Wedding Readings

Your Catholic Wedding: Liturgy of the Word

As Catholics, we believe that God is always with us and that we encounter him in a myriad of ways. And yet, God has chosen to be present with us in a most particular way through Sacred Scripture and the Sacraments. The Liturgy of the Word is the part of Mass or Rite of Marriage  when we listen to God's Word and a homily, recite together the creed, and pray the General Intercessions or Prayer of the Faithful. In this part of the liturgy, we celebrate Christ present to us in the Word.

Scripture and the Liturgy of the Word

Based on ancient patterns of worship in Jewish synagogues, our Liturgy of the Word juxtaposes several passages from the Bible alongside one another and invites us to listen for how God continues to speak to us today.

For weddings, as for Sunday Mass, three readings are normally chosen. The first reading is usually chosen from the Old Testament, followed by a Responsorial Psalm then the second reading taken from the New Testament. There is then a reading from one of the four Gospels.

Selecting Readers for the Liturgy

While the Gospel is always read by a priest or deacon, couples often choose family members or close friends to proclaim the first and second readings. Select readers with care; not everyone feels comfortable reading aloud in front of people, nor is everyone able to proclaim loudly and clearly. Because we believe that God is present in the proclamation of this Word, you will want it to be easily heard and understood. Be sure to give your readers copies of the passages well before the wedding so they can prepare. During the liturgy, the readings are proclaimed from a special book called the “lectionary.”  Your wedding coordinator will have the assigned passages marked and the coordinator will show your readers how to find their passage.

Please click on the links on the left to visit the For Your Marriage website and the options for suitable readings for your wedding ceremony. For the Universal Prayer / Prayers of the Faithful, you will open up to a document. 

Write your selected wedding readings on your Wedding Handbook, Ceremony Notes - page 20 and share this information with your Wedding Coordinator and your Clergy.