Many Church weddings will include one or more readings from the Bible and often an additional non-religious reading that both the couple and the Minister agree on.
Unlike in civil weddings, the Church wedding readings are often delivered by the officiating Minister themselves, although it is possible, and not uncommon, for the couple (again with approval from the Minister) to involve a friend or family member and ask them to deliver one or more of the readings.
Before going ahead and deciding who will deliver the Church wedding readings and what they are to say, it is a wise idea to speak to the Minister and ask about what lee-way you have. Some Minister’s will be happy for you to include both Biblical and secular readings and are open to including a wide range of poems and prose in the ceremony, others however may have much stricter viewpoint. With this in mind, it is imperative that you involve your Minister in the process asap to avoid unecessary disappointment further down the line. Once the Minister has confirmed the scope for your Church wedding readings, it is then time to choose which ones you would like to include.
There are a whole host of suitable Biblical readings available, and some of the most popular are listed below.
Colossians - Chapter 3, Verses 12-17
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1 Corinthians - Chapter 13
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Ephesians - Chapter 5, Verses 21-33
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Genesis - Chapter 1, Verses 26-28
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1 John - Chapter 4, Verses 7-12
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John - Chapter 2, Verses 1-11
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Mark - Chapter 10, Verses 6-9
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Mark - Chapter 10, Verses 13-16
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Matthew - Chapter 5, Verses 1-10
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Philippians - Chapter 4, Verses 4-9
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Song of Solomon - Chapter 2, Verses 10-13 view passage
Song of Solomon - Chapter 8, Verses 6-7
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If you are allowed to include a secular reading in your Church ceremony, there are literally hundreds out there to choose from, including popular options such as 'Yes, I'll Marry You' by Pam Ayres, Sonnet 18 (Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?) by Shakespeare and the traditional Apache Wedding Blessing. For a more complete list of your options, be sure to check out our Civil wedding readings articles.
Once you have decided upon your Church wedding readings, your penultimate task is to determine just who will be reading them. As mentioned earlier, the Minister is the most common option, but why not involve a close friend or relative? In terms of who to ask, it is entirely up to you so long as those giving a Biblical reading truly believe in what they are saying. Perhaps you have a confident and well-spoken guest attending who will be ideal for the role, or perhaps you may want a close friend (a Bridesmaid, Groomsman or pal who nearly made it into the wedding party) or maybe even a parent to be involved.
To be asked to give a reading at a ceremony is an honour, but it can also be quite a daunting experience so you shouldn’t take it for granted that your kind offer will be welcomed with open arms. A simple conversation face-to-face is the best way to make the offer and it is wise to seek a response, positive or negative, as soon as possible to allow you to finalise details with your Minister, or make alternative arrangements. Don’t force someone into doing something they are reluctant to do, but likewise don’t be upset if they turn down your request. The key is to get someone who you are happy to give the reading and who is happy to do it – and if all else fails, just remember that the Minister won’t mind helping out.
As soon as you've chosen your readings and finalised the readers, your final task is to confirm these details with your Minister prior to the wedding and get the green light from them. Once this has been done, that’s the planning of the Church wedding readings over – roll on the big day!
Recommended Reading
For those of you wanting to find out more, we've a whole host of other articles on wedding ceremonies on our site packed full of expert information and helpful advice, not to mention our online wedding directory that's filled with venue decorators, approved wedding premises, musicians, photographers and more.
For friendly tips and helpful advice take a look at our wedding ceremonies forum, or why not check out the 'related articles' and 'pages & websites you may like' below.
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