Funny wedding readings

Not if it's placed well. A lighter reading works best in the middle — after the couple has entered and before the vows. Bookend it with something more tender and the arc of the ceremony holds.

The big mistake, in our view, is to undermine the occasion. You can get a laugh by playing against expectations — if people are expecting something heartfelt and you read out your shopping list, that will get a laugh simply because it's not what people were expecting. But an opportunity has been missed to bring some magic to the ceremony and to give voice to love. The funny poems we've selected always get a laugh, but they do that at the same time as they offer something genuinely beautiful. Make sure you check out the performance tips we have for each poem, and visit the Performance Bootcamp for general tips every Resplendant (wedding reader) can follow.

From our experience, funny poems work best when you 'lean in' and deliver the poem 'straight'. Read it as if you genuinely believe in every line, and as if you were completely unaware of the line's comic potential. Don't snicker into your hand, or play the fool. Check out the Free Resources we have for Resplendants (wedding readers), particularly the Seven Rules You Are Totally Allowed to Break.