Ceremony Readings · 69 readings
Non-Religious Wedding Readings
Non-religious wedding readings for civil, secular and humanist ceremonies — poetry, prose and philosophy, printed in full with a note on each.
A civil or secular ceremony is not a lesser occasion, and it deserves readings with as much weight as scripture. Poets have been writing about marriage for as long as priests have: Shakespeare on love that does not alter, Kahlil Gibran on the spaces in togetherness, Plato on finding your other half, Mark Twain on Eden. None of them needs a church.
Everything here is free of scripture and suitable for a register office, a courthouse, a humanist celebrant or a friend officiating. Many civil registrars in Britain and some US officiants ask to see readings in advance to confirm they have no religious content; these will pass. For guidance on who can marry you, see having a friend officiate.