5 Beautiful Non-Religious Readings for Humanist Weddings

Words by Utterly Printable

Is it time you sat down to write your very own wedding ceremony booklet? This article is here to help.

Humanist weddings are the perfect alternative to a traditional religious ceremony for those couples who prefer not to have a faith leaning bought into their nuptials. There are some wonderful readings that are non-religious and make the perfect addition to proceedings. All you have to do is decide who will read them for you. Here are the ones we like the best:

Nab a Traditional Vow: A Vow by Wendy Cope

I cannot promise to never be angry;
I cannot promise always to be kind.
You know what you are taking on, my darling
It’s only at the start that love is blind.
And yet I’m still the one you want to be with
And you’re the one for me – of that I’m sure.
You are my closest friend, my favourite person,
The lover and the home I’ve waited for.
I cannot promise that I will deserve you
From this day on. I Hope to pass the test.
I love you and I want to make you happy.
I promise I will do my very best

Lent from Literature: The Amber Spyglass by Philip Pullman

“I will love you forever; whatever happens. Till I die and after I die, and when I find my way out of the land of the dead, I’ll drift about forever, all my atoms, till i find you again… I’ll be looking for you, every moment, every single moment. And when we do find each other again, we’ll cling together so tight that nothing and no one’ll ever tear us apart. Every atom of me and every atom of you… we’ll live in birds and flowers and dragonflies and pine trees and in clouds and in those little specks of light you see floating in sunbeams… and when they use our atoms to make new lives, they won’t just be able to take one, they’ll have to take two, one of you and one of me, we’ll be joined so tight…”

Gifted from the Classics: I Promise You by Myriah

I can’t promise you
That dark clouds
Will never hover
Over our lives Or that the future
Will bring us many rainbows.
I can’t promise you that
Tomorrow will be perfect
Or that our lives will be easy.
I can promise you my everlasting
Devotion, my loyalty, my respect,
And my unconditional love for a lifetime .
I can promise you that
I’ll always be here for you,
To listen and to hold your hand,
And I’ll do my best to make you happy,
And make you feel loved.
I can promise you that
I can see you through a crisis
And pray with you,
Dream with you,
Build with you,
And always cheer you on
And encourage you.
I can promise you that
I’ll willingly be your protector,
Your adviser, your counsellor,
Your friend, your family,
Your everything.
I promise you.

Borrow from Kids Fiction: Your Personal Penguin by Sandra Boynton

I like you a lot
You’re funny and kind
So let me explain
What I have in mind.

I want to be Your Personal Penguin
I want to walk right by your side
I want to be Your Personal Penguin
I want to travel with you far and wide.

Wherever you go, I’ll go there too
Here and there and ev’rywhere
And always with you.
I want to be Your Personal Penguin
From now on.

Steal from a Movie: The Wedding Singer

“I want to make you smile whenever you’re sad,
carry you around when your arthritis is bad.
All I want to do is grow old with you.

I’ll get your medicine when your tummy aches,
Build you a fire if the furnace breaks,
Oh it could be so nice, growing old with you.

I’ll miss you,
Kiss you,
Give you my coat when you are cold,

Need you,
Feed you,
Even let you hold the remote control.

So, let me do the dishes in our kitchen sink,
Put you to bed if you’ve had too much to drink,
I could be the man who grows old with you,
I want to grow old with you.”

Classic order of service in blue

If you’re looking for humanist ceremony readings, then you’re probably also in the market for some order of service printing. Well, you’re in the right place! Whether you’re looking for a humanist service booklet, or a civil ceremony order of service, we have you covered. We have a wide range of A5 order of service templates for you to check out and design right here on our website.