you now.
18. Funny wedding ceremony readings for vows
Falling In Love Is Like Owning A dog by Taylor Mali
Falling in love is like owning a dog
First of all, it’s a big responsibility, especially in a city like [insert city].
So think long and hard before deciding on love.
On the other hand, love gives you a sense of security: when you’re walking down the street late at night and you have a leash on love ‘ain’t no one going to mess with you.
Because crooks and muggers think love is unpredictable. Who knows what love could do in its own defense?
On cold winter nights, love is warm. It lies between you and lives and breathes and makes funny noises. Read more – www.rockmywedding.co.uk
19. I’d Rather Rise in Love With You – Jana Lynne Umipig
Don’t whisper sweet nothings in my ears
I’d rather be confronted by the savory somethings
That truths communicated – in fullness and compassion bring
Don’t want long gazes or to get lost in your eyes
I ‘d rather have our eyes brave exploration,
Discovering every part of each other from curve to line –
Wrinkles, tints and shades
Every scar and marking that our livings have made…
20. Non-religious wedding readings for all couples
Today is our wedding day we will always remember. The greatest in our lives.
We started the day just two people in love. And end it as partners for life.
It’s a brand new beginning, the start of a journey with moments to cherish and treasure.
And although there’ll be times when we both disagree, these will surely be outweighed by pleasure.
We have heard many words of advice in the past, when the secrets of marriage were spoken.
But we know that the answers lie hidden inside where the bond of true love lies unbroken.
So lets live happy forever as lovers and friends, it’s the dawn of a new life for us.
As we stand here together with love in our eyes, from the moment we whisper “I do”.
And with luck, all our hopes, our dreams can be real, may success find its way to our hearts.
Tomorrow can bring us the greatest of joys but today is the day it all starts.
Marry Your Best Friend – Jitske & Will – ByFrisoBoven
21. LGBTQ+ Wedding readings for vows
We, the best family and friends on the planet, Swear to party for 2 of the most incredible people of all time.
We promise there will be dynamite dance moves. Drinking and cheering
And making of memories until this day forward forever
22. Non-religious wedding readings of love and confirmation
The Confirmation
Yes, yours, my love, is the right human face.
I in my mind had waited for this long,
Seeing the false and searching for the true.
Then found you as a traveller finds a place
Of welcome suddenly amid the wrong.
Valleys and rocks and twisting roads. But you,
What shall I call you? A fountain in a waste,
A well of water in a country dry.
Or anything that’s honest and good, an eye.
That makes the whole world seem bright. Your open heart,
Simple with giving, gives the primal deed,
The first good world, a blossom, the blowing seed,
A hearth, the steadfast land, the wandering sea.
Not beautiful or rare in every part.
But like yourself, as they were meant to be.
23. LGBTQ+ wedding poem for confirmation of vows
Your lips are lovely by which by Joe Dunthorne
Your lips are lovely by which I mean love me.
By which I mean babies, b
ig ones.
Let’s have ones that laugh although they cannot walk
By which I mean one a month, I think I’m finally ready.
24. Wedding Poems and Readings for Vows
Maybe by Unknown
Maybe we are supposed to meet the wrong people before we meet the right one. So when they finally arrive we are truly grateful for the gift we have been given.
It’s true that we don’t know what we have lost until we lose it. But it is also true that we don’t know what we’re missing until it arrives.
Maybe the happiest of people don’t have the best of everything. But make the best of everything that comes their way.
The best kind of love is the kind where you sit on the sofa together. Not saying a word, and walk away feeling like it was the best conversation you ever had.
Maybe once in a lifetime, you find someone who not only touches your heart but also your soul. Someone who loves you for who you are and not what you could be.
Maybe the art of true love is not about finding the perfect person. But about seeing an imperfect person perfectly.
© 2018, Ada Limón
From: The Carrying
Publisher: Milkweed Editions,
25. Wedding Readings for Vows
We Two Boys together clinging by Walter Whitman
We two boys together clinging, One the other never leaving.
Up and down the roads going—North and South, excursions making.
Power enjoying—elbows stretching, fingers clutch-ing.
Armed and fearless—eating, drinking, sleeping, loving.
No law less than ourselves owning—sailing, soldier-ing.
thieving, threatening…
26. Non-religious Wedding Readings by Black & Brown Poets
Extract from ‘Open Water’ by Caleb Azumah Nelson
You know that to love is both to swim and to drown. You know, to love is to be a whole, partial, a joint, a fracture, a heart, a bone. It is to bleed and heal. The world, honest. It is to place someone next to your beating heart. In the absolute darkness of your inner, and trust they will hold you close. To love is to trust; to trust is to have faith. How else are you meant to love?
128 Wedding Wishes & Quotes for Wedding Vows
“Love recognizes no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of hope.” – Maya Angelou
“Marriage is the golden ring in a chain whose beginning is a glance and whose ending is Eternity.” – Kahlil Gibran
As a bride or groom, are you missing that final touch: a romantic, fun or non-traditional reading or poem? Do you prefer an elaborate, long reading, or something shorter and more concise? There are many readings available to complement your wedding.
While you’re here…
Please leave your thoughts about non-religious wedding readings and poems. Are you looking for Gender-Neutral, LGBTQ+ or straight wedding sayings? Let me know – leave a comment below.
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