Many classic wedding readings assume a bride and a groom. The wording is easy to change, but a reading that already fits the two of you feels better in the room. If you are two brides or two grooms, the readings below speak to both partners equally, and none of them needs editing.
The first four were written for this page and are free to use. Below them are public domain classics that already read as gender neutral, plus a few notes for planning the ceremony.
Quick guide: all 8 readings by speaking time. Tap a column heading to sort.
| # | Reading | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Two Of A Kind | 20 sec |
| 2 | The Vow We Chose | 25 sec |
| 3 | Home In Each Other | 20 sec |
| 4 | Love Made Visible | 25 sec |
| 5 | Sonnet 116 by William Shakespeare, opening lines | 25 sec |
| 6 | Ruth 1:16-17, King James Version | 30 sec |
| 7 | Song of Solomon 8:6-7, King James Version | 25 sec |
| 8 | Ecclesiastes 4:12, King James Version | 10 sec |
Four Original Readings For Any Couple
Two Of A Kind (about 30 seconds)
Some people spend their lives looking for someone who understands them without being told. Today two people stand here who found exactly that.
Love is not a rule book. It is two people deciding to be on each other's side, every day, for good.
The Vow We Chose (about 35 seconds)
Nobody handed you a script for this day, so you wrote your own. You chose the vows, the music and the people in the room.
That is what a marriage is, too. Not something you inherit, but something you build on purpose, with the person who makes everything else make sense.
Home In Each Other (about 25 seconds)
Home is wherever the two of you are, whether it is a tiny apartment, a house with a porch or a car with the windows down.
May you always find each other at the end of the day, and be glad when you do.
Love Made Visible (about 35 seconds)
Today your love is seen in front of the people who matter most to you. They are here to witness it, to cheer for it and to carry it with you when you leave.
May the love they see today be the love you keep, in the quiet years as well as the loud ones.
Public Domain Classics That Need No Editing
Sonnet 116 by William Shakespeare, opening lines
Let me not to the marriage of true minds
Admit impediments. Love is not love
Which alters when it alteration finds,
Or bends with the remover to remove:
O no! it is an ever-fixed mark
That looks on tempests and is never shaken;
The poem uses no pronouns for the couple, which makes it a natural fit.
Ruth 1:16-17, King James Version
Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God.
This is a promise between two women, Ruth and her mother-in-law Naomi. Many couples choose it for its language of loyalty. It works for two brides, two grooms or any couple.
Song of Solomon 8:6-7, King James Version
Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave: the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame.
Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it.
Ecclesiastes 4:12, King James Version
And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
Planning Notes For Your Ceremony
- Choose your words. Decide what you want to be called: spouses, partners, wives, husbands. Tell your officiant, and ask them to practice it.
- Check any readings you edit. Swap "bride and groom" for "you" or the names, and read the finished text aloud to be sure it flows.
- Pick your processional. You can each walk in alone, with a parent, with both parents, or together. There is no wrong choice.
- Ask a friend or relative to read. A reading is a way to include someone who loves you both.
- Make sure your officiant is comfortable. Meet them first and listen to how they speak about the two of you. If they hesitate, find someone else.
- For a religious ceremony, ask the congregation or the clergy early. Some welcome the ceremony and some do not, and it is easier to know in advance.
For more options, our short wedding readings, non-religious readings and readings from movies and TV all work for any couple.
Questions About Readings For Two Brides Or Two Grooms
Can we use traditional readings?
Yes. Many traditional readings use no pronouns for the couple, or can be changed by swapping a word or two. Read the final text aloud, and make sure the wording feels natural for both of you.
What should the officiant call us?
Whatever you choose. Many couples use "spouses" or "partners in marriage". Others use "wives" or "husbands". Tell the officiant your preference, and read the script together ahead of time.
Who should read at our ceremony?
Someone who loves you both and who will be calm on the day. A close friend, sibling or parent is a good choice. Share the exact words ahead of time, and let them practice aloud.
Do we need a reading at all?
No, but a reading gives the ceremony a voice besides your own. One short reading, placed before your vows, is a good balance.