Five beautiful readings for a Midsummer Wedding Ceremony

Beautiful words, thoughtfully chosen for a ceremony that feels entirely your own.

There is something rather wonderful about a midsummer wedding.

The days are long, gardens and hedgerows are full of colour, and there is often a natural warmth and ease to the occasion before the ceremony has even begun.

As a wedding celebrant based in Dorset, I am lucky enough to create ceremonies in some beautiful corners of the South and South West, from coastal weddings in Bournemouth, Poole and the New Forest to country houses, gardens and woodland venues across Wiltshire, Somerset, Devon and Cornwall.

One of the questions couples often ask me is how to choose a wedding reading that feels meaningful without sounding too formal, overly sentimental or like something they have heard at countless other weddings.

The answer is that the right reading should sound believable when spoken aloud.

It does not need to explain your entire relationship. It might capture one part of it: the friendship beneath the romance, the way you support one another, the laughter you share or the kind of marriage you hope to build.

A reading can also give someone important to you a place within the ceremony, adding another voice and allowing the moment to breathe before you move into your vows or promises.

Here are five of my favourite readings for a midsummer wedding ceremony, combining timeless poetry, thoughtful modern writing and a little gentle humour.

1. Sonnet 116 by William Shakespeare

“Let me not to the marriage of true minds…”

Shakespeare’s Sonnet 116 may be one of the best-known pieces of writing about love, but it has remained popular for a reason.

This is not a poem about the first excitement of falling in love. It is about love as something constant: a point of certainty that remains when circumstances change around it.

That makes it particularly fitting for a wedding ceremony.

Beneath the flowers, the music, the carefully chosen clothes and the celebration is a much simpler promise. Two people are choosing to face whatever comes next together.

Sonnet 116 brings a sense of timelessness and occasion, so it works beautifully for couples who would like a traditional reading within an otherwise modern and relaxed ceremony.

It needs a confident reader who will take their time with the language, rather than rushing through it. Read well, it can feel powerful, assured and surprisingly contemporary.

2. An Extract from Captain Corelli’s Mandolin by Louis de Bernières

“Love is a temporary madness.”

This much-loved passage begins with the intensity of falling in love before moving towards something deeper and more enduring.

It suggests that lasting love is not simply the first rush of romance. It is what remains afterwards: two lives that have become connected beneath the surface, growing alongside one another over time.

That image feels particularly suited to a midsummer wedding, when everything around us is flourishing.

A marriage is not only the bright and beautiful moment everyone sees on the wedding day. It is also built through patience, forgiveness, laughter, compromise and the ordinary acts of care that gradually become a shared life.

This reading is thoughtful without feeling too formal. It suits couples who want their ceremony to recognise that real love can be romantic while also being practical, tested and deeply rooted.

3. Scaffolding by Seamus Heaney

“Masons, when they start upon a building…”

Seamus Heaney’s Scaffolding is an understated poem about trust, strength and the foundations of a relationship.

Using the image of two people carefully building something together, it reminds us that the work invested in a relationship allows it to stand securely.

The temporary supports may eventually be taken away, but what has been created remains.

It is an excellent choice for couples who prefer language that feels grounded rather than flowery. The poem presents love as something actively built through honesty, communication and a willingness to keep working together.

There is reassurance within it too. Every relationship will have moments of uncertainty, but a strong foundation allows two people to trust in what they have made.

It is short, beautifully constructed and particularly effective when read by a parent, sibling or close friend who has watched the relationship grow.

4. The Art of Marriage by Wilferd A. Peterson

“The little things are the big things.”

This reading is full of simple observations about what helps a marriage thrive.

It is not concerned with dramatic declarations. Instead, it talks about appreciation, encouragement, patience and remembering not to take one another for granted.

That makes it a warm addition to a wedding ceremony because it brings the promises being made back into everyday life.

Marriage is not found only in anniversaries, holidays and carefully planned surprises. It is also there in cups of tea, shared jokes, unremarkable Tuesdays, difficult conversations and knowing when the other person needs comfort, encouragement or simply some space.

The full reading is longer than some of the others on this list, so it suits a confident reader. It can also be carefully shortened, keeping the sections that feel most relevant to the couple and the kind of marriage they want to create.

5. A Lovely Love Story by Edward Monkton

“The fierce Dinosaur was trapped inside…”

Not every wedding reading needs to be solemn.

Edward Monkton’s A Lovely Love Story tells the story of two rather different dinosaurs who discover that life is better when they face it together.

It is playful, affectionate and slightly eccentric, while still saying something very recognisable about love and companionship.

This is a lovely choice for couples who enjoy a little humour and do not want every part of their ceremony to feel serious. It usually earns a few smiles from guests before arriving at its tender conclusion.

It works particularly well when read by someone who knows the couple’s sense of humour and is willing to give the story a little character.

Beneath the dinosaurs and silliness is a simple truth: the right person does not need to be exactly like us. They simply need to understand us, love us as we are and make the adventure better because they are there.

How to Choose the Right Reading for Your Wedding

The best wedding reading is not necessarily the most famous, romantic or poetic.

It is the one that makes the two of you look at one another and think, “Yes, that sounds like us.”

Try reading your shortlisted choices aloud. Words can feel very different when spoken rather than read silently on a page. Something that looks beautiful in print may feel too formal when delivered, while a simple passage can suddenly become incredibly moving when spoken by someone you love.

Think about the reader too.

A confident speaker may enjoy something lyrical or theatrical, while someone who feels nervous might be much happier with a shorter, conversational piece. Choosing something they can read naturally will help them enjoy their part in the ceremony rather than worrying about getting every word right.

You are not limited to traditional wedding poetry either.

A passage from a favourite novel, the words of a song, an extract from a letter or something written especially for the occasion can all work beautifully. I have even known couples to use words from films, children’s books and family stories because those were the things that genuinely meant something to them.

Your ceremony should not feel as though it has been assembled from a wedding template.

Every part of it, including the readings, should help it sound and feel like the two of you.

Golden light, sea air and a ceremony shaped around your story.

How a Wedding Celebrant Can Help You Choose a Reading

When I create a wedding ceremony, I do not begin with a fixed list of readings and ask a couple to choose one.

We talk about the atmosphere they want, the people they would like to involve and the stories or ideas that feel true to their relationship.

Sometimes the right choice is a much-loved poem. Sometimes it is a passage from a novel, a few carefully chosen lines from a song or something written especially for the day.

It may be romantic, gently funny, reflective or completely unexpected.

The reading also needs to sit naturally within the wider ceremony. It should feel connected to what comes before and after it, rather than appearing as a separate item that has been included simply because weddings are expected to have one.

As an independent wedding celebrant in Dorset, working across the South and South West, I help couples bring all of those elements together: the welcome, their story, readings, promises, vows and any symbolic moments they would like to include.

The result should feel like one complete ceremony rather than a collection of individual parts.

Frequently Asked Questions About Wedding Readings

Can we have readings during a celebrant-led wedding?

Absolutely. A celebrant-led wedding gives you considerable freedom to include poetry, extracts from books, song lyrics, personal letters or words written by family and friends.

There are no fixed rules about what a wedding reading must be. The most important thing is that it feels right for you and fits naturally into your ceremony.

How many readings should we include?

For most wedding ceremonies, one or two readings work beautifully.

The right number depends on the overall length and shape of the ceremony, as well as how many guests you would like to involve. Too many can interrupt the flow, while one carefully chosen reading can have real impact.

Who should read at our wedding?

You might ask a parent, sibling, close friend, child or another person who has played an important part in your lives.

Choose someone who will feel comfortable speaking in front of your guests and who will understand what the reading means to you.

Can our wedding celebrant help us find a reading?

Yes. Helping couples find the right words is an important part of creating a personal wedding ceremony.

I can suggest readings based on your relationship, personalities and the tone you would like for the day. I can also help you edit a longer piece or find a suitable place for it within the ceremony.

Do you conduct weddings outside Dorset?

Yes. I am based in Poole, Dorset, and create personal wedding ceremonies across the South and South West, including Bournemouth, Christchurch, the New Forest, Hampshire, Wiltshire, Somerset, Devon and Cornwall.

I am always happy to travel for the right ceremony and the right couple.

Creating a Midsummer Wedding Ceremony That Feels Like You

A midsummer wedding already comes with its own sense of warmth, colour and possibility.

The right reading can add another layer, giving your guests a glimpse of what love, partnership and marriage mean to you.

It might be Shakespearean and timeless, thoughtful and grounded, warmly practical or involve two dinosaurs trying to make sense of life together.

There is no correct choice.

There is only the reading that feels at home within your story.

If you are planning a celebrant-led wedding in Dorset or elsewhere across the South and South West, I would love to hear what you have in mind.

From your welcome and your story to the readings, vows and promises, we can create a ceremony that feels personal, natural and entirely your own.

Because the loveliest wedding ceremonies do more than look beautiful.

They sound like the people at their heart.