The bride and groom’s power of prayer is greater than ever on their wedding day. You can ask for anything! What a gift to be able to tap into this auspicious time and ask Hashem for your heart’s desires.

 

Starting weeks before the wedding, it may be a good idea to start jotting down what you’d like to pray for on your wedding day.  

 

Add to your ‘prayer notebook’:

 

• Names of people who are ill, who need livelihood, who want to find their marriage-partner or who are waiting to have children etc. Sometime on your wedding day you may want to bring to mind these people in prayer. Having an already-prepared list will be helpful.

• Names of family members whom you especially want to keep in mind.

• Thoughts on the kind of home you’d like to build: A home with strong foundations based on Torah & Mitzvot. A home of joy and laughter. A home of kindness and peace etc.

• Thoughts on the kind of relationship you’d like to have: A relationship in which G-d is a truly present. A relationship in which you focus on strengths and not faults. A relationship in which you can grow and aspire to live meaningful, giving lives etc.

• Thoughts on the kind of person you’d like to be: A person who focuses on the positive. A person who looks for opportunities to give. A person who controls anger etc.

 

It may be worthwhile writing down very specific aspects in your relationship which you’d like to work on and constantly be aware of. For example: You know that when your fiance (or anyone) is late, this triggers an anger-streak in you. Write that down. Then think of ways to control that anger, and pray to Hashem to help you. At an opportune moment (probably after the wedding), it may be nice to go through this list with your spouse and discuss these aspects in your relationship in a positive context.

 

At any point on your wedding day, you can refer to your ‘prayer notebook’ and pray.

 

Under the chuppah is an especially auspicious time for prayer. Think then about you and your spouse and the everlasting edifice you aspire to build together. Pray to always have the love and fear of G-d.

 

Some try to say the complete Book of Tehilim (Psalms) on the wedding day. You can start saying these powerful chapters in the days preceding the wedding. Alternatively, friends and family can say chapters of Tehilim on your wedding day, dividing it so that as a group the entire book of Tehilim is completed.

 

Some visit the gravesite of family-members and tzadikim on the wedding day or in the days preceding the wedding day.

 

As the wedding day is like a private Yom Kippur for bride and groom, it is customary to add the Yom Kippur confession to the private afternoon prayers. 

 

 

MORE ON PRAYER ON THE WEDDING DAY:  Wedding Day Dreams