Read at more weddings than any other text
The reading most guests will know. It works in church and at a secular ceremony alike.
Scripture readings for a wedding
A Christian wedding ceremony has one or two scripture readings. Pick one from the Old Testament and one from the New, or a single reading for a ceremony without a church.
First reading
Old Testament readings for a wedding
- Genesis 2: it is not good to be aloneGenesis 2:18-24The oldest wedding text in the Bible. Traditional couples pick it for 'one flesh' and the leaving of home.
- Song of Solomon 8: love is strong as deathSong of Solomon 8:6-7Fierce and poetic: love as strong as death, a flame no flood can drown. For couples who want passion, not advice.
- Ruth 1: where you go, I will goRuth 1:16-17A promise to go wherever the other goes. For secular and interfaith weddings, and couples who moved for each other.
- Ecclesiastes 4: two are better than oneEcclesiastes 4:9-12Two are better than one: plain wisdom about help, warmth and a cord of three strands. Reads well outside church too.
Second reading
New Testament readings for a wedding
- 1 John 4: let us love one another1 John 4:7-12Short and plain: love comes from God. A good pick when your reader is not used to speaking in public.
- Colossians 3: above all, put on loveColossians 3:12-17Patience, forgiveness and thanks in an ordinary week. For couples who want practical words, not just romance.
- John 15: love one another as I have loved youJohn 15:9-12Jesus' own words about love and joy. Short, warm and the natural gospel reading for a church wedding.
At a wedding the readings speak of love, faithfulness and two lives joined. Each reading here comes with a short note on what it says and when it fits, the King James text ready to print, and the length when read slowly. The wedding program shows the reference and the text in the right place in the order of service.
How the readings fit in the ceremony
In a Christian wedding ceremony the readings come after the opening prayer and before the pastor's message. A family member or friend reads them. Two readings is common: one from the Old Testament, one from the New. In a ceremony without a church one reading usually comes after the welcome, before your story or your vows, and a poem can take its place; see the poems to read at a wedding.
Readings chosen most
1 Corinthians 13, love is patient and love is kind, is read at more weddings than any other text. Genesis 2, it is not good that the man should be alone, is the Old Testament reading most pastors suggest. Ruth 1, whither thou goest I will go, fits a couple who want a vow-like reading, and Ecclesiastes 4, two are better than one, fits a ceremony without church language. Colossians 3 and 1 John 4 speak of the love that holds a marriage together. John 15, love one another as I have loved you, is the Gospel reading most pastors suggest, and Song of Solomon 8, love is strong as death, is the choice for a couple who want passion rather than advice.
The text in the program
Every reading here has the King James text, which is free to print and share in the United States. If you prefer a modern translation, you paste that text yourself and Ordofolio puts the credit line with it. Ask your pastor which translation the church uses before you print.
Put the readings in your wedding program
Choose a reading for each part. The program then shows the reference, and the King James text if you want it printed.
Frequently asked questions
How many readings are there in a wedding ceremony?
One or two. A Christian ceremony often has an Old Testament reading and a New Testament reading, or a single reading before the message. A ceremony without a church usually has one reading, which can be a poem instead of scripture.
Who reads at a wedding?
A family member or a close friend. Reading is a way to give someone a part in the ceremony who is not in the wedding party. Give each reader the text a week ahead and let them practice once in the space.
Can we print the Bible text in the program?
The King James Version is in the public domain in the United States, so Ordofolio prints it for you. Modern translations such as the NIV, ESV or NRSV are protected: you paste the text yourself, within the publisher's limits, and Ordofolio adds the credit line.
Which reading fits a ceremony without a church?
Ruth 1, whither thou goest I will go, and Ecclesiastes 4, two are better than one, are read at many ceremonies led by an officiant. Both speak of staying together without church language.