The Rites of Marriage include a wide selection of scriptural readings for use during the several different celebrations of Marriage.

It is customary for the bride and groom to select the readings to be used during their wedding. They can choose a first reading from the Old Testament, a responsorial psalm, and a second reading from the New Testament. In making their selection, they should seek to promote and express two ideas: the dignity of marriage within the Christian context; and the uniqueness of their own particular bond and commitment to each other.

From the opening pages of the Bible and throughout the Old and New Testaments, the bond of marriage is seen as a God-given blessing, as the foundation of society and for the mutual upbuilding and happiness of the two individuals concerned. At the same time, the scriptures openly proclaim the uniqueness of the individual before God. Thus, each marriage has its own distinctive quality.

The chosen readings should declare both of these ideas to those gathered to celebrate the Marriage; they should also publicly announce the hopes, visions, sense of unity, firmness of conviction and presence of God for the bride and groom as they set out together in married life.