marriage – A Collection of Prayers

Wedding Dinner Prayer

Lord Jesus Christ,
we give you thanks and praise
for your great acts of love,
your passion
which overcame sin and death,
and your resurrection
which overcame the power of the grave,
all to make us your own
through your redeeming love.
Pour out your blessings on Katrina and Ethan
that nothing may quench their love
since it is empowered by your great love.
Bless us also,
our friendship, fellowship and conversation,
and bless the gifts we are about to receive
which you have given us for body and life;
for you live and reign
with the Father and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.
Amen.

Source: Paul C. Stratman, July 10, 2021, for the wedding of Katrina Stratman and Ethan Miller.

Prayer references the wedding text, Song of Songs 8:6-7.

Send Your Blessing on Every Husband and Wife

Lord God, heavenly Father,
we thank you for instituting holy matrimony
to keep us from unchastity and other offenses.
Send your blessing on every husband and wife,
that they may not provoke each other to anger and strife,
but live peaceably together in love and godliness,
receive your gracious help in all temptations
and raise their children according to your will.
Move us all to walk before you in purity and holiness,
to put all our trust in you,
and lead holy lives on earth
and in the world to come enjoy eternal life;
through your beloved Son,
Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one true God, now and forever.

Source: Veit Dietrich, d. 1549, Epiphany 2

This revision/translation of The Collects of Veit Dietrich is licensed by Paul C. Stratman under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. Please contact for permission for any commercial use.

Two Marriage Prayers

Lord God, heavenly Father,
we pray that you would bless all married couples
that they might live and serve you in joy and unity,
and bring up their children according to your will.
Provide for all their needs
and comfort them in all misfortune,
cross and affliction;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Source: Pomeranian Agenda, p. 286.1, translated for A Collection of Prayers.

O Lord God,
you created man and woman
and ordained them for the marriage bond
and have typified therein the mystical union
of your dear Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Church, his Bride.
We ask of your boundless goodness and mercy
that you would not permit this,
your creation, ordinance, and blessing,
to be disturbed or destroyed,
but graciously preserve it
through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Source: Saxon Agenda of 1541, Marriage #9, translated for A Collection of Prayers.

Two Wedding Prayers

Prayer Book Bible Reading Book Of Common Prayer

O eternal God,
creator and preserver of all mankind,
giver of all spiritual grace,
author of everlasting life,
send your blessing on
this man and this woman
whom we bless in your name.
Help and empower them
to live faithfully together,
and to keep the promises
made to each other and to you.
Keep them in your love and peace together,
and guide them with your holy Word;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

O God,
you established and blessed marriage,
and you use it as a picture
of the spiritual marriage and unity
between Christ and his Church.
Look mercifully on this man and woman
that they may love, honor, and cherish each other,
and live together in faithfulness and patience,
in wisdom and true godliness,
that their home may be
a haven of blessing and of peace;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.
Amen.

Source: Modified and adapted from the 1928 U.S. Book of Common Prayer. Both prayers are shortened from the 1662 Book of Common Prayer.