May the Road Rise to Meet You
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.
Where it fits in the ceremony
Blessings belong near the end: just before the couple are pronounced married, as the closing words of the ceremony, or at the reception as a grace before the meal or the opening of the toasts.
Pair it with
Two readings that balance this one:
- Invitation to Love — “Come when the nights are bright with stars” — Paul Laurence Dunbar welcomes love in every season.
- Dearly Beloved (Book of Common Prayer) — “Dearly beloved, we are gathered together here” — the opening of the 1662 marriage service.