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.

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The Lord's Prayer

Our Father which art in heaven,

Hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth,

as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

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.

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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

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Apache Wedding Prayer

Now you will feel no rain,
for each of you will be 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 companion to the other.
Now you are two persons, but there are three lives before you: his life, her life and your life together.
Go now to your dwelling place to enter into your days together.
And may all your days be good and long upon the Earth.

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A Prayer as a Reading

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...laugh a lot, talk more, and argue less.
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 even though they may not always understand them.
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 no matter what happens to them they will hold on to each other and 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

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Grateful

Let us be grateful for the capacity to see, feel, hear, and understand.
Let us be grateful for this incredible gift of life.
Let us be especially grateful for the ties of love which bind us together,
giving dignity, meaning, worth and joy to all our days.
This is indeed a day which the Lord has made.
Let us rejoice in it and be glad, and let us count our many blessings.

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Blessing For A Marriage

May your marriage bring you all the
exquisite excitements a marriage should bring,
and may life grant you also patience, tolerance,
and understanding.
May you always need one another - not so much
to fill your emptiness as to help you know your fullness.
A mountain needs a valley to be complete;
the valley does not make the mountain less but more;
and the valley is more a valley
because it has a mountain towering over it.
So let it be with you and you.

May you need one another, but not out of weakness.
May you want one another, but not out of lack.
May you entice one another, but not compel one another.
May you succeed in all important ways with one another,
and not fail in the little graces.
May you look for things to praise, often say,
"I love you!" and take no notice of small faults.
If you have quarrels that push you apart,
may both of you hope to have good sense
enough to take the first step back.

May you enter into the mystery which is the awareness
of one another's presence - no more physical than spiritual,
warm and near when you are side by side, and warm and near
when you are in separate rooms or even distant cities.
May you have happiness, and may you find it making one
another happy.
May you have love, and may you find it loving one another!

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Wedding Prayer

Lord, behold our family here assembled.
We thank you for this place in which we dwell,
for the love that unites us,
for the peace accorded us this day,
for the hope with which we expect the morrow,
for the health, the work, the food,
and the bright skies that make our lives delightful;
for our friends in all parts of the earth.
Amen

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The Prayer

Lord, make us instruments of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let us sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is discord, union;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
Where there is sadness, joy;
O Divine Master, Grant that we 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 that we are born to eternal life.

Amen

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Marriage Prayer

Father in heaven,
You ordained marriage for your children, and you gave us love.
We present to You _________ and ___________, who come this day to be married.
May the covenant of love they make be blessed with true devotion and spiritual commitment.
We ask that You, God, will give them the ability to keep the covenant they have made.
When selfishness shows itself, grant generosity; when mistrust is a temptation, give moral strength; when there is misunderstanding, give patience and gentleness;
if suffering becomes a part of their lives, give them a strong faith and an abiding love.
Amen.

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