Prayers for weddings

Opening Prayer

This marriage is a serious covenant made before God and before all of us as witnesses.
In acknowledgment of its Holy Purpose and the power of the occasion, let us pray.

God of Love, who gives us the longing for, and capability of loving, we give you thanks for ________ and _______ , for their open hearts and willing spirits, and for the example of love that they embody here in our presence. Be with them on this joyous occasion of showing their love and making their vows; and be with us, their witnesses, that we may all be changed by what is said and witnessed here.

Another Opening Prayer

Father, you have made the bond of marriage a holy mystery, a symbol of Christ’s love for his Church. Hear our prayers for Josie and Robert. With faith in you and in each other they pledge their love today. May their lives always bear witness to the reality of that love

Blessing of the Rings

Lord, bless and consecrate _____ and _____ in their love for each other.
May these rings be a symbol of true faith in each other and always remind them of their love. Through Christ our Lord. Amen

A Prayer as a Reading

“A Marriage Prayer” by Bud Henry Bowmen (adapted)

( you may edit out any lines that do not apply to your situation)

Bless this marriage, O God, as ____ and ____ begin their journey down the road of life together.
We don’t know what lies ahead for the road turns and bends. But help them to make the best of whatever comes their way.

Help them to hug each other often, talk and laugh a lot.
Help them to continue to enjoy each other as they did when they first met.
Help them to realize that nothing nor no one is perfect and to look for the good in all things and all people including themselves.
Help them to respect each other’s likes and dislikes, opinion and beliefs, hopes and dreams and fears.
Help them to learn from each other and to help each other to grow mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.

Help them to realize that there is design and purpose in their lives as in the world, and if they will hold onto each other, they will know that things have a way of working out for the good.
Help them to create for their children a peaceful, stable home of love as a foundation on which they can build their lives.
But most of all, dear God, help them to keep lit the torch of love’ that they now share in their hearts so that by their loving example they may pass on the light of love to their children and to their children’s children forever. Amen

Prayer at renewal of vows ceremony

Gracious Lord our hearts are filled with great happiness as _________ and __________ renewal their marriage vows and today reaffirm their faith and love for one another. Grant that they may ever be true and loving, living together in such a way as to never bring shame or heartbreak into their marriage. Temper their hearts with kindness and understanding, rid them of all pretense or jealousy. Help them to remember to be each other’s sweetheart, helpmate, friend and guide, so that together they may meet the cares and problems of life more bravely. And with the passage of time, may they find great contentment in the rich joy of senior companionship. May the home they are reaffirming today truly be a place of love and harmony, where Your Spirit is always present. Bless this marriage we pray and walk beside _________ and ___________________ throughout all of their lives together. Amen

Lord’s Prayer / Our Father Protestant Version

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be they name; Thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

Catholic Version

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be they name; Thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.

French Catholic

Notre Père qui es aux cieux, que ton nom soit sanctifié, que ton règne vienne, que ta volonté soit faite sur la terre comme au ciel. Donne-nous aujourd’hui notre pain de cejour. Pardonne-nous nos offenses. Comme nous pardonnons aussi à ceux qui nous ont offensés. Et nous soumets pas à la tentation, mais délivre-nous du mal. Amen.

Closing Prayer(s)

We ask that the Holy Spirit of love may deepen the lives of Peter and Liliana. May the relationship, which today has been expressed, continue to grow in the years to come. And whatever changes time may bring, let this wedding ceremony remain as a treasured memory and a guide to life.

May they always experience that breathless wonder that exclaims: “Out of all this world, YOU have chosen ME.”

When life is done and the sun is setting, may they be found then as now, still hand in hand, still thanking thee for each other. Amen

Gracious God, our hearts are filled with great happiness on this the wedding day of _____ and _______. They come before you, pledging their lives and their hearts to one another.

Grant that they may be ever true and loving, living together in such a way as to never bring heartbreak into their marriage.

Temper their hearts with kindness and help them to be sweethearts, helpmates, friend and guide, and together, may they meet the cares and problems of life more bravely.

May their home truly be a place of love and harmony where your Spirit is ever present. Bless their wedding day, we pray, and walk beside them, through all their life together. Amen.

Dear God, look mercifully upon your children, ________ and ________, and be generous with them. Give them a sense of joy, excitement, possibility, and challenge about what they are undertaking here, the ever-unfolding and beautiful work of refining their spirits in the presence of each other’s witness, of becoming the bearers of your love.

Give them peace of heart and strength of spirit so they may honor the vows they make here today. And may the promises they make here today inspire and instruct each of us who celebrates with them. Amen.

Today, as your two hearts unite, may God enter into your holy union and consecrate the love that brings you here.

Any may you build together a lasting home, not of wood and stone and glass, but a mansion made of many rooms, filled with shared experience and furnished with shared love.

And in your house of many rooms, remember to keep a place apart for thinking private thoughts, and dreaming private dreams; a place where each of you can grow and share with God a private you in contemplation and prayer.

And from this day until forever may the Lord remain with you always, to keep your love eternally young, and your faith forever strong. Amen.

French Grace (Dinner Blessing)

Seigneur,Père saint, tu nous rassembles autour de cette table dans l’amour et la joie de ________ et de ________ . Avec eux, nous te bénissons et nous te rendons grâce pour l’amour que tu as fait naître dans leur couer et que tuviens de sceller par le mariage.Sois avec nous durant ce banquet. Resserre nos lien d’amitié et de famille. Prépare-nous a vivre ensemble avec toi pour les siècles des siècles. Amen.

A Bride’s Prayer

Oh Gracious God, my heart is filled with a happiness so wonderful that I am almost afraid. This is my wedding day!, and I pray thee that the beautiful joy of this day will never grow dim. Rather, may its memories become more sweet and tender with each passing anniversary. Walk thou with us even to the end of our journey, hand in hand, down the highway to the valley of the final shadow, which we will be able to lighten with sunshine because of our love and happy lives. Amen.

Hebrew Wedding Prayer

Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe,
who hath created joy and gladness, bridegroom and bride,
mirth and exultation, pleasure and delight,
love and brotherhood, peace and friendship.
May there soon be heard in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, the voice of joy and gladness,
the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride,
the jubilant voice of bridegrooms from the wedding canopy,
and of youths from their feasts of song.
Blessed art thou, O Lord, who gives the Bridegroom joy in his bride.

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A  prayer or blessing can be religious or non-religious. Some couples invite a family member or friend to say a prayer or blessing.

Prayers and Blessings 1

Let us pray.  God, we ask for your blessings upon this man and woman, as we celebrate this momentous occasion in their lives.

Grant them happiness and contentment as they establish their new home, create a new family and explore the depths of their love for one another and for you.

Bless their families and friends and the relationships, which have supported, strengthened and sustained them throughout their lives.

Bless their home as a place of love and of peace.

And if times grow hard and tempers grow short, help them to look into their hearts and remember the love that brought them here today

Amen.

Prayers and Blessings 2

God, as you join us today, we ask for your blessings upon this couple as they unite in marriage.

Let all their days together be happy and all their words to each other be sweet.

Though their paths are intertwined, let them be aware of each other’s separateness. Bless their home and allow it to be a place of joy and serenity.

Remind them to nurture each other’s body with mutual love, honor and respect.  Let their spirits dwell within.

As they learn from one another, may they grow stronger as individuals and closer as a couple.

And as their wedded life begins today with prayer, so may they continue it, praying for and with each other.

Amen.

Prayers and Blessings 3

In acknowledgment of this holy purpose, and of the power of this occasion, let us pray.

Dear God, One who gives us the longing for love and the capability of loving, we give thanks to You for BRIDE and GROOM, for their open hearts and willing spirits, and for the love that they embody here in our presence.

Be with them on this joyous occasion as two become one, and be with us, their witnesses, as we rejoice in what is said and witnessed here.

Prayers and Blessings 4

To open the ceremony we will begin with an invocation in the form of an ancient prayer or mantra.

The meaning of “mantra” is “that which protects.”

This mantra asks for protection, good fortune, strength, wisdom, and peace.

Mantras begin with “OM”, which is not a word or a name; it is the vibration of love heard from within the heart when the mind is at peace, the vibration of love from which creation emerged.

BRIDE and GROOM, take hold of your hands and look into each other’s eyes, and repeat after me:

Om
May we be protected together
May we enjoy the fruits of our actions together.
May we achieve strength together.
May our knowledge be full of light
May there never be discord between us
Om shantih, shantih, shantihi
Om. Peace, peace, peace.

Prayers and Blessings 5

Let us Pray: Dear God, thank you for this joyous day.

Thank you for Your Light that has entered Bride and Groom’s life.

Thank you for all the miracles and blessings.

Please bless this union.

Help Bride and Groom find the perfect place in this world for their love to flourish.

Let the radiant light of their love shine on all those around them.

May all their future creations be blessed.

God, bless them with the inner gifts of trust, compassion, forgiveness and truth that they may live and grow together in love and peace.

Amen.

Prayers and Blessings 6

Father of mankind, whose nature is love, look with favor upon this woman and this man who desire to make their vows before you.

We are grateful for the providence that has led to this union.

Grant this to be more than an outward union, but also the blending of hearts and spirits and purposes.

Bless each with the inward qualities of integrity, trust, cooperation and forgiveness, that they may live together in love and peace.

Amen.

Prayers and Blessings 7

Adapted from Illuminata by Marianne Williamson

Dear God, Please make of this relationship a great and holy adventure.

May their joining be a sacred space. May the two of them find rest here, a haven for their souls.

Remove from them any temptation to judge themselves or each other or to direct each other.

May they surrender to You their conflicts and their burdens.

We know You are their Answer and their rock.

Help them not forget.

Bring them together in heart and mind as well as body and guide them in the ways of holiness.

May this relationship be a burst of light.

May it be a fount of love and wisdom for them, for their family, for their community, and for their world.

May this bond be a channel for Your love and healing, a vehicle of Your grace and power.

As lessons come and challenges grow, let them not be tempted to forsake each other.

Let them always remember that in each other they have the most beautiful woman, the most beautiful man, the strongest one, the sacred one in whose arms we are repaired.

May they remain young in this relationship.

May they grow wise in this relationship.

Bring them what You desire for them.

And show them how you would have them be.

Thank You, dear God.

Prayers and Blessings 8

The Lords’ Prayer
Our Father who art in Heaven, hallow be thy name.

Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth, as it is in Heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. (For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever.)

Amen

Prayers and Blessings 9

Gracious God, spirit of life and love, we ask all blessings upon Groom and Bride in their life together.

May they be blessed with patience, to see them through times of tensions or conflict.

May they be blessed with kindness, to enable them to nurture and care for one another in times of pain or sorrow.

May they be blessed with a spirit of play and joyfulness, that they may participate fully in the beauties and pleasures of creation.

May they be blessed, finally, with a knowledge of the ever-flowing presence of love in the world, that they may be channels of this love to one another and to all whom they meet in their life’s journey.

Amen.

Prayers and Blessings 10

Blessed are the man and the woman who have grown beyond themselves and have seen through their separations.

They delight in the way things are and keep their hearts open, day and night.

They are like trees planted near flowing rivers, which bear fruit when they are ready.

Their leaves will not fall or wither.

Everything they do will succeed.

Blessed is one who comes in the name of Love.

Opening

Marriage is a gift from God, a miracle.

After speaking to you both, it is obvious that you already know some of the great blessings marriage has to offer.

It is an opportunity to feel the joy of taking care of someone who takes care of you, to be challenged towards growth yet gently nurtured, to love deeply and receive it in return.

It is about trust, friendship and having a partner to share all life has to offer.

It is a commitment to participate in a process of mutual evolution, understanding and forgiveness.

It is indeed a sacred union to be treated with reverence.

Marriage is not a place to hide from the world.

It is a safe place to grow and become wiser.

It is a place to evolve into better people; so that you can go out in the world and make a difference by spreading the joy and wisdom that you have found with each other.

Together in this marriage, you shall contribute more fully, for you both shall be more full.

Bride, Groom is a gift to you from God, but he is not a gift for you alone.

It is God’s will that in your love, this man might find within himself a greater sense of who he is meant to be.

You are asked to see the good in this man, to accept him for who he is and who he shall be.

In this way, God’s purpose shall be accomplished in this relationship.

May this man find the kingdom of heaven through the love you share.

And so it is with you also Groom, that although Bride is God’s gift to you, she is not a gift intended for you alone.

You are asked by God to so love this woman, that in your love she might find herself as God has created her, so beautiful and strong and brave and true, that the entire world might be blessed by the presence of a woman who shines so.

May she relax in your arms as she has never relaxed before. May she know, from now on, that there is one on whose love she can depend on forever.

Prayers and Blessings 12

Marriage is the beginning of a new life, a chance at fulfilling long-held dreams, and an opportunity for great personal and spiritual growth.

Marriage endures through the ages of trends and fads. Marriage thrives, and continues to live as a promise of a beautiful dream come true.

As long as individuals are drawn together by God, marriage will be a natural unfolding of that relationship.

Feelings come alive at a wedding.

Great happiness. Some sadness.

Apprehension.

And sometimes pure relief!.

There is an acute awareness that something special, something that goes to the very heart of life, is about to happen.

Something is gone forever, and something is born, brand-new and tender.

Something to be nurtured and cared for, protected and cherished, challenged and strengthened–your never-before-created marriage.

Each of you brings gifts to the other today.

Gifts of hope and laughter, focus and seriousness of purpose.

Sensitivity and recognition of the beautiful and the profound.

Since childhood, you have searched for and dreamed about that special someone who would embody and express the gifts you now stand ready to give and to receive.

But these gifts are not to be yours alone.

A strong and resilient marriage is not an escape from the world but a contribution to it.

Bride and Groom, may you now combine and strengthen your gifts, to be offered as a distinct and beautiful gift to the world.

For the world is in need of the beautiful, the good and the holy and nothing is better suited to evoke that than a good marriage.

And now you stand before this loving community of family and friends, ready to acknowledge to God and to the world: this is my beloved, the one with whom I choose to create the rest of my life.

May you both create, with God, a piece of heaven on earth.

Prayers and Blessings 13

Marriage is a supreme sharing, perhaps the greatest and most challenging adventure in the most intimate of human relationships.

It is the joyful uniting of a man and a woman whose care and affection and understanding have flowered into a deep and abiding love.

Those who take its sacred vows have their lives blended together into one, as the waters of two rivers are joined when they come together to form an even greater one.

A true spiritual marriage is an act of metamorphosis, a profound mystery of creation and rebirth, as two become one.

It is not a giving up or loss of oneself, but rather a giving over of oneself to something greater-a transformation of self in which each one can say, “I am no longer only I but also we.”

It is a process in which each can be challenged to discover new possibilities in themselves and each other.

In such a marriage, the wedding ceremony is the gateway into this mystery.

For the lives the two of you have lived up until this moment are, in some sense, now truly completed and over.

Together you now live within the creation of something wholly new and transcendent, something which has never existed before-your miraculous marriage-an expression that is at once public and private, precious, sacred, and truly unique to the two of you.

In this act, you open yourselves to a fuller experience and expression of the great, vast miracle of love.

No ceremony can create your marriage.

Only you can do that-through love, patience, dedication, perseverance-through talking and listening and trying to understand-through helping and supporting and believing in each other-through learning to forgive, learning to respect and appreciate your differences, and learning to make the important things matter and to let go of the rest.

What this ceremony can do is to witness and affirm the choice you have made to begin a new life today as husband and wife.

Prayers and Blessings 14

Divine Spirit (Father, Lord), we know Your presence is with all of us here this special day of BRIDE and GROOM’s wedding and we give thanks.

We ask Your blessing and love be with us during this ceremony and to especially fill the hearts of BRIDE and GROOM as they pledge their love to one another.

May the wisdom and spirit of all-giving and all-understanding Love pervade all the words spoken and all the love given here today, that these vows offered will remain strong and true and abiding in the presence of love all the days of their lives.

May all of us present feel the strength and depth of BRIDE and GROOM’s love and experience a rebirth of the power of love in our own lives.

We ask these things in the Name of the Divine Spirit and give thanks that it is so.

Prayers and Blessings 15

Excerpt from Greek prayer to Ayron and Hopi Hymn

I invoke Thee, Who art the greatest of all, Who created all, Who generated it from thyself, Who sees all and is never seen.

We ask Your blessing for BRIDE and GROOM’s tonight as they enter into this cherished covenant.

We ask You to bless this community of friends and family who pledge their love and support of BRIDE and GROOM’s marriage.

Infinite One, fly ahead of them
Open the way
Prepare the path
Spirity of the sun
Mother of the light
Come to them!
Amen.

Prayers and Blessings 16

Faithful God, we dare to invoke Your name in this glad moment, because we know you are the Creator of humanity in your image and in all our diversity.

You are the Author of love, the Source of passion, the Model of commitment.

You stand with us, through all of life’s experiences, worries, defeats, and victories.

So we pray for your presence now, confident that divine blessing comes to rest wherever hearts are woven together with fidelity and live.

Bless this hour for BRIDE and GROOM, and let Your peace uphold all who love them and who witness this sacred moment.

Amen.

Prayers and Blessings 17

Apache Blessing
Now you will feel no rain, for each of you will be a shelter for the other.

Now you will feel no cold, for each of you will be warmth to the other.

Now there will be no loneliness, for each of you will be a companion to the other.

Now you are two persons, but there is only one life before you.

Go now to your dwelling place to enter the days of your togetherness.

May beauty surround you both in the journey ahead and through all the years.

May happiness be your companion, and may your days together be good and long upon the earth.

Prayers and Blessings 18

May God bless you with Hope enough to keep sunshine in your love, and Fear enough to keep you holding hands in the dark;

May God bless you with Unity enough to keep your roots entwined, and Separation enough to keep you reaching for each other;

May God bless you with Harmony enough to keep romance in your song, and Discord enough to keep you tuning your love so it becomes sweet music to all who may hear it.

Prayers and Blessings 19

Oh Lord, our hearts are filled with joy on this wedding day, as GROOM and BRIDE come before You pledging their hearts and lives to one another.

Grant that they may ever be true and loving, living together in such a way as to never bring shame or heartbreak into their marriage.

Temper their hearts with kindness and understanding.

Rid them of all pretense and jealousy.

Help them to remember to be each other’s sweetheart, helpmate, best friend, and guide, so together they may meet the cares and problems of life more bravely.

May the home they are creating today truly be a place of love, peace, and harmony, where

Your Spirit is always present.

Bless this marriage we pray, and walk beside BRIDE and GROOM throughout their lives together.

We ask this in Jesus’ name.

Amen.

Prayers and Blessings 20

Cherokee Prayer
God in heaven above, please protect the ones we love.

We honor all You created as they pledge their hearts and lives together.

We honor mother-earth and ask for their marriage to be abundant and grow stronger through the seasons.

We honor fire and ask that our their union be warm and glowing with love in their  hearts.

We honor wind and ask that their sail through life safe and calm as in their Father’s arms.

We honor water to clean and soothe their relationship that it may never thirst for love.

With all the forces of the universe You created, we pray for harmony and true happiness as their forever grow young together.

Amen.

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More than ever today, as a husband and wife unite in marriage, they need the prayers of friends and loved ones to help them build a strong foundation of godly love established on Christ, their Rock. If you want to give something special and lasting to a couple on their wedding day, here is a prayer you can offer on their behalf.

A Wedding Prayer

Dear Lord,

As this couple begins their lives together on their wedding day, I pray that their hearts will unite as one with You in their desire to make You the center. May this day be the start of something beautiful, a celebration unlike any other.

As they offer their vows to one another in the sight of God and others, give them a clear understanding of their commitment to each other. May their loyalty in marriage mirror Your own love and faithfulness to all Your children. Let them know that two are better than one as they mutually invest in and depend on each other—but that the third strand of their marriage ties should always be You. 

May their love—like the wedding rings they will wear—be a circle that never ends. Grow that love relationship into one that is patient and kind, not boastful or proud, one that is unselfish and trusting, and a love that protects and perseveres through every season of life.

SEE ALSO: A Valentine Prayer Letter: Husband to Wife

I pray you will give this couple unforgettable moments, unending dedication, and unselfish motives as they pledge their devotion to each another. In every way possible, make the house they build together a godly home—a place where hurts are healed with grace, a place where hearts are sealed with forgiveness, and a place where emotions feel safe when shared with honesty and gentleness. Keep their communication open—with You, and with each other as they make prayer a constant priority.

Lord, today and every day, let laughter echo in the halls of their hearts and home; let joy fill every room; and let the radiance of Your face shine on them, bless them, and give them a gracious peace that passes all understanding. Light a fire of passion that prompts them to love you with all their heart, soul, and strength, and one that engulfs their own union as man and wife in purity and oneness. Help them to bear each other’s burdens, even as they cast their cares on Your shoulders. May they always choose to see the best in each other, even in the worst of times.

May they visualize their marriage as more than just a bonding of two lives, but as two on mission for You, Lord—a lighthouse of refuge, a welcome place for encouragement, and a testimony to Your power and grace. Help them to cherish their wedding day as a sacred memorial, and their union as a treasure to protect at all costs. Make it a reminder of hope that keeps on going and faith that keeps on growing. Help them to believe that all things are possible through Christ, the One who began the good work in them.

Lord, on their wedding day, may every word spoken and every precious token remind them of the One who holds all things together and who makes all things good. Together as this couple stands side by side, and hand in hand, hold them tightly and never let them go. Fill their hearts with unceasing gratitude. Be their vision, their strength, and their constant companion.

SEE ALSO: A Valentine Prayer Letter to My Husband

In Jesus’s name,
Amen
 

Rebecca Barlow Jordan is an inspirational author, speaker, and passionate follower of Jesus who loves to encourage others heart to heart. She has written 11 books and over 1700 other articles, greeting cards, and other inspirational pieces. Her daily devotional Daily in Your Presence is available for delivery through Crosswalk.com. You can find out more about Rebecca at www.rebeccabarlowjordan.com.

Publication date: June 30, 2017

Image courtesy:©Thinkstock/pgaborphotos

SEE ALSO: A Prayer for a New Day

This article is part of our larger Prayers resource meant to inspire and encourage your prayer life when you face uncertain times. Visit our most popular prayers if you are wondering how to pray or what to pray. Remember, the Holy Spirit intercedes for us and God knows your heart even if you can’t find the words to pray.

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