May the road rise up to meet you,
May the wind be always at your back,
The sun shine warm upon your face,
The rain fall soft upon your fields,
And until we meet again
May God hold you in the hollow of His hand.
-- Irish blessing
Ten thousand things bright
Ten thousand miles, no dust
Water and sky one color
Houses shining along your road.
-- Chinese blessing
Ka mau ki aha. (May you never thirst again.)
-- Traditional Hawaiian wedding toast
A toast to love and laughter, and happily ever after.
-- Traditional toast
May you grow old on one pillow.
-- Armenian blessing
Where there is love, there is no sin.
-- Montenegrin proverb
When the husband drinks to the wife, all would be well; when the wife drinks to the husband, all is.
-- English proverb
May their joys be as bright as the morning, and their sorrows but shadows that fade in the sunlight of love.
-- Armenian blessing
Happy the bride and bridegroom and thrice happy are they whose love grows stronger day by day and whose union remains undissolved until the last day.
-- African-American blessing
May your love be like the misty rain, gentle coming in but flooding the river.
-- African blessing
May your love be as endless as your wedding rings.
-- Traditional blessing
Marriage has teeth, and him bit very hot.
-- Jamaican proverb
May their joys be as deep as the ocean
And their misfortunes as light as the foam.
-- Armenian blessing
Love is like a baby; it needs to be treated gently.
-- Congolese proverb
Ad multos annos -- to many years!
-- Latin toast
Deep love is stronger than life.
-- Jewish proverb
Try to reason about love and you will lose your reason.
-- French proverb
Love and eggs are best when they are fresh.
-- Russian proverb
Let’s drink to love, which is nothing -- unless it’s divided by two.
-- Irish blessing
Here’s to the bride and the groom!
May you have a happy honeymoon,
May you lead a happy life,
May you have a bunch of money soon,
And live without all strife.
-- Traditional toast
Here’s to the groom with the bride so fair,
And here’s to the bride with groom so rare!
-- Traditional toast
Here’s to the husband
And here’s to the wife;
May they remain
Lovers for life.
-- Traditional toast
May your joys be as sweet as spring flowers that grow.
As bright as a fire when winter winds blow,
As countless as leaves that float down in the fall,
As serene as the love that keeps watch over us all.
-- Old English blessing
The heart that loves is always young.
-- Greek proverb
Insomuch as love grows you, so beauty grows. For love is the beauty of the soul.
-- St. Augustine
Let us toast the health of the bride;
Let us toast the health of the groom;
Let us toast the person that tied;
Let us toast every guest in the room.
-- Traditional toast
Blessings
Be present at your table, Lord.
Be here and everywhere adored.
Those mercies bless, and grant that we
May feast in paradise with Thee.
-- John Cennick
The Lord bless you and keep you!
The Lord let His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you!
The Lord look upon you kindly and give you peace!
-- Numbers 6:24-26
Bless, O Lord, this food to our use, and us to Thy service, and make us ever needful of the needs of others, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
-- Traditional Protestant grace
Bless us, O Lord, and these Thy gifts which we have received out of Thy bounty, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
-- Traditional Catholic grace
For what we are about to receive, the Lord make us truly thankful, for Christ’s sake. Amen.
What we are about to receive, may the Trinity and the Unity bless. Amen.
-- Grace before meal
Barukh atah Adonai Elohaynu melekh ha-olam ha-motzi lechem min ha-aretz.
Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Source of the Universe, who brings forth bread from the earth. Amen.
-- Traditional Jewish blessing over challah bread (Ha-Motzi)
All love should be simply stepping-stones to the love of God...Blessed be His name for His great goodness and mercy.
-- Plato
Shakespearean Toasts and Blessings
A flock of blessings light upon thy back.
-- Romeo and Juliet, Act III
Fair thought and happy hours attend you.
-- The Merchant of Venice, Act III
Look down you gods,
And on this couple drop a blessed crown.
-- The Tempest, Act V
I wish you all the joy you can wish.
-- The Merchant of Venice, Act III
The best of happiness, honor, and fortunes keeps with you.
-- Timon of Athens, Act I
God, the best maker of all marriages,
Combine your hearts in one.
-- King Henry V, Act V
Love comforteth like sunshine after rain.
-- from “Venus and Adonis”
Honor, riches, marriage blessing,
Love continuance, and increasing,
Hourly joys be still upon you!
Juno sings her blessings on you.
-- The Tempest, Act IV
-- The Knot
See More: Rehearsals + Brunches