Choosing the right words to express your love and commitment on your wedding day can be a deeply personal and meaningful process. While traditional religious readings hold a special place for many, others seek non-religious poems that resonate with their unique connection. This curated collection of poems about love and marriage offers a beautiful blend of classic and contemporary voices, each capturing the essence of enduring love in its own unique way. Whether you’re looking for inspiring words for your ceremony, a heartfelt reading for your reception, or simply a moment of reflection on the power of love, these poems offer a rich tapestry of emotions and sentiments.
Contents
Poems to Celebrate Love and Commitment
From the whimsical to the profound, these poems offer a diverse range of perspectives on love and marriage. Each selection explores the complexities of relationships, the joys of companionship, and the enduring power of commitment.
I Will Love You Forever, by Phillip Pullman
This excerpt from The Amber Spyglass offers a breathtakingly beautiful expression of everlasting love that transcends even death itself. Pullman’s words paint a vivid picture of two souls destined to find each other, their atoms intertwined across time and space.
“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.”
bride and groom reading ceremony love poems at Above the Heights NYC wedding venue
Roads Go Ever On, by J.R.R. Tolkien
Tolkien’s evocative poem speaks to the journey of life and love, the winding paths that ultimately lead us home to one another. The imagery of nature and the promise of homecoming resonate deeply with the spirit of marriage.
“Roads go ever ever on, Over rock and under tree, By caves where never sun has shone, By streams that never find the sea; Over snow by winter sown, And through the merry flowers of June, Over grass and over stone, And under mountains in the moon. Roads go ever ever on Under cloud and under star, Yet feet that wandering have gone Turn at last to home afar. Eyes that fire and sword have seen And horror in the halls of stone Look at last on meadows green And trees and hills they long have known.”
Excerpts from Gift from the Sea, by Anne Morrow Lindbergh
Lindbergh’s insightful prose explores the ebb and flow of love, urging us to embrace the present moment and find security in the ever-changing nature of relationships. Her words offer a profound reflection on the freedom and fluidity that allows love to grow.
“When you love someone, you do not love them all the time, in exactly the same way, from moment to moment…The only real security is not in owning or possessing…but living in the present relationship and accepting it as it is now.”
“We have moved through our day like dancers…A good relationship has a pattern like a dance…There is no place here for the possessive clutch…only the barest touch in passing…When the heart is flooded with love, There is no room for fear…When each partner loves so completely That they have forgotten to ask themselves Whether or not they are loved in return…then and then only; Are two people able to dance perfectly in tune To the same rhythm.”
Bride writes down non-religious poem to read during wedding ceremony at The Brick House at Shelburne Museum wedding
Sonnet XVII, by Pablo Neruda
Neruda’s passionate sonnet is a powerful declaration of love in its purest form. He describes a love that exists beyond the superficial, a deep connection between two souls.
“I love you as certain dark things are to be loved, in secret, between the shadow and the soul.”
To Love is Not to Possess, by James Kavanaugh
Kavanaugh’s poem beautifully articulates the essence of mature love, a love that allows for individuality and freedom within the bond of commitment. He emphasizes the importance of being true to oneself while remaining deeply connected to another.
“Love is to join and separate, To walk alone and together, To find a laughing freedom That lonely isolation does not permit.”
Reading non-religious love poem at summer outdoor wedding ceremony at Topnotch Resort
Finding the Perfect Words
These poems, along with excerpts from Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables and Thich Nhat Hanh’s teachings on deep listening, offer a rich source of inspiration for couples seeking to express their love in a way that is both personal and profound. Whether you choose one of these selections or use them as a springboard to find other poems that resonate with you, may these words add depth and meaning to your special day.