Heartfelt Rehearsal Dinner Prayer Options to Craft the Perfect Nearlywed Blessing

So, you've been asked to say the rehearsal dinner prayer before an upcoming wedding, and you're brainstorming the right words to say to show the couple your love. You'll also need to bless the food and their marriage while avoiding any awkward topics. We've collected quite a few rehearsal dinner prayer ideas to help you get the words just right as you set a celebratory tone for the meal.

In this story:

• Who Says the Prayer at the Rehearsal Dinner?
• Short Rehearsal Dinner Prayers
• Simple Rehearsal Dinner Prayers
• Best Rehearsal Dinner Prayers

Who Says the Prayer at the Rehearsal Dinner?

The rehearsal dinner host typically chooses who says the blessing before the meal. Most often, this is the father or mother of the groom, as his parents traditionally pay for and plan the rehearsal dinner. However, the couple may ask for their pastor, a good friend or another spiritual mentor to say the prayer at the rehearsal dinner instead.

During the prayer, it is proper to express thankfulness for the day and bless the impending marriage and food while avoiding any mention of future children. Stick to this rehearsal dinner prayer etiquette and your prayer will be well received. Also, it is totally okay to read your prayer from a paper or a nice notebook if you feel more comfortable writing it down ahead of time.

Short Rehearsal Dinner Prayers

Keeping things short and sweet ensures people listen to your whole prayer, that you don't hit any awkward topics and that the food is still hot when served. Here are some of our favorite quick but thoughtful rehearsal dinner prayer examples.

FEATURED VIDEO FROM THE KNOT

1. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Prayer Before Rehearsal Dinner

"I believe the best way to strengthen you, [name] and [name], as you enter into this marriage covenant tomorrow is to encourage you with words from 1 Thessalonians, chapter 5, verses 16 through 18, which say this: 'Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.' Amen."

Meaning: There's nothing controversial about encouraging a couple to celebrate, meditate and be thankful. This short and sweet rehearsal dinner prayer keeps things succinct while hitting all the right notes.

2. Sweet and Upbeat Rehearsal Dinner Prayer

"Lord God, we come to you as we prepare to celebrate the union of [name] and [name]. As we prepare to break bread with one another, we repeat this simple truth: God is good and God is sweet. Let's thank him for the food we eat! Amen."

Meaning: This prayer for a rehearsal dinner focuses on the core truths of God to help prepare the couple and their family and friends for an evening enjoying both God's goodness and sweetness in the form of food. This is especially fun if lots of kids are in attendance, as you can invite them to say it along with you too.

3. Short Prayer of Blessing

"Lord, we stand in awe of you tonight. You have brought [name] and [name] together, and they have chosen to tie their lives together as a symbol of their love. As we prepare to celebrate this by eating together, we ask that you bless this food to our bodies and our bodies to your service. In Jesus' name. Amen."

Meaning: By focusing guests' attention on God and the marriage, this Christian prayer celebrates the commitment being made while blessing not just the couple but all the guests in attendance at the rehearsal dinner.

4. Numbers 6:24-26 Prayer for Rehearsal Dinner

"'The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.' Amen."

Meaning: This popular Christian benediction is a tried and true blessing that wishes peace, grace and protection on the nearlyweds and their guests.

Simple Rehearsal Dinner Prayers

You can stop scanning the internet for "prayer for bride and groom at rehearsal dinner"—these blessings are perfect for you. A simple rehearsal dinner prayer focuses on gratitude and blessings while remaining uplifting and celebratory. These rehearsal dinner prayer ideas do just that while giving thanks for the meal set before you.

5. Prayer of Thanksgiving

"Thank you, Lord, for bringing us all safely here today. You are the giver of good gifts, and the relationship between [name] and [name] is certainly a wonderful thing. We thank you for this beautiful day and pray for a blessing over the marriage union that will take place tomorrow. May your love, peace and grace follow these two all the days of their life."

Meaning: One of the quickest ways to experience joy is by expressing gratitude, and that is the focus of this rehearsal dinner prayer. It highlights the couple and the beauty of the day while wishing them a bountiful life together.

6. Prayer of Blessing

"Dear God, you have brought [name] and [name] together so that they may love and bless one another every day of their life. We thank you for this gift and ask that you strengthen their friendship, deepen their bond and lead them in a purposeful life of love, grace and joy. May they experience your peace every day. We also ask you to bless this food we are going to share together. In Jesus' name, Amen."

Meaning: This rehearsal dinner prayer blessing highlights multiple areas of life where an extra dose of encouragement is always welcomed. Of course, rehearsal dinner prayers are often said before the meal, so they cover all the necessary bases.

7. Prayer of Encouragement

"Heavenly God, in Ephesians 4:32 you write, 'Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as Christ God forgave you.' We offer this as an encouragement to [name] and [name] today as they prepare to get married tomorrow. May they know your love and grace and extend them to each other, time and time again. We ask you to come alongside this couple to spur them on to love and good works, knowing that you will be with them every step of the way. In your holy name, Amen."

Meaning: Pairing a Bible scripture with a rehearsal dinner prayer ensures you stay on-topic. Forgiveness and compassion are essential in a marriage, and this prayer encourages the couple to share those generously not only between themselves but to others as well.

8. Prayer of Celebration

"Heavenly Father, we have gathered here today to celebrate the joining of [name] and [name]. What a beautiful thing it is for both partners to be willing to put each other first, to choose love day after day and to publicly promise themselves to one another. Thank you for the opportunity to celebrate this union and may they feel your joy throughout their marriage. Thank you for this food we are about to eat. Amen."

Meaning: Relationships and marriage are not easy, and this prayer acknowledges the hard work that will need to be put into the upcoming marriage without bringing down the mood.

Best Rehearsal Dinner Prayers

When preparing a prayer before a rehearsal dinner, you want to put a little bit of your personality into it so the couple feels the sincerity. These prayer examples show how to do that while keeping the prayer from straying off course.

9. Prayer of Anticipation and Excitement

"Lord in Heaven, so many of us have been here before: the day before our wedding. The anticipation and excitement are palpable in this room, and we are so grateful for that. We want to take a moment to pause and reflect on your goodness and grace that has brought everyone together safely for this. We ask you to help [name] and [name] build a home together, strengthen their relationship and to protect them as they go through trials, as we know they will. We thank you for this food that has graciously been provided for us and ask you to bless the hands that prepared it. In your holy name. Amen."

Meaning: This more introspective rehearsal dinner prayer will help guests feel the anticipation and excitement in the room. By reminding guests of their own wedding days, this prayer encourages everyone, not just the couple, to strive for stronger marriages and friendships.

10. Beautiful Rehearsal Dinner Prayer

"Dear Lord, we humbly come before you tonight as we celebrate [name] and [name]. Today we have seen a glimpse of the beauty that months of hard work and planning will bring tomorrow. We enjoyed rehearsing the wedding ceremony amidst your stunning creation, and we saw friends and family we had not seen in a while. As [name] and [name] prepare to turn from two into one tomorrow, we simply thank you for your attention towards them during this season. We ask you to bless their future together so that they would never experience a day without your love in their marriage. We also ask for a blessing over this meal. We ask all this in your holy name. Amen."

Meaning: This wedding rehearsal dinner prayer highlights moments from the day while looking forward to the future. It acknowledges God's hand in it all while asking for a blessing over the years to come.

11. Prayer of Support

"Lord God, thank you for this beautiful gathering of [name] and [name]'s closest friends and family. We are grateful to you for bringing us all here safely, and we want to take this time to ask a blessing over the couple. May their life be filled with love, laughter, grace and joy. We also ask that you help us, their parents, siblings, friends and loved ones to be their support system. Encourage us to encourage them, turning them towards each other and strengthening their marriage. Lastly, please bless this food we are about to share. Thank you. Amen."

Meaning: A wedding is not just about the couple promising their lives to each other. It is also about all the guests being there to support them every step of the way. This prayer highlights that and reminds the friends and family gathered to encourage the pair in their marriage together.

12. Prayer for the Couple

"Dear God, tonight we lift up [name] and [name] to you. We ask that you be with them as they give their lives to one another tomorrow. Help them to keep love and joy at the center of their marriage and let grace be boundless between them. Bless them with good health and a warm home. When difficulties come, strengthen their teamwork and remind them of your goodness. We celebrate their commitment to you and each other and ask you to bless this food we are about to eat as we enjoy each other's presence tonight. We ask this all in your matchless name. Amen."

Meaning: This rehearsal dinner prayer highlights reverence for God, the beauty of the couple and their marriage and asks for strength for the future. It focuses on love, grace and joy while making sure to bless the food at the end.

13. Hamotzi Rehearsal Dinner Prayer

"בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה', אֱ-לֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, הַמּוֹצִיא לֶחֶם מִן הָאָרֶץ.‬"

Transliteration: "Barukh ata Adonai Eloheinu, melekh ha'olam, hamotzi lehem min ha'aretz."

Translation: "Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, Who brings forth bread from the earth."

Meaning: This Hebrew prayer is known as Hamotzi, the blessing over the bread. It is a common Jewish blessing that is typically said before any meal.

14. Du'a Prayer at Rehearsal Dinner

"'بِسْمِ ٱللَّٰهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيم

Transliteration: "Bismillah Arrahman Arraheem"

Translation: "In the name of Allah, the most Gracious and the most Merciful."

Meaning: This Arabic prayer is recited to Allah before eating in the Muslim tradition. While not strictly a wedding-focused prayer, this blessing this meaningful and significant in the Muslim faith.

15. Bhojan Mantra Prayer for Rehearsal Dinner

"ૐ अन्नपते अन्नस्य नो देहायन-मेवास्या शुशमीन:, सौर ऊर्जायां निजीप्रदातारः चतुर्गुणाः भवन्ति ।शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः !"

Transliteration: "Om Annapate annasya no dehyana-meevasya shushminah, Pra pradaataaram taarish oorjam no dhehi dvipade chatushpade. Om Shantih, Shantih, Shantih !"

Translation: "O Lord Provider of food grains, & all edibles, thanks you for giving us food today. May this food be decease-free and nourishing, and be it good for my body, mind & soul, I pray! O Benefactor of the donors & providers of food, may all living receive their sustenance every day! Peace be on all, everywhere, all times!"

Meaning: This Hindu pre-meal prayer is known as the Bhojan Mantra and comes from Yajur Veda 11.83. At the last word 'Shantih,' all should bow their head respectfully.