If you’re looking for an Irish wedding blessing for your upcoming ceremony or reception, we’ve got you covered!

A blessing, whether Irish or otherwise, is a great way to add some meaningful words to your wedding day. This can be even more impactful when those words are shared by a loved one or honoured guest. Though as your wedding officiants, we’re also happy to read your special words to your guests.

So if you’re looking for some beautiful words to add to your day, check out our list of 30 Irish wedding blessings below – from short prayers and funny poems to traditional classics and everything in between. You’ll be sure to find the perfect blessing for your wedding!

1. Traditional Irish wedding blessing

May the road rise to meet you,
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
The rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of his hand.

May God be with you and bless you;
May you see your children’s children.
May you be poor in misfortune,
Rich in blessings,
May you know nothing but happiness
From this day forward.

May the road rise to meet you
May the wind be always at your back
May the warm rays of sun fall upon your home
And may the hand of a friend always be near.

May green be the grass you walk on,
May blue be the skies above you,
May pure be the joys that surround you,
May true be the hearts that love you.

2. Modified travel blessing

May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind always be at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
and rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

May good luck be with you Wherever you go, and your blessings outnumber the shamrocks that grow.

May your days be many and your troubles be few, May all God’s blessings descend upon you, May peace be within you, May your heart be strong, May you find what you’re seeking wherever you roam.

May you have the hindsight to know where you’ve been
the foresight to know where you’re going
and the insight to know when you’re going too far.

3. Short Irish blessing

May your mornings bring joy and your evenings bring peace.

May your troubles grow few as your blessings increase.

May the saddest day of your future be no worse than the happiest day of your past.

May your hands be forever clasped in friendship and your hearts joined forever in love.

Your lives are very special, and God has touched you in many ways. May his blessings rest upon you and fill all your coming days.

4. In good times & in bad

In good times and bad times, in sickness and health, may they know that riches aren’t needed for wealth. Help them face problems they’ll meet on their way—God bless this couple who marry today.

May they find peace of mind comes to all who are kind, may the rough times ahead become triumphs in time, may their children be happy each day—God bless this family who started today.

As they go, may they know every love that was shown, and as life it gets shorter may their feelings grow. Wherever they travel, wherever they stay, God bless this couple who marry today.

5. Love & laughter

May love and laughter light your days,
and warm your heart and home.
May good and faithful friends be yours,
wherever you may roam.
May peace and plenty bless your world
with joy that long endures.
May all life’s passing seasons
bring the best to you and yours!

6. Traditional Celtic blessing

May the raindrops fall lightly on your brow
May the soft winds freshen your spirit
May the sunshine brighten your heart
May the burdens of the day rest lightly upon you
And may God enfold you in the mantle of His love.
May the road rise to meet you
May the wind be always at your back
May the sun shine warm upon your face
and the rain fall soft upon your fields
And until we meet again my friend(s)
May God hold you in the hollow (palm) of his hand.

7. Short Irish good luck poem

Lucky stars above you,
Sunshine on your way,
Many friends to love you,
Joy in work and play—
Laughter to outweigh each care,
In your heart a song—
And gladness waiting everywhere
All your whole life long!

8. Wedding blessing for your home

May you always have walls for the winds,
a roof for the rain, tea beside the fire,
laughter to cheer you, those you love near you,
and all your heart might desire.

May joy and peace surround you,
Contentment latch your door,
And happiness be with you now,
And bless you evermore.

Bless you and yours
As well as the cottage you live in.
May the roof overhead be well thatched
And those inside be well matched.

May your neighbors respect you,
Trouble neglect you,
The angels protect you,
And heaven accept you.

9. Short Irish prayer

May God grant you always a sunbeam to warm you, a moonbeam to charm you, a sheltering angel so nothing can harm you. Laughter to cheer you, faithful friends near you.

And whenever you pray, Heaven to hear you.

10. Short Irish prayer II

May you have love that never ends,
lots of money, and lots of friends.
Health be yours, whatever you do,
and may God send many blessings to you!

Alfred and Rhonda embracing each other during a sunset photo session, Esther Moerman Photo

by Esther Moerman Photography

11. Good luck blessing

May the blessing of light be on you—
light without and light within.
May the blessed sunlight shine on you
and warm your heart
till it glows like a great peat fire.

May your home be filled with laughter
May your pockets be filled with gold
And may you have all the happiness
Your Irish heart can hold.

May your blessings outnumber
The Shamrocks that grow
And may trouble avoid you
Wherever you go.

May luck be a friend to ye,
And be with ye in all yer days,
And may trouble be to ye,
A stranger, always

12. Traditional ceremony blessing

May the meaning of this hour be fulfilled through the days and years to come.
May the love of this man and this woman, their unity of spirit,
grow deeper and stronger in the uncertainties and changes of life they will share.
Loving each other, may they love all persons. Trusting each other, may they learn to trust life.
May their love reach out to the love of all, that their lives may bless all whose lives they touch. May they find comfort together in shared hours of shadow, as well as in the bright sunshine of joy. May they be to each other both strong and gentle.
May all who follow their lives with interest and affection have cause to rejoice not alone in their happiness, but in their brave and generous living which makes life beautiful and significant.

13. Irish prayer for the future

May God be with you and bless you.
May you see your children’s children.
May you be poor in misfortune, rich in blessings.
May you know nothing but happiness.
From this day forward.

14. Short traditional Irish blessing

Health during your life,
A wife of your choice to you,
Land without rent to you,
A child every year to you,
And the light of heaven after this world for you.

15. Funny Irish wedding blessing

May those who love us love us.
And those that don’t love us,
May God turn their hearts.
And if He doesn’t turn their hearts,
May he turn their ankles,
So we’ll know them by their limping.

16. Short Irish wedding poem

Here’s to you both, a beautiful pair
On the birthday of your love affair
Here’s to the husband and here’s to the wife
May yourselves be lovers for the rest of your life.

17. Irish magic

May the lilt of Irish laughter lighten every load.

May the mist of Irish magic shorten every road.

May you taste the sweetest pleasures that fortune ere bestowed.

And may all your friends remember all the favors you are owed.

18. “If you lie” reading

If you lie, may you lie only to keep a friend.
If you cheat, may you cheat only death.
If you steal, may you steal your lover’s heart.
If you drink, may you drink deeply of the joy of your new life together.

19. Short Irish blessing

May you have a world of wishes at your command. God and his angels close to hand. Friends and family, their love impart, and Irish blessings in your heart.

20. Irish angels

May you always walk in sunshine.
May you never want for more.
May Irish angels rest their wings
Right beside your door.

Jennifer and Sean share their first kiss at the end of their wedding ceremony in front of a wooden pergola draped in red curtains, Candace Fast Photography

by Candace Fast Photography

21. Brendan Behan wedding quote (Irish author)

“The most important things to do in this world are to get something to eat, something to drink, and somebody to love you.” – Brendan Behan

22. Bless you

With the first light of sun-
Bless you.
When the long day is done-
Bless you.
In your smiles and your tears-
Bless you.
Through each day of your years-
Bless you.

23. James Joyce wedding quote (Irish author)

“They lived and laughed and loved and left.” – James Joyce

24. Community poem

May your neighbors respect you
May trouble neglect you
May the angels protect you
And may heaven accept you.

25. Oscar Wilde wedding quote (Irish author)

“Never love anyone who treats you like you’re ordinary” – Oscar Wilde

26. Irish rainbow poem

Wishing you a rainbow
For sunlight after showers—
Miles and miles of Irish smiles
For golden happy hours—
Shamrocks at your doorway
For luck and laughter too,
And a host of friends that never ends
Each day your whole life through!

27. Sacred vow

We swear by peace and love to stand,
Heart to heart and hand to hand.
Hark, O Spirit, and hear us now,
Confirming this our Sacred Vow.

28. Greatest blessings

May you enjoy the four greatest blessings:

Honest work to occupy you.

A hearty appetite to sustain you.

A good woman to love you.

And a wink from the God above.

29. Irish wedding vow

May the embers from the open hearth warm your hands,

May the sun’s rays from the Irish sky warm your face,

May the children’s bright smiles warm your heart,

May the everlasting love I give you warm your soul.

30. Short & sweet Irish blessing

May you both live as long as you want,

And never want as long as you live.

Jane and Sophia share a kiss on the cheek under an umbrella after their Young Hip & Married elopement, Erica Miller Photography

by Erica Miller Photography

Wedding blessing FAQs

Why choose an Irish wedding blessing?

Irish wedding blessings or Irish wedding readings are a very popular choice for couples. As you can see from our list above, many of these traditional blessings have a beautiful message to them and are a great way to wish a couple well on their wedding day.

Couples also appreciate the different tones you can find in Irish blessings – from serious and traditional to fun, short and modern. Many also have a poetic quality, which gives them a nice ring during the ceremony.

Of course, if you or your partner have Irish heritage or a connection to Ireland, that makes these Irish blessings even more impactful.

When are blessings said during a wedding?

Typically, blessings are included during the ceremony portion of your wedding day. They can be read by your officiant or you can ask an honoured guest to come to the front and share the reading.

You could also choose to incorporate blessings into the vows you share with your partner or into your reception. You could have them written out on your wedding website or on signage around your venue.

It’s also important to think about who is saying the blessing and if it’s appropriate to them. For example, blessings about children and the future might be best suited to a parent or grandparent and could even be incorporated into a father of the bride speech or mother of the groom speech. Funny poems could be included in a Best Man speech or Maid of Honour speech.

What other blessings or readings could we add to our ceremony?

If you’re looking for more blessings, prayers, poems, quotes or readings for your wedding ceremony, check out our list below!