A Prayer for the Bride and Groom

Lord, bless the bride today. Bless the years that made her who she is, and the man who still can't quite believe she is walking toward him. Give her joy without a single shadow on it.

Bless the groom today. Bless the promises he has rehearsed in his head a hundred times this week. Steady his voice when the moment comes, and keep that promise-keeping steadiness in him for the next fifty years.

Knit these two hearts together, Father — not just for the honeymoon, but for the Tuesday nights, the tax seasons, the flu seasons, and every unglamorous mile where real love is proved.

Let them be each other's safest place. Let them be quicker to serve than to be served, quicker to forgive than to fume, and quicker to laugh than anyone expects.

Today they are bride and groom. Make them, over the years, something even better: old friends who still hold hands.

In Jesus' name, Amen.

When to Pray This

Pray this for a couple on the morning of their wedding, or include it in a card or toast. Parents of the bride or groom often pray it privately while the house is still quiet, before the day begins.

A Verse to Hold On To

"And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness." — Colossians 3:14 (KJV)