What Are Ceremony Readings? Where Can You Find Them?

Ceremony readings are pieces of prose or poetry that are read aloud during the wedding ceremony. They may be religious or secular in nature and read by close friends or family members who aren't in the wedding party.

Appropriateness. If you’re having a religious ceremony, be sure to clear your selections with your celebrant in advance, as some religions have rather firm rules about what's considered acceptable material for a reading. If your church doesn’t have strict rules or your ceremony will be nonreligious in nature, you have almost unlimited options to choose from.

Sources. If you have a favorite poet, read his or her works to find love-themed poetry -- the poetry you choose need not mention weddings. Think of the great love stories you’ve read and find passages from the books to quote. You can even tap your favorite film for touching monologues -- the more personal the passages you choose, the more meaningful the readings are going to be to you.

Readers. Choose your readers carefully. Asking soft-spoken people or those who are uncomfortable in front of a crowd may mean that the passage you chose will be lost on the audience. The reader should practice reading the passage aloud, being sure to read very slowly, and paying special attention to projecting his or her voice. The more familiar the reader is with a passage, the more powerful his or her reading will be.