The Apache Wedding Blessing

The Apache Wedding Blessing is one of the most popular wedding prayers for modern weddings. It is nondenominational.  The Apache Wedding Blessing is an actual Native American prayer, but one made famous by the the Delmer Davies film, “Broken Arrow.” For more information: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Wedding_Blessing

(Special Thanks to Pamela G. Poon for researching and discovering the true history of this prayer.)

The Apache Wedding Prayer

Now you will feel no rain,
For each of you will be shelter to the other.
Now you will feel no cold,
For each of you will be warmth to the other.
Now there is no more loneliness,
For each of you will be companion to the other.
Now you are two bodies,
But there is one life before you.
Go now to your dwelling place,
To enter into the days of your togetherness.
And may your days be good and long upon the earth.

The Apache Wedding Blessing (long version)

Now you will feel no storms,
for each of you will be shelter to the other.
Now you will feel no cold,
for each of you will be warmth to the other.
Now there is no loneliness,
for each of you is companion to the other,
You are two persons,
but there is one life before you, and one home.
Turn together to look at the road you traveled,
to reach this—the hour of your happiness.
It stretches behind you into the past.
Look to the future that lies ahead.
A long and winding, adventure-filled road,
whose every turn means discovery,
new hopes, new joys, new laughter,
and a few shared tears.
May happiness be your companion,
May beauty surround you both in the journey ahead;
And through all the years to come.
Go this day to your dwelling place
and enter into your days together.
May your days be good and long
upon the earth.
Your adventure has just begun!

For more great prayers to say at a wedding, return to our collection of Wedding Prayers

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