Do you need a wedding prayer added to your wedding ceremony? Let’s find out! Watch the video below with Officiant Shawn Miller as he talks all about wedding prayers and who they are right for.
Video transcript:
There’s a lot of research out there about wedding prayers. Do you include a wedding prayer? What does a wedding prayer look like? What type of prayer should you include?
The rule of thumb for me about wedding content in general is: Is this something of great value to you, your partner or your family of origin?
I’ve done interfaith weddings for Muslim and Christian couples, Buddhist and Jewish couples, etc. In those instances, we have two families coming together from two different belief systems and it’s really important for them to honour their backgrounds.
by Erica Miller Photography
And so we bring in wedding prayers from both religions and share them throughout the ceremony. We can have a family member or a friend, maybe a grandparent, share the prayer. It’s a beautiful way to show respect to your family of origin and honour the belief systems that you, your partner or your family holds.
If you are not a religious person and these prayers don’t mean much to you, I don’t want you to feel obligated to include one. In fact, you should not include a wedding prayer if it’s going to feel disingenuous or inauthentic. It won’t feel like you two and your guests will wonder what they’re doing here and what you’re saying. They’ll think, “I know he doesn’t believe that, so why is he saying it?”
But if you, your partner or your family has a religious, spiritual or cultural background and you want to include that wedding prayer, I highly recommend that you do it.
For more on wedding prayers, check out our favourite wedding prayers and blessings for your wedding ceremony. Plus, explore our alternatives to 1 Corinthians 13, best scriptures about marriage and learn how to add a prayer to your wedding ceremony.
