23 Bible Verses About Love for Your Wedding Ceremony

The couple exchanges rings — Photo by The Curries

If you and your beloved would like to include a Bible verse about love in your wedding ceremony but are unsure of which to use, we can help. Planning your wedding ceremony is a powerful thing. Choosing the service, vows, and readings during this process makes you double down on your commitment to your partner and may also reconnect you to your Christian beliefs.

When you are knee-deep in the planning phase, you'll have many questions about the ceremony, especially your vows and readings. Which Bible verses are appropriate for you as a couple? While there are not many in the Bible about romantic love, God's message is simple: Just love one another.

We've gathered some beautiful Bible verses about love for you; read on to find one that speaks to your hearts to include in your ceremony.

1 Corinthians 13:1-8,11,13 (American Standard Version-ASV)

If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal. And if I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.

And if I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and if I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profiteth me nothing. Love suffereth long, and is kind; love envieth not; love vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not its own, is not provoked, taketh not account of evil; rejoiceth not in unrighteousness, but rejoiceth with the truth; beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Love never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall be done away; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall be done away...

¹¹When I was a child, I spake as a child, I felt as a child, I thought as a child: now that I am become a man, I have put away childish things...

¹³But now abideth faith, hope, love, these three; and the greatest of these is love.

Meaning: Words and gestures are hollow and meaningless without love. Of the three theological virtues of faith, hope, and love; love is everything in life.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (ASV)

For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; a time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.

Meaning: When you feel it's the right time to marry, fully commit to your beloved and your marriage.

There are many translations of the Bible, including modern language. Take the time to consider other versions to find one right for you.

1 John 4:7-11 (New King James Version-NKJV)

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

Meaning: God is love. Love one another.

Mark 10:8-9 (NKJV)

And the two shall become one flesh; so then they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, let not man separate.

Meaning: Your marriage has been blessed and sanctified by God. Any person that should try to break your absolute commitment to each other, has been forewarned.

Ephesians 3:14-21 (NKJV)

For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height—to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Meaning: Keep the glory of God in your hearts. Intimately know the love of Christ and the power of his love for you.

Hosea 2:19 (King James Version-KJV)

And I will betroth thee unto me forever; yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgement, and in loving kindness, and in mercies.

Meaning: Betrothed used here means to sanctify or to dedicate.

John 15:11 (KJV)

These things I have spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. This is my commandment, that ye love one another, as I have loved you.

Meaning: Jesus tells his people that his most important message is to love one another.

John 17:21-23 (KJV)

Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; that they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.

Meaning: Jesus tells God his Father of his hopes that the world will listen to his teachings and believe that his message is love.

1 John 4:18-19 (ASV)

There is no fear in love: but perfect love casteth out fear, because fear hath punishment; and he that feareth is not made perfect in love. We love, because he first loved us.

Meaning: Complete love has no fear. Jesus showed us how to love.

If you are having a more extended bible verse read at your ceremony, choose one line from it as a wedding theme. You can use this single line on invitations, napkins, table decor, signage, and thank you notes.

Ephesians 4:32 (American Standard Version- ASV)

Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

Meaning: Love means to accept each other with all of our faults.

1 Corinthians 16:14 (ASV)

Let all that you do be done in love.

Meaning: Lead with love. Always.

Colossians 3:14 (ASV)

...and above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfectness.

Meaning: Place unconditional love above all things.

Ephesians 4:2 (NIV-New International Version)

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.

Meaning: Showing patience, humbleness, and gentleness to your partner is love.

Philippians 1:3 (NIV)

I thank my God every time I remember you.

Meaning: I thank God every time I think of you.

Song of Solomon 2:16 (ASV)

My beloved is mine, and I am his.

Meaning: I wholly accept your love and completely give my love to you.

Song of Solomon 2:3 (ASV)

My beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away (with me).

Meaning: I accept you as my spouse, and I will honor our commitment to our marriage.

1 Corinthians 13:4–8a (ESV)

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.

Meaning: Love is about kindness and trust.

John 13:34-35 (NIV)

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.

Meaning: Love others as Jesus loves you.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 (NIV)

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

Meaning: Your partner is there to stand with you against all challenges in life.