Here are several traditional, simple and romantic optional wedding prayers to add a special sense of the sacred to your ceremony. They can be added just after the reading, before the rings, and just before the declaration of marriage.
Optional Prayer #1: _______________________________________ and _______________________, you are about to make vows and promises to one another. Today, these vows are beautiful words representing even more beautiful intentions. My prayer for you is that as you live these vows over the years, offering freely your time and your love to one another, the meaning of these words will deepen, and the happy times of your life will be twice as joyous, because you’ll be sharing them with someone you love. And when life gets tough, it will only be half as difficult, because there will be someone by your side to help carry the burden. For those times when life presents all of us with challenges, I would like to offer you this simple prayer to remember:
God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.
Optional Prayer #2: Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed 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, forever and ever. Amen.
Optional Prayer #3: O Eternal God, Creator and Preserver of all mankind, Giver of all spiritual grace, and Author of everlasting life, send Thy blessing upon these Thy servants, _________ and _____________, whom we bless in thy name, that they, living faithfully
together, may surely perform and keep the vow and covenant made between them, and may ever remain in love and in peace together, living according to Thy laws, through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.
Optional Prayer #4: O God, look mercifully upon these thy servants, that they may love, honor and cherish each other, and so live together in faithfulness and patience, in wisdom and true godliness, that their home may be a haven of blessing and peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.
Dear Reverends Chris and Karen,
Our heartfelt thanks to you and for your loyalty on our special day. We were a little nervous but felt your peaceful spirit during all the excitement. May God richly bless you more each day on your beautiful church and service you bring. Love, Sylvia and Larry