'Prayer postcard' to ease pre-wedding jitters

Worries about the dress, the cake and whether the bride will turn up on time can be commended to the Almighty under a wedding prayer scheme unveiled yesterday by the Church of England.

Visitors to the major wedding shows will be able to fill out a specially-designed "prayer postcard" with a guarantee from a priest to pray for couples getting married in the week before their big day, the Church said.

Couples will also be able to get tips on choices of hymns and readings from vicars who are veterans of hundreds of wedding days.

The Rev. Rosie Harper, who has conducted more than 150 wedding ceremonies, said: "Your wedding day is the best day of your life. The last thing you want is to feel terribly nervous, worry about a speech or fret about the arrangements.

"If couples tell us what they're worried about, we'll remember them in our prayers in the run-up to their wedding. It demonstrates how we're not just there for the big day, we're there for them beforehand, and for their life together afterwards."

The Church of England's stand will be at the UK Wedding Show in Newcastle on Saturday and Sunday, and London on February 6 and 7, and the National Wedding Show in London from February 19 to 21, and Birmingham from March 5 to 7. www.yourchurchwedding.org.