10 perfect wedding poems to add a sparkle to your day

Find the perfect wedding poem for your ceremony

Wedding poems - where do you start when you're looking for the perfect words?

Roses are red, violets are blue, finding the perfect wedding poems is hard, so let us do it for you…

We’ve scouted out 10 of the best wedding poems that say it all – whether you’re looking for funny wedding poems to add a little humour to your service, or short, romantic wedding poems to bring your guests to tears (within your strict time limit).

Just a couple of things to consider before you start browsing our wedding poems collection – the readings you choose for your ceremony should be chosen together. Before you choose, think about what matters to you – do you want the reading to make people laugh? Cry? Ponder the meaning of true love (best leave some thinking time open for this one). Share a favourite band? Consider a reading from one of their songs. Love Disney? How about a Mickey-and-Minnie-themed love-fest? Does it matter to you that your favourite wedding poems have been wheeled out at the last 10 weddings you’ve attended (ask yourself why, if it really does say it perfectly?) or do you want something truly unique?

With this in mind, we’ve included some classics, and some more unusual picks for you to consider. So without further ado (or ‘I do’, if you will), let us present 10 of our favourite wedding poems.

Wedding poems

A passage from Captain Corelli's Mandolin by Louis de Bernières

Love is a temporary madness, it erupts like volcanoes and then subsides. And when it subsides you have to make a decision. You have to work out whether your roots have so entwined together that it is inconceivable that you should ever part. Because this is what love is. Love is not breathlessness, it is not excitement, it is not the promulgation of eternal passion. That is just being "in love" which any fool can do. Love itself is what is left over when being in love has burned away, and this is both an art and a fortunate accident. Those that truly love, have roots that grow towards each other underground, and when all the pretty blossom have fallen from their branches, they find that they are one tree and not two.

Love by Roy Croft

(read the full poem on todays-weddings.com)

I love you, Not only for what you are, But for what I am When I am with you.

I love you, Not only for what You have made of yourself, But for what You are making of me.

I love you For the part of me That you bring out; I love you For putting your hand Into my heaped-up heart And passing over All the foolish, weak things That you can't help Dimly seeing there, And for drawing out Into the light All the beautiful belongings That no one else had looked Quite far enough to find.

I love you Because you have done More than any creed Could have done To make me good, And more than any fate To make me happy.

Us Two by A.A. Milne

(read the full poem on allpoetry.com)

Wherever I am, there's always Pooh, There's always Pooh and Me. Whatever I do, he wants to do, "Where are you going today?" says Pooh: "Well, that's very odd 'cos I was too. Let's go together," says Pooh, says he. "Let's go together," says Pooh.

… "I wasn't afraid," said Pooh, said he, "I'm never afraid with you." So wherever I am, there's always Pooh, There's always Pooh and Me. "What would I do?" I said to Pooh, "If it wasn't for you," and Pooh said: "True, It isn't much fun for One, but Two, Can stick together, says Pooh, says he. "That's how it is," says Pooh

Sonnet 116 by William Shakespeare

Let me not to the marriage of true minds admit impediments. Love is not love which alters when it alteration finds, or bends with the remover to remove: Oh, no! It is an ever-fixed mark. That looks on tempests and is never shaken; it is the star to every wandering bark, whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken. Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks within his bending sickle's compass come; love alters not with his brief hours and weeks, but bears it out even to the edge of doom. If this be error and upon me proved, I never writ, nor no man ever loved.

The Passionate Shepherd to His Love by Christopher Marlowe

Come live with me and be my love, And we will all the pleasures prove That valleys, groves, hills, and fields, Woods or steepy mountain yields.

And we will sit upon the rocks, Seeing the shepherds feed their flocks, By shallow rivers to whose falls Melodious birds sing madrigals.

And I will make thee beds of roses And a thousand fragrant posies, A cap of flowers, and a kirtle Embroidered all with leaves of myrtle;

A gown made of the finest wool Which from our pretty lambs we pull; Fair lined slippers for the cold, With buckles of the purest gold;

A belt of straw and ivy buds, With coral clasps and amber studs: And if these pleasures may thee move, Come live with me and be my love.

The shepherds' swains shall dance and sing For thy delight each May morning: If these delights thy mind may move, Then live with me and be my love.

What’s Mickey without Minnie? Author unknown

(read the full poem on manticorethegreat.deviantart.com)

What's Mickey without Minnie, Or Piglet without Pooh, What's Donald without Daisy? That's me without you.

When Ariel Doesn't sing, and Pooh hates honey, when Tigger stops bouncing, and Goofy isn't funny.

When Peter Pan can't fly, and Simba never roars, when Alice no longer fits through small doors.

When Dumbo's ears are small, and happily ever after isn't true,

Even then, I won't stop loving you.

Proud by Louise Wilson

As I approach the dark, wooden open doors, As I hear the music start to play, A rush of excitable nerves take my fear, As I remember what it took to get to this day.

Hiding beneath a display of friendship, Creating a web of lies, Not knowing everyone was watching me fall in love, The love in my heart shining through my eyes.

Defeating opinions and comments shared, Telling everyone, I am in love! My heart taken by a beautiful woman, For once, love is enough.

So here I am today, Walking towards you so very proud, I am in awe as I only see your beauty, Can't hear the music nor see the crowd.

I take your hand in mine, How we fit so perfect, so cleverly, By far the most perfect day in my life, Our proud civil ceremony.

Yes, I’ll marry you by Pam Ayres

Yes, I’ll marry you, my dear, And here’s the reason why; So I can push you out of bed When the baby starts to cry, And if we hear a knocking And it’s creepy and it’s late, I hand you the torch you see, And you investigate.

Yes I’ll marry you, my dear, You may not apprehend it, But when the tumble-drier goes It’s you that has to mend it, You have to face the neighbour Should our labrador attack him, And if a drunkard fondles me It’s you that has to whack him.

Yes, I’ll marry you, You’re virile and you’re lean, My house is like a pigsty You can help to keep it clean. That sexy little dinner Which you served by candlelight, As I do chipolatas, You can cook it every night!

It’s you who has to work the drill and put up curtain track, And when I’ve got PMT it’s you who gets the flak, I do see great advantages, But none of them for you, And so before you see the light, I do, I do, I do!

I’ll Be There For You by Louise Cuddon

I'll be there my darling, through thick and through thin When your mind's in a mess and your head's in a spin When your plane's been delayed, and you've missed the last train. When life is just threatening to drive you insane When your thrilling whodunit has lost its last page When somebody tells you, you're looking your age When your coffee's too cool, and your wine is too warm When the forecast said "Fine", but you're out in a storm When your quick break hotel, turns into a slum And your holiday photos show only your thumb When you park for five minutes in a resident's bay And return to discover you've been towed away When the jeans that you bought in hope or in haste Just stick on your hips and don't reach round your waist When the food you most like brings you out in red rashes When as soon as you boot up the bloody thing crashes So my darling, my sweetheart, my dear... When you break a rule, when you act the fool When you've got the flu, when you're in a stew When you're last in the queue, don't feel blue 'cause I'm telling you, I'll be there.

Oh The Places You'll Go by Dr Seuss

Congratulations! Today is your day. You’re off to Great Places! You’re off and away!

You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the guy who’ll decide where to go.

…Oh! The Places You’ll Go!

You’ll be on your way up! You’ll be seeing great sights! You’ll join the high fliers who soar to high heights. You won’t lag behind, because you’ll have the speed. You’ll pass the whole gang and you’ll soon take the lead. Wherever you fly, you’ll be best of the best. Wherever you go, you will top all the rest. Except when you don’t. Because, sometimes, you won’t.

You’ll get mixed up, of course, as you already know. You’ll get mixed up with many strange birds as you go. So be sure when you step. Step with care and great tact and remember that Life’s a Great Balancing Act. Just never forget to be dexterous and deft. And never mix up your right foot with your left.

And will you succeed? Yes! You will, indeed! (98 and ¾ percent guaranteed.)

Kid, you’ll move mountains! So… be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray or Mordecai Ale Van Allen O’Shea, you’re off to Great Places! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So… get on your way!