Wedding ceremony readings for couples of all genders, colour, race & class make us want to happy cry (not ugly cry), laugh and shed tears of joy. Marriage vows can be funny, hilarious, full of humor and heartfelt. Your personal expression of your feelings for your partner is emotional yet scary.

Touching words convey endearment and make us cry or laugh. Perhaps you are planning an inclusive wedding with same-sex, mixed-race and gender-neutral friends. Finding wedding ceremony readings can be daunting. And the right words to highlight the importance of what your spouse truly means to you is stressful. Honestly, you and I both know that being a unique couple requires unique sayings about love and harmony.

So, don’t feel pressured. There’s no difference between us, the fundamental feeling is universal love, undiscriminating. It embraces every gender, colour, class and race. Here are some meaningful wedding readings to make unique couples weep. More importantly, you’ll have an inclusive wedding for you and your guests. Oh yes, and don’t forget to grab a few tissues…

Wedding Ceremony Readings

Sweet, romantic and heartfelt marriage vows and promises complete every couples’ nuptials. –  Andaz Prinsengracht Amsterdam Hotel

MEN’S VOWS

Men’s Vows support men who marry. Discover real gay wedding stories and advice about composing your hopes and desires for your gay marriage. You’ll find engagement ideas & much more.

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.
It is remembering to say “I love you” at least once each day,
It’s never going to sleep angry.
It is having a mutual sense of values and objectives.
It’s standing together and facing the world.
It is forming a circle of love that gathers in the whole family.
It’s speaking words of appreciation and demonstrating gratitude in thoughtful ways.
It is having the capacity to forgive and forget.
It’s giving each other an atmosphere in which each person can grow.
It is a common search for the good and the beautiful.
It’s not only marrying the right person
It is being the right partner.

REAL WEDDING QUOTES | LESBIAN WEDDING VOWS

You’ve made history. The catalyst for change in the mainstream wedding industry has begun! Source: Purelovequotes.com Same sex wedding at Willowdale Estate (Topsfield, MA) ©2013 CoCo Boardman/Krista Photography www.kristaphoto.com

In addition, lesbian wedding vows have a selection of promises and inspiration for you to pour your heart out. Make writing an extra special statement of love easier with their wedding readings ideas. And create the most happiest time in your life. 

True Friendship – Judy Bielicki

It is often said that it is love that makes the world go round. However, without doubt,
it is friendship which keeps our spinning existence on an even keel.
True friendship provides so many of the essentials for a happy life — it is the
foundation on which to build an enduring relationship, it is the mortar which bonds us
together in harmony, and it is the calm, warm protection we sometimes need when
the world outside seems cold and chaotic.

True friendship holds a mirror to our foibles and failings, without destroying our sense
of worthiness. True friendship nurtures our hopes, supports us in our
disappointments, and encourages us to grow to our best potential.
Bride and bride 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.

OPPOSITE SEX COUPLES VOWS 

Feeling stressed about most important contribution to your wedding ceremony? Looking for an extra special touch to get your message across? Let’s face it, planning your personal vows is challenging. Yet, it doesn’t have to be.

Additionally, Offbeat bride gives you the opportunity to get creative with your sincere promises of love. The alternative readings are more fun, exciting and personal than the traditional marriage vows.

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 understand each other. And to understand is to love.

WEDDING CEREMONY READINGS – II

NON-BINARY WEDDING READINGS

Love is contagious regardless of race or ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion, faith and nationality. Each couple comes along with secrets of surprise and the force of love was far too strong because they see it in one another’s eyes! image credit #weddingdaywinners

Furthermore, the above readings from Hitched.co.uk are beautiful. Replace the male and female wording with gender nonspecific words to create a gender-fluid wedding reading.

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,
give your body to it, give your laugh to it,
give, 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.

AFRICAN AMERICAN READINGS

It’s a defining moment for the world because the lack of diversity is being bridged.  image credit: pexels.com@jasminecarter

So, whatever your ethnic identity is Knot.com has great words from African American authors to inspire you. These meaningful poems and readings express your commitment to each other.

“You Came Too” By Nikki Giovanni

I came to the crowd seeking friends
Yes, I came to the crowd seeking love
I came to the crowd for understanding.

And I found you.

I came to the crowd to weep
Yes, I came to the crowd to laugh.

You dried my tears
And you shared my happiness.

I went from the crowd seeking you
And I went from the crowd seeking me
I went from the crowd forever

MIXED RACE COUPLES VOWS 

Wedding readings and declaration of love sayings, intensify your personal vows before the exchanging of rings and first kiss. image credit: kristaphoto.com

Alternatively, Maya Angelou’s best marriage vows can help you celebrate your wedding. Use a magical reading from one of America’s most celebrated poets and authors.

“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.

WEDDING CEREMONY READINGS – III

CROSS-CULTURAL FUSION WEDDING WORDS

Map out a meaningful, momentous and bold statement of love. And remember all lives matter and so does yours! Photo by RODNAE Productions from Pexels

Another thing, you decide which aspects and elements of your cross-racial relationship you wish to share with family & friends. So, let www.panmacmillan.com sayings help you merge your love and two families together.

Yes, I’ll Marry You – Pam Ayres

This funny wedding reading has become a bit of a classic – and for good reason! It perfectly sums up most modern relationships.

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
And it’s creepy and it’s late,
I 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
and put up curtain track,
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, I do, I do!

NON-RELIGIOUS CISGENDER COUPLES VOWS

same-sex marriage two grooms dressed in grey checkered suits cutting wedding cake Krista Photography www.kristaphoto.com

So, whatever your belief system, I’m sure you’ll like www.weddingsecret.co.uk, they have a wide range of irresistible non-religious wedding readings, poems and quotes.

“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, every 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…

WEDDING CEREMONY READINGS – IV

REAL WEDDING QUOTES

Second to last, here are 50 kickass quotes about gay marriage. Perhaps they’ll inspire you to create your own unique alternative wedding readings.

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

HUMANIST WEDDING READINGS

Finally, tap on the link above. And find five romantic poems for your wedding ceremony reading. Choose one that reflects your personal love story.

On Your Wedding Day (Anon)

Today 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

WEDDING CEREMONY READINGS – V

Special poems centred around same-sex couples express the love felt by partner in a non-patriarchal way. image credit: www.kristaphoto.com

GENDER NEUTRAL WEDDING READINGS

Special people like you have revolutionised and diversified the significance of marriage. So, why not create something to mirror your journey.

I choose you to be my partner in life

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

QUEER LOVE POEMS

LGBTQ love poetry by and for gay men, lesbians, and the queer community. So, pick one of  their provocative, irresistible and spicy wedding ceremony readings. 

A Poem of Love in Eleven Lines by Gerrit Lansing

Dreamer of purified fury and fabulous habit,

your eyes of deserted white afternoons

target, stiffen, riot with unicorn candor

so I swallow your body like meanings or whisky or as you swallow me.

Break rhythm here:      your kiss is my justice:

look then now how orange blooms of jubilation unfold in satisfied air!

This sex is more than sex, under the will of the God of sex,

so I softly invoke transformation of your rueful image of haven

–those frozen rocks, that guilty lighthouse isolate from temptation–

to warm Flemish landscape green and bright-eyed with daisies of

dizzying color

where pilgrims are dancing after gospelling bird who sing of

new springs, good water.

‘I like you a lot – Extract from Your Personal Penguin by Sandra Boynton

‘I like you a lot. You’re funny and kind.

So let me explain what I have in mind.

I’m here for you, I want to be Your Personal Penguin.

Let me walk right by your side.

I want to be Your Personal Penguin. I want to travel with you far and wide.’

All races and genders have the freedom to plan a wedding authentically their own. image courtesy Tammy Mosley

“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.

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