Scripture reading for a wedding-- thoughts?

From a non-religious person: I think it would be very strange to be mentioning divorce in your wedding. Beyond that, it reads a bit... creepy? The whole two flesh becoming one. Just my opinion! I also believe “god” created people not just men and women.

Have you also considered Mark 10: 6-9? It has the same sentiment, without mention of the D-word 🙂

If you’re concerned about how people will interpret the bit about becoming one flesh, try having a look at the wording in different translations -biblegateway is a great resource.

View Quoted Comment Such a good suggestion! Avoiding the d-word would definitely be preferable. This is probably what we will do

I am a christian, so can't answer your question.

When we planned our ceremony we really went with what we wanted and what was important to us. I was a bit concerned with what people might think but looking back I am sooooo thankful we went with what was important and meaningful to us.
For the reception I tried to include guest experience/perspective as much as I could.

My guess - and again I am not a non-religious person - is that guests might think that it's weird or that you are super religious but as soon as the groom kisses his bride and then later if you serve yummy food and people have a good time, guests don't really care what was said or read in the ceremony. I guess your friends and family know that religion is important to you. I would do what you want.

As someone who was raised Christian and no longer is religious, I find this scripture inappropriate for a wedding. There are many passages that can be used that are not the cliche of 1 Corinthians. Ask your minister for guidance in finding them.

As a guest this would make me super uncomfortable. But ultimately it is your wedding and you should pick readings that mean the most to you and your fiance.

This is one of the options for a gospel reading at a Catholic wedding ceremony, so I don’t find it that odd. But if you aren’t getting married in a church (I don’t just mean Catholic) this might feel out of place.


There are a few other readings that get at this idea but are a little more lighthearted. I would check out this site for the usual Catholic ones, but if you’re writing your own ceremony you can probably do any! https://www.foryourmarriage.org/readings/
I see someone above mentioned Mark 10:6:9...that was going to be my suggestion!

I was raised Catholic, went to Christian churches with my friends the beginning of college, and now I'm not religious. I've always felt uncomfortable with religious readings at weddings, but then again, the ceremony is more for the couple, not the guests.

I think the wording in this scripture might be a little off putting for guests that aren't religious, I would also stay away from using the word 'divorce' in your wedding. Liz's suggestions of researching the different translations to find better wording!

Ultimately the ceremony really needs to be about you and your FH. So if using this scripture with this wording is important, then go for it! Most guests won't remember it after the ceremony anyways.

View Quoted Comment Why do you find it inappropriate?

Also, the wedding will be in a church and our family knows that FH and I are personally devout!

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With that knowledge, I think if you both like that scripture a lot and want to incorporate it in your ceremony, then do so! I doubt any guests will come up to you or make comments if they don't like it. Even if I didn't like scriptures or readings at a ceremony, I kept it to myself because again, it's not my day.

I really liked what the verse says in the end about one flesh - so maybe modify the verse to not include the beginning?

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The bulk of it is fine but omit the first few verses. Even though the sentiment is there, very few want to hear about divorce at a wedding.

The verse about two becoming one flesh doesn’t bother me, as it is obviously not intended to be taken literally. The part that would bother me personally is the blatant specification that marriage must be between a man and a woman. We have many friends who are same sex couples, and I think that verse would feel exclusionary (And possibly demeaning) for them.

I also agree with PPs that I wouldn’t want the mention of divorce during my wedding ceremony

Lapsed Catholic here. I’ve never heard that particular reading at weddings as far as I can recall. Lots about the man leaving the family and cleaving to the wife, and loving the wife as Christ loved the church. Or what God has joined together let no man put asunder. That one may be more celebratory than actually saying the D word in the ceremony.
I do think people might remember your wedding as “the one where they brought up divorce during the ceremony” but if that passage is meaningful to you, you should read it.
We are doing a reading from a 17th century poet that mentions eternal life and most if the guests are atheists but they can suck it up and listen to my favorite love poem for two minutes!

I'm not a Christian and that reading doesn't sound loving, romantic, or inspirational to me. But I am only telling you this because you asked!

I have heard and seen plenty of overtly Christian things at weddings that made me uncomfortable (most of them related to subservient wives, non-believers going to hell, or marriage only being allowed between a man and a woman) but I would never, ever share my opinion with the couple getting married.

You should definitely design your ceremony to please yourselves, and not worry about what your guests might think of the word choices.

Because you asked for opinions, mine is that this would make me raise my brows as a guest.

I am an atheist and was not ever raised in religion. So admittedly, all religious readings in weddings sound largely the same to me.

But some of my specific issues with this specific reading:

The mention of divorce. Not only would this make me, as a guest, immediately think "why would anyone ever pick this for a wedding?" but to get a little more personal, you've mentioned on the forums that you and your FH went through some troubled waters before that you postponed your wedding over. Regardless of how strong your relationship is now, I would caution against any direct mention of things like divorce, because I'm sure at least some of your guests are aware of those past issues, and this might be where their minds drift.

That these sentiments are definitely expressed elsewhere without the mention of divorce. Obviously, because this reading references that other passage ("have you not read...") It seems odd to use a passage that references another passage instead of simply using that passage. If the reason is that it fits what you believe about marriage, doesn't that mean the referenced passage does, too? Or is it specifically that you don't believe you should be allowed to get divorced for any reason, and that is what you want in the ceremony? I would then defer again to point 1: I just don't think that's something you should put in a wedding. I would personally be sitting there thinking, "any reason? What about abuse? What about...?" That's just not where you want your guests' brains going.

View Quoted Comment The reading that the passage references to is part of the Old Testament, and we want to use this as the Gospel reading, so we can't use the passage it references. Also the reference is shorter

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I see. Well, my thoughts remain: I wouldn't talk about divorce in a wedding, and as a guest, I would find it very weird to be talking about divorce at a wedding, even a religious one.

But, as a previous poster said, no one will have the nerve to say anything to you about it, even if they think it is weird.