Blessings for use at Wedding Services
Compiled by
Fr. Rich Hasselbach


Numbers 6:24-26

The LORD bless thee, and keep thee: The LORD make His face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The LORD lift up His countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.

I Timothy 1:17

Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory forever and ever, Amen.

Hebrews 13:20-21

Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work, working in you that which is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to Whom be glory forever and ever, Amen.

Jude v. 24

Now unto Him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever, Amen.

Irish Blessing (This beautiful prayer can be edited either for emphasis or to shorten it)

May the road rise to meet you,

May the wind be always at your back.

May the sun shine warm upon your face,

The rains fall soft upon your fields.

And until we meet again,

May God hold you in the palm of his hand.

May God be with you and bless you;

May you see your children's children.

May you be poor in misfortune,

Rich in blessings,

May you know nothing but happiness

From this day forward.

May the road rise to meet you

May the wind be always at your back

May the warm rays of sun fall upon your home

And may the hand of a friend always be near.
May green be the grass you walk on,

May blue be the skies above you,

May pure be the joys that surround you,

May true be the hearts that love you.

Irish Friendship Blessing from Anam Cara

May you be blessed with good friends.
May you learn to be a good friend to your self.
May you be able to journey to that place in your soul where
there is great love, warmth, feeling and forgiveness.

May this change you.
May it transfigure that which is negative, distant, or cold in you.
May you be brought in to the real passion, kinship, and affinity of belonging.
May you treasure your family and friends.

May you be good to them and may you be there for them;
May they bring you all the blessings, challenges, truth, and light that you need
for your journey.
May you never be isolated; but may you always be in the gentle nest of belonging with your dear ones.

Blessing Adapted From from a Navajo Wedding Ceremony

Now you have lit a fire and that fire should not go out. The two of you now have a fire that represents love, understanding and a philosophy of life. It will give you heat, food, warmth and happiness. The new fire represents a new beginning - a new life and a new family. The fire should keep burning; you should stay together. You have lit the fire for life, until old age separates you. 
Blessing Adapted from the Serenity Prayer – Reinhold Neibuhr

GOD, grant N. and N. the serenity
to accept the things
they cannot change, in this life which they now share.
Grant them the courage to change the
things they can, and the
wisdom to know the difference.

May they live one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardship as the
pathway to peace.
Taking, as your Son did, this
sinful world as it is,
not as they would have it.

May they always trust that He will make
all things right if they
surrender to His Will;
That they may be reasonably happy
in this life, and supremely
happy with Him forever in
the next.
Blessing adapted from the Peace Prayer of St. Francis

Make N and N instruments of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let them sow love
Where there is injury, pardon,
Where there is doubt, faith
Where there is despair, hope,
Where there is darkness, light
And where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine master, grant that they may not so much seek
To be consoled as to console,
To be understood as to understand,
To be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive;
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
And it is in dying in this life that we are born into eternity.
The Apache Wedding Prayer
Now you will feel no rain,
For each of you will be shelter to the other.
Now you will feel no cold,
For each of you will be warmth to the other.
Now there is no more loneliness,
For each of you will be companion to the other.
Now you are two bodies,
But there is only one life before you.
Go now to your dwelling place,
To enter into the days of your togetherness.
And may your days be good and long upon the Earth.

THE SEVEN BLESSINGS From "The New Jewish Wedding ~ By Anita Diamant ~

“We acknowledge the Unity of all within the sovereignty of God, expressing our appreciation for this wine, symbol and aid of our rejoicing.

We acknowledge the Unity of all within the sovereignty of God, realizing that each separate moment and every distinct object points to and shares in this oneness.

We acknowledge the Unity of all within the sovereignty of God, recognizing and appreciating the blessing of being human.

We acknowledge the Unity of all within the sovereignty of God, realizing the special gift of awareness that permits us to perceive this unity and the wonder we experience as a man and a woman joined to live together.

May rejoicing resound throughout the world as the homeless are given homes, persecution and oppression cease, and all people learn to live in peace with each other and in harmony with their environment.

From the Divine, source of all energy, we call forth an abundance of love to envelop this couple. May they be for each other lovers and friends, and may their love partake of the same innocence, purity, and sense of discovery that we imagine the first couple to have experienced.

We acknowledge the Unity of all within the sovereignty of God, and we highlight today joy and gladness, bridegroom and bride, delight and cheer, love and harmony, peace and companionship. May we all witness the day when the dominant sounds through the world will be these sounds of happiness, the voices of lovers, the sounds of feasting and singing.

Praised is love; blessed be this marriage. May the bride and bridegroom rejoice together."