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Beginner April 2013

How many readings are too many?

Gem, on July 23, 2012 at 11:51 AM Posted in Planning 0 7

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I'm looking at my ceremony, which I wrote on my own (with some help from Google) and I'm worried. Everything is really well put together, but there is a lot. I mean, like 6 pages of words. All of the readings are important to me (heck, the theme of the wedding is books!) and all of the people we've chosen to read are important to us. Heck, we're even asking friends to read things that the officiant typically reads. Our community is a big part of our lives and our wedding will reflect that.

My FH read it and really loved it. He even teared up a little! And I've placed the funny readings to be a relief against the more emotional/serious ones. I think it flows well. Overall, I'm happy with it. Then I think about my guests, and get nervous. It could be a 20 min long ceremony!

But I'm asking y'all, how many readings are too many? Do you think it will be too long? There are not going to be any fidgety little ones at the wedding. Just fidgety grown-ups.

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7 Comments

Latest activity by JessKnits, on January 30, 2018 at 4:36 PM

VIP September 2012
Jennifer · on July 23, 2012 at 11:55 AM
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I really think that, depending on how long each reading is, I would stick with 2-3, max would be 4 if they were all short readings. Is there anyway that you could have a few of the readings read during the reception? It could be nice dinner entertainment.
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Celia Milton · on July 23, 2012 at 11:56 AM
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Your wedding should be between 10-12 pages in t 14 point type, double spaced. That will make it roughly 20 minutes.

I don't think that it's really the number of readings, but how they hang together with the rest of the ceremony. It can't be all readings.

My weddings typically have three or four, but they are all less than two minutes long.
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Super October 2012
Megan · on July 23, 2012 at 12:00 PM
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I agree with both ladies. IMO, a 20 minute ceremony is a blessing (I'm Catholic... they go on forever!)... if each reading feels like an eternity when being read, then maybe scale back or edit... but I really find it heartwarming that you've taken this into your own hands and have made it incredibly personal. That's what a wedding is all about, and I'm sure your friends and family will have the same heartfelt feeling knowing how much the ceremony is reflective of you. If you like it the flow and pace, I say go for it.
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Beginner April 2013
Gem · on July 23, 2012 at 12:02 PM
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Hmm. Good food for thought. The Tom Robbins excerpt is the longest, it might take around two minutes to read. The other 3 are much shorter. It is only 4, though, so I think we're fine.

We're not doing a sit down dinner, so that wouldn't work so well at the reception.

Thanks for the feedback, it makes me feel better.
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Celia Milton · on July 23, 2012 at 12:06 PM
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Two minutes is a lot. Unless your readers are very gifted, that is going to seem eternal.
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Beginner April 2013
Gem · on July 23, 2012 at 12:23 PM
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My reader for the long piece is a comedian and an actress at the local children's theater. The other readers I have are poets and read in public often. They're all really talented. My officiant is another comedian who is a friend of ours. I'm not terribly worried about that.

The shortest piece is being read by my brother, who is going to practice it in the weeks leading up.
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Beginner June 2019
JessKnits · on January 30, 2018 at 4:36 PM
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I was going to ask this same question.
I grew up Catholic (I'm not anymore and we're not getting married in a Catholic church), and a Catholic wedding includes a mass, so it's usually over an hour.
A Catholic mass includes 3 readings and a Homily.
I don't think 4 readings would be too long, but my family is also (mostly) still Catholic or they grew up Catholic and probably expect an hour long ceremony and that's what I planned for in my day-of timeline.
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