By Steven Inge | Apr 22, 2022
LGBTQ Wedding Readings
Maya Angelou, American poet and civil rights activist wrote, “Love recognizes no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of hope.”
Angelou’s beautiful quote has now found its way onto the order of service at many weddings. It’ll come as no surprise that it’s proven particularly popular at LGBTQ weddings.
If your big day is on the horizon and you’re looking for something that’s personal to you both as a couple, you’ll find no shortage of meaningful words to choose from. Here are just a few of our favorite LGBTQ wedding readings.
Funny Wedding Readings
Many couples opt for light-hearted readings to keep their special day fun and entertaining.
You’ll be spoilt for choice when it comes to picking a funny wedding reading. Two of the most popular are Your Personal Penguin by Sandra Boynton and the infamous Lovely Dinosaur Story by Edward Monkton.
Your Personal Penguin by Sandra Boynton
We love the sweet sentiment of Your Personal Penguin, a wedding reading which works perfectly for LGBTQ weddings. This reading isn’t gender specific, so it’s suitable for any LGBTQ wedding, with no alterations required.
While Your Personal Penguin is quite lighthearted to begin with, it’s not wholly tongue in cheek. The poem closes with the lines, “Wherever you go, I’ll go there too - Here and there and ev’rywhere - And always with you.” What could be more romantic?
Lovely Dinosaur Story by Edward Monkton
If you’re a fan of dinosaurs (and who isn’t?!) you’ve got to check out the Lovely Dinosaur Story by Edward Monkton.
The dinosaur story follows two lovely dinosaurs, who are each concerned about what they see as flaws in their proposed partner. These include shopping too much, being a little peculiar and being uncommonly fond of things! However, the dinosaurs learn to work together and see the good in one another, before living out their days happily.
If the poem resonates with you, it’d make a great choice at your wedding ceremony. The dinosaurs are gendered in the original, but all pronouns can easily be altered to suit you both.
Romantic Wedding Readings
If you’re planning a dreamy wedding ceremony and you’re looking for a reading to reflect the gravity of the occasion, take a look at these wedding readings. Love is a Temporary Madness and The Art of a Good Marriage work really well at weddings of any style, and have both been known to have guests and newlyweds in floods of (happy) tears!
Love is a Temporary Madness by Louis de Bernieres
Love is a Temporary Madness is a famous passage written by Louis de Bernieres, author of the beautifully romantic but utterly heartbreaking Captain Corelli's Mandolin.
The passage explains what love really means to the author, explaining that it is far more than breathlessness, excitement and the promulgation of promises of eternal passion.
Louis de Bernieres concludes that “your mother and I had it, we had roots that grew towards each other underground, and when all the pretty blossom had fallen from our branches we found that we were one tree and not two.”
The Art of a Good Marriage by Wilferd Arlan Peterson
Wilferd Arlan Peterson’s famous poem The Art of a Good Marriage is ideal for LGBTQ wedding ceremonies.
As the name suggests, this poem gives practical and moving advice on how to make a marriage work. Everything Arlan Peterson recommends applies perfectly to all couples.
Some of our favorite tips provided in this poem include, “it is never being too old to hold hands,” “It is remembering to say “I love you” at least once a day,” and of course, “it is never going to sleep angry.” If that isn't great advice for a happy marriage, we don’t know what is.
Poems by Queer Poets
If you’re looking for a moving wedding reading that represents queer poets, then look no further. There’s plenty of stunning literature and poetry that has been crafted by members of the LGBTQ community, so you’ll have no trouble finding something that fits your day perfectly.
Our top suggestions on the best wedding readings from queer poets include For the Courtesan Ch’ing, by Wu Tsao and the beautiful Poem for my Love, written by June Jordan.
For the Courtesan Ch’ing by Wu Tsao
Best-known as China’s greatest ever lesbian poet, Wu Tsao is famed for her words on yearning and romance.
Wu Tsao’s poem, entitled For the Courtesan Ch’ing, is one of our favorite readings for LGBTQ weddings. This poem is wonderfully sentimental, so it’s a great choice if you’re planning a day that’s all about romance.
The verses include lines that really explain how Tsao felt about her subject. She writes, “I want to possess you completely - Your jade body - And your promised heart.” We particularly love the final lines, “My dear, let me buy a red painted boat - And carry you away.”
Poem for my Love by June Jordan
June Jordan is a well known American poet, who was celebrated for her activism during her lifetime. Jordan’s poetry centers around themes such as gender and representation, along with ideas about race and immigration.
Take a look through some of June Jordan’s most famous work and you’ll likely find a poem that resonates with you both. One of our favorite poems by June Jordan is ‘Poem for my Love’, a short and sweet, but wonderfully romantic piece that is ideal for wedding celebrations.
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