Civil ceremonies can't include religious content
In England and Wales, the law says a civil ceremony (register office, or a venue with its own licence) cannot include hymns, prayers, readings from religious texts, or anything that includes a religious reference, such as a mention of God. This catches couples out because it isn't always obvious which readings count — some well-loved poems are borderline.
This is general guidance, not legal advice. Rules are applied by your registrar or celebrant, and interpretations can vary slightly between register offices — always check your final choices with them before printing your order of service.
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Ready to build your running order?
Once you've picked your readings, lay out the whole ceremony — entrance, vows, readings and exit — with exact timings in our free Order of Service Builder.
Open the Order of Service BuilderQuick guide
How to find wedding ceremony readings
- Search by title or author, or choose a Style and Length.
- Tick Only show readings suitable for civil ceremonies if you are having a civil ceremony.
- Press Add to shortlist on the readings you like to build Your shortlist.
- Use Copy shortlist, Print or Email this draft to myself to share it.
What it does
- Search by title or author
- Filter by seven reading styles
- Filter by reading length
- Civil ceremony suitability filter
- Shortlist saved in your browser
- Copy, print or email your shortlist
Use it with
- Wedding Flower Picker – pick your wedding month and a colour to see which British-grown flowers are in season, with scent, price band and a rough cost guide
- Order of Service Builder – lay out your wedding ceremony with timings, readings and music cues for the entrance, signing and exit, ready to print
- Wedding Colour Palette Generator – pick a shade or a named wedding colour to get a matching palette in three moods, previewed on invitations, flowers, dresses and uplighting
- Order of Service Booklet Maker – turn your ceremony running order into a designed, folded A5 booklet of 4 or 8 pages, ready to print on A4 at home or at a print shop
Questions
Ceremony Readings Finder: common questions
What can I use the ceremony readings finder for?
It helps couples, and the friends or relatives giving a reading, find something that fits the tone of the ceremony. You can filter by style, from romantic and humorous to literary, spiritual or nature-themed, and by length, from under a minute to over two minutes. Build a shortlist, then agree the final choice with your registrar or celebrant.
Can I use a religious reading in a civil ceremony?
No. In England and Wales a civil ceremony at a register office or licensed venue cannot include hymns, prayers, readings from religious texts or religious references such as a mention of God. Tick the civil ceremonies filter to hide unsuitable readings. This is general guidance rather than legal advice, so check your final choice with your registrar before printing.
Is my shortlist saved, and who can see it?
Your shortlist is saved in your browser's local storage on this device, so it is still there if you come back later on the same browser. It is not sent to Mobile Disco Network or anyone else. Email this draft to myself opens a draft in your own email app, and Clear shortlist removes the saved list.
How many readings should a wedding ceremony have?
Most ceremonies have one to three readings. Two is a common balance, often one traditional and one lighter or more personal. Keep an eye on total length, as several long readings can make the ceremony drag. Ask each reader to practise aloud beforehand and make sure they have a printed copy on the day.
Tim’s tip
Give your readers their reading at least a few weeks before the day so they can practise it out loud. On the day, ask them to slow down more than feels natural, as nerves always speed people up.
Made by Tim Daymond (Tinsel Tim). Tim has been a DJ since 1976 and has run Mobile Disco Network since 2013. He plays weddings and parties across Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and Lincolnshire. He is a Norfolk County Council Trading Standards Trusted Trader (ID 0000457), a member of the NADJ and the winner of 23 independent awards.
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Your privacy: this tool runs in your browser. Nothing you type is sent to Mobile Disco Network or stored on a server. Your work is saved in this browser only, so it is there when you come back. Clearing your browser data removes it. Email buttons only open your own email app, and nothing is sent until you press send.
Free to use, no sign-up. Last reviewed 11 October 2026.
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