Your wedding week can be full of joy and excitement, but also distractions and nerves! Keep your heart rooted in the peace of Christ this week by anchoring your week in prayer.
Give the week to Mother Mary
On the Saturday a week before your wedding, set aside time to pray a rosary. Saturdays are traditionally devoted to the Blessed Virgin Mary, so it is a fitting time to offer a Rosary for the intention of your wedding week. Ask the Blessed Mother to be a mother to you throughout this week. If you plan to wrap a rosary around your bouquet, try to use those same beads when you make this prayer! When you hold the rosary beads again a week later on your wedding day, it will be a reminder that Our Lady is still interceding for you.
Pray for your guests and invite the Holy Spirit into the celebration
Your marriage is about more than you and your spouse — it is an important part of your larger family and community! This week, whenever you are preparing the seating chart or finalizing favors, thank God for the role that each of these people has had in your life. Pray that their hearts may more perfectly reflect the love of Christ. As you do a final walkthrough of the reception site, invite the Holy Spirit to be a guest at your wedding feast. Pray that the celebration can be a time of true festival where you and your guests are able to rejoice in the goodness of the Lord! Pray also for the repose of the souls of relatives and friends who are not able to be present with you.
Prepare your soul to receive the sacrament of marriage
Make sure that you are well disposed to receive all the graces of the sacrament of marriage by attending Confession at some point during this week. Since your priest will already be at the rehearsal on Friday evening, consider asking him to be available for confession before or after the rehearsal for you and your wedding party. You could also consider making a “general confession” (explained more here) to reflect more deeply on the mercy of the Father in your own life.
Schedule a Holy Hour date with your future spouse
Find a time early in the week before things get too busy to attend a holy hour with your future spouse. Pray alongside each other in silence, in the presence of the Living God. Exchange a holy card or medal and let the other know the particular ways you are praying for each other this week. Keeping the Eucharist as part of your wedding week sets the stage to keep Jesus at the center of your married life.
Lean on a friend for spiritual accountability
Find a spiritual ally for this week. It could be your sister, your maid of honor, or a close friend. Ask them to help you stay spiritually grounded this week through reminders, intercessions, and whatever else you might need. Whether it be a Bible verse texted to you each morning or meeting for daily Mass on the way to your nail appointment, the support of a faithful friend is always a balm in one's walk with Christ. Choose a simple grounding prayer (like “Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you”) for your week and ask your friend to pray it with you whenever things are getting out of focus.