Bridal Shower Devotional: Marriage Advice for “Happily Ever After” for Newlyweds

How to Prepare for a Bridal Shower Devotional (Without Losing Sleep Over It)

A few years ago, I was invited to a bridal shower. It was the type of sweet, old-fashioned shower where ladies sat in the church basement, brought gifts wrapped in pretty paper or tissue paper stuffed bags, played the obligatory game (you know the kind), and someone gave a short devotional.

Well—I was asked to be that someone.

After flat-out refusing three times (bless the persistent souls who didn’t take no for an answer), I finally swallowed my fear, put on my big girl pants, and said yes.

And you know what? It ended up being lots of fun.

If you ever find yourself in the same boat—nervous about sharing a devotional at a bridal shower—let me share what helped me the most. – Get marriage advice from some tried-and-true “experts”.

I was short on time and long on nerves, so I decided to crowdsource some wisdom. I reached out to several women I admire who met these simple criteria:

• They love Jesus.
  
• They’ve been married for 20+ years.
  
• They’d describe themselves as happily married (most days, anyway!).
  

With a few quick Facebook messages, I asked one simple question:

“If you could give just one piece of advice to a newlywed couple, what would it be?”

I wasn’t sure if I’d hear back from many—but almost everyone responded! Their advice was thoughtful, honest, funny, and heartfelt. In fact, I got so many good responses that I had to narrow it down to five (plus a bonus one for fun).

Bridal Shower Devotional: Marriage advice for Newlyweds ~ A Platter Full of Wisdom

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. Scroll to the bottom of the post for similar Bridal shower gifts that go with this devotional.

I took the pieces of advice that each friend gave and paired it with a physical item that would be part of the “props” and also the gift. Here was the advice given, plus the accompanying gift.

Marriage Advice #1: Be the Right Match

You’re the sugar. He’s the cream. Together, you make the perfect pair. Marriage isn’t about finding the perfect person—it’s about being the right person too. Work on your own heart more than you try to change your spouse.

Marriage Advice #2: Communicate!

Prop: A vintage cell phone (or toy phone)

No matter how long a person is married or how well a couple feels they “know” each other, your husband will never be able to read your mind. (To illustrate this, I held up my husband’s first cell phone – giant-sized and complete with a pull out antenna…)  Be sure – like you need to do on your phones – that you keep up with regular updates.  Help your husband understand your heart. And listen carefully so you can understand his.

Marriage Advice #3: Prepare for the Empty Nest

I know it may be hard to believe at this point in the game, but the years of having kids at home under your feet will be short-lived compared to the years you’ll spend without them.  When that last child leaves the nest, you and your spouse will turn to each other and say, “it’s just you & me”. Make sure you take steps through all the seasons to keep growing in your friendship so that when that time comes, you’ll still enjoy being with the man of your dreams.

Marriage Advice #4: Stay a Student

Marriage is a lifelong class. Keep learning! Ask questions, read books, watch older couples you admire. Stay curious about your spouse. Growing together is part of the joy.

Marriage Advice #5: Turn the Page Quickly

[For this one, I read directly from the friend who wrote it.  I just met her a few months ago, and she and her husband have recently moved to South Africa to minister for the Salvation Army. In her words,]

“If I had to choose just one thing, it would be to turn the page quickly! Turn the page on resentment, anger, selfishness, pride, hurt, & bitterness. Don’t keep tabs. Simply, Turn The Page. Show as much grace as you would want to receive. I could go on and on about things like encourage your spouse. Laugh more. Oh, and communication! However, turning the page is top of the list. Isn’t that what God does for us? Forgive and Forget. God makes all the difference.”

Bonus Advice: Ephesians 4:32

Kindness might sound simple, but it covers a multitude of marriage moments: tone of voice, daily habits, forgiveness, and generosity. Politeness matters. So does tenderness. 

Here’s the direct quote from my friend who sent it to me,

“One day many years ago, I happened to read this verse shortly after I had been dismayed by the way some people treat their spouses ~the things they say, the things they do (or don’t do,) and just the general demeanor between them. Kindness encompasses so many things: from general courtesy and politeness (please and thank you are still magic words,) to holding your tongue in some cases, to being honest but kind in that honesty, to encouraging your spouse… It just seems that even fairly small kids begin to understand the concept of “being kind” from a very young age – it’s that simple, yet it’s effects are profound. Kind, tenderhearted, forgiving. I can’t think of better qualities to cultivate if you want a relationship to be successful.”

Ways to Make this Bridal Shower Devotional Your Own

You can use this devotional as a:

• Bridal shower speech
• Women’s ministry talk
• Gift idea for a bride-to-be
• Wedding keepsake basket

Use whatever props fit your style or the bride’s personality. Don’t be afraid to share a story or laugh a little along the way—a little humor goes a long way in a room full of women!

I’ve also provided some printables (below) to help you as you prepare.

 Free Bridal Shower Printables: “Marriage Advice with Props”

I’ve had some requests to provide printables for this bridal shower devotional idea, so I just made some!

Just sign up below to get them sent straight to your email inbox and join our community of women who love meaningful moments, creative gatherings, and practical joy for everyday life.

More Bridal Shower Ideas:

• Here are more bride-to-be quotes – a list of more marriage advice from my Instagram followers!
• If you want to take a handmade gift, you could make a fun “Mr & Mrs” pillow 
• You can find a list of some unique ideas for weddings and bridal showers here in my Amazon Shop
• One of these printable gift tags could be used to make your gift pretty in a hurry!
• Looking for a yummy bridal shower snack? You might want to try one of the recipes in this round up of 39+ berry recipes, or Texas Brownies are always a hit!