7 Wedding Reception Prayers and Dinner Blessings

Leading the wedding reception prayer is a great honor and a perfect opportunity to send wishes and blessings to the newlywed couple.

During a wedding reception, guests like the couple’s family and closest friends have the honor of congratulating the newlywed couple. The grand celebration always begins at the wedding reception. At that time, everyone gets to enjoy the rest of the night with fantastic food, fun dancing, and retelling cherished memories with the couple. 

So before the celebration begins, it is best to start with a wedding reception prayer. Wedding reception prayers are a great way to ask God to bless the married couple (Genesis 2:18-24). Learn more about wedding reception prayers with a variety of examples listed below.

Wedding Reception Prayer

What is a Wedding Reception Prayer?

A wedding reception prayer is a perfect opportunity to bless the newlyweds. During the wedding reception prayer, the one who will lead serves as the guests’ voice to convey their wishes for the beautiful couple. The wedding reception prayer also serves as the perfect time to ask God to bless the union of the couple and the beginning of their journey as a married couple.

Who Gives the Wedding Reception Prayer?

The person who usually gives the wedding reception prayer is the officiant; however, the couple may choose a close relative or a dear friend. Being selected to pray at the wedding reception of a relative or a close friend is considered a great honor. Not only will you serve as the voice of the guests’ wishes and blessings for the newlywed couple, but you are also responsible for thanking and praising God for the beautiful union.

When Should a Prayer Take Place at a Wedding Reception?

A wedding reception prayer can be done at the start of the reception or before the dinner proper. It depends entirely on when the couple prefers it to be done. However, there is no preferred or perfect time to give a wedding reception prayer. As long as a prayer is performed to bless the couple and thank and praise God for the successful union and celebration.

How to Pray for a Wedding Reception?

Start early

As soon as the couple informs you that they want you to pray for their wedding reception, start writing down your prayer. You can start by listing what you want to say for the couple and the wishes and blessings you want to convey at the start of their journey as husband and wife. Starting the wedding reception prayer early also helps you organize everything you want to say.

Write it out

Write your prayer out. That way, you know what you want to include. Having your prayer written on an index card or saved on your phone’s notes app will make it easier for you to recite it quickly and without using filler words. Though choosing to memorize the prayer is a good idea, there’s a chance that you’d forget or skip some parts out of panic. So it’s still best to have a copy of your prayer on the day of the celebration.

Keep your focus on the bride and groom

Wedding reception prayers are usually short and only take a few minutes, so it’s best to focus on asking God to bless the newlywed couple. If you want to share jokes or funny anecdotes about the couple, you can do that after the prayer, as it would be inappropriate, or it might not be the right time to share them.

Praise God

Most importantly, do not forget to praise God for the successful union. We all know that prayers include praises to God for His goodness and grace, so we should also lift God during wedding reception prayers. Praise God because He has not only allowed the wedding day to be successful but also looked after all the preparations that led to the special day.

Effective Wedding Reception Prayers

Wedding Reception Prayer

Prayers of Blessing for the Wedding Reception

Dear Lord, thank you for gathering us to celebrate this special day. On this day, Lord, we have witnessed your blessing over the union of two souls. We thank You for bringing all our families and friends together for this beautiful occasion. 

Lord, we ask you to bless this lovely couple and their journey together as a newlywedded couple. We pray that they will grow to choose love and patience despite how hard the circumstance they will face in the future. 

And now that we are all gathered here, I pray that you bless this reception. Please bless the food we are about to eat. Also, please bless our time together here. Let this day celebrate Your love for the couple and our love and support for them. Lord, we thank you for everything you have done today. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Traditional Wedding Reception Prayer

Lord God Almighty, thank you for the gift of love and marriage. Thank you for bringing all of us here to witness the beautiful union of this lovely couple. We pray that you hold them safely in your hands so they will be guided on their journey as a married couple. We also ask that you bless those people that this couple trusts for help and advice. Please use them and bless them with guidance and wisdom so the couple can go towards the right path. We thank you for this beautiful day and ask that you bless the rest of today’s celebration. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Prayer of Celebration

Heavenly Father, we thank you for allowing us to celebrate this union with the couple’s loved ones. We pray that this day will continue to be a day that celebrates love, joy, and cherished memories. We ask for your blessing over the rest of today’s celebration. Please help us build new friendships and strengthen old ones. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Prayer of Thanksgiving for the Marriage

Lord, we thank you for watching over the beginning of the couple’s journey as a married couple. We ask for your blessing and guidance over the couple’s new journey together. We also pray that their marriage may bless and praise your name. Also, we lift the rest of the day onto you. May the rest of the celebration be out of love and thanksgiving to you and the couple. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Wedding Dinner Prayer

Our Father in Heaven, we have gathered today to celebrate the love and commitment between these two people who have united in marriage. We thank you for bringing us all in celebration of their union. Please bless the food we are about to eat. Bless those who prepared for this celebration, especially the food that we are about to partake in. Please also bless the rest of today’s celebration and keep us away from harm. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Wedding Send-off Prayer

Lord, please shower this beautiful couple with your love and guidance. Please help them fulfill their vows to each other every day. We pray they would choose love above all else, especially when it is hard to love and be patient. Please bless their dreams and aspirations as a couple. We also pray that they would grow to know you more each day so they would learn to rely on only you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Short Opening Prayer for a Wedding Reception

We thank you, Lord, for giving this beautiful couple a wonderful way to celebrate their union and commitment. We ask that you bless their future together. Please give them happiness and joy for the rest of their days together, and let love triumph over their hardships and grievances. 

As they build and establish a home together, please help them strengthen their love, patience, and commitment to one another. Please remind them of your sovereignty during good and bad times. May their relationship with you strengthen so that they depend solely on you. We thank you for the food we are about to share, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Significance of Prayer to the Newlywed Couple

Though leading the wedding reception prayer is a short and quick task, it is a tremendous honor to be given this type of responsibility. A wedding reception prayer gives the newlywed couple a gist of the wishes and blessings the guests wish to convey towards their union. In a way, you show your support for the couple’s commitment and love toward each other.

Remember that a wedding reception prayer doesn’t have to be extended. Try to convey your message of thanksgiving and celebration the best way you can with a few simple words.

Wedding Reception Prayer

In Summary

Wedding reception prayers are a beautiful way to convey wishes and blessings for the newlywed couple. To lead the wedding reception prayer successfully, you must focus on the couple, praise God for their union, and ask God to bless them as they begin their journey as a married couple. Feel free to use the examples listed above, or you can use them as a guide to writing a personalized one for the lovely couple. Just remember to keep the wedding reception prayer short and sincere. 

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Alex Shute
EDITOR
Alex Shute, MBA
Alex is a family man and entrepreneur based in Los Angeles. His passion is to serve the global Church and bring people of diverse backgrounds together to learn & grow.


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