A wedding reading doesn’t have to sound solemn to be meaningful.
Sometimes Adam Sandler gets the room exactly where you want it.
Grow Old With You from The Wedding Singer is one of my favorite nonreligious wedding readings for couples who want something sweet without suddenly making the ceremony feel formal.
It works because it sounds like real life. The promises are funny, domestic and recognizable. Guests laugh because they know the movie, and then the piece lands because the joke is wrapped around something genuine.
If the couple is laid back and likes a little humor, this can be a great fit.
Why Grow Old With You works as a wedding reading
The best funny wedding readings don’t feel like a comedy routine. They get a laugh because they’re true.
Grow Old With You is built around small, everyday promises instead of grand declarations. That’s what makes it relatable. The humor lowers the room’s guard, and then the sweetness sneaks in underneath it.
It also has another advantage: it’s short. You can create a memorable moment without turning the reading into a five minute detour from the ceremony.
Who this reading fits
I wouldn’t use this for every couple.
If they’re planning a very formal ceremony and want everything elegant and traditional, there are better choices. But if they love The Wedding Singer, quote movies to each other, or simply want the ceremony to feel relaxed and human, this can be exactly right.
Match the reading to the couple standing in front of you, not to your idea of what a wedding reading is supposed to sound like.
Where to put it in the ceremony
I like this one near the end.
A sincere reading can sit comfortably in the middle of a ceremony. Grow Old With You is different. It has lift. It sends the room upward.
Used near the close, it can move you naturally into the pronouncement, kiss and recessional with everyone smiling. That’s a much better use of its energy than dropping it into the opening and then trying to rebuild momentum afterward.
How to deliver it without killing the joke
The rhythm matters. If you only read it silently, you’ll miss where the pauses and laughs naturally happen.
A simple introduction like “This next reading is from The Wedding Singer” gives people context and lets the fans in the room lean in.
If a line gets a laugh, stop talking. Let the room finish reacting before you continue.
The last thought should feel like a landing, not something you’re rushing through on the way to the next paragraph.
Should you sing it?
Only if that’s genuinely one of your talents.
I’ve thought about singing it. Then I remember that nobody hired me to turn the wedding into open mic night.
I once watched a guest reader sing it and absolutely crush it. The whole room was with him. Great. If that’s you, have at it. If it’s not, read it. The words still work.
Can a guest read it instead?
Absolutely, and sometimes that’s even better.
If the couple wants to include a sibling, friend, aunt, grandparent or someone else who isn’t in the wedding party, giving them a reading is an easy way to make them part of the ceremony.
Just make sure they practice it out loud. Funny readings are especially unforgiving when somebody races through them because the laughs live in the timing.
If you’re coordinating several readers or family participants, see my guide on preparing wedding ceremony readers and participants.
More nonreligious wedding reading ideas
This is only one option.
If the couple wants something more romantic and less funny, Never Stop by SafetySuit is another song lyric reading I use. Robert Fulghum’s Union is a favorite too, and Taylor Mali’s How Falling in Love Is Like Owning a Dog works beautifully for the right couple.
The larger point is to stop treating “wedding readings” as a tiny category of old poems and scripture. Good material can come from anywhere if it sounds right when spoken and means something to the couple.
Want more readings without digging through the internet?
My Ceremony Material includes more than 70 selections, including readings, vows, ring exchanges, unity ceremonies and pronouncements I’ve used and refined through more than 1,000 weddings.
What to read next
Common questions
Is Grow Old With You a good wedding reading?
Yes, especially for a relaxed, nonreligious ceremony where some humor fits the couple. It’s short, recognizable and balances funny everyday promises with genuine affection.
Where should a funny wedding reading go in the ceremony?
I usually like a light reading near the end, especially if it raises the energy and leaves guests smiling before the pronouncement and kiss.
Should the officiant sing Grow Old With You?
Only if the officiant is genuinely comfortable singing in front of a crowd. Reading it with good timing usually works better than forcing a musical performance.
Can a guest read song lyrics during a wedding ceremony?
Yes. Giving the reading to a guest is a great way to include someone important to the couple. Ask them to practice aloud beforehand so the pacing and humor land properly.
