We actually weren't married in my church back home. At the time it was being renovated and the renovations were set to be done just at the time of our wedding. Far too risky. The other two options being plan a wedding in a month or just find another venue... and another venue is what we went with. Today's guest post explores church weddings and things you might need to know.
............................................
Americans aren't anywhere near as
religious as they used to be. According to a recent survey, only about 50% of people belong to a
church right now, which is down from 69% back at the turn of the century.
But there are still plenty of
people who are members of a church. And for these people, getting
married in a church is a no-brainer. They want to hold their ceremony inside of
a church as opposed to inside of another venue.
Are you interested in tying the
knot in a church? Regardless of which religion you practice, there are a series
of steps that you're likely going to have to take prior to getting married
in a church.
Take a look at some of the things
you'll be expected to do before celebrating your wedding day in a church.
Begin by Becoming an
Official Member of a Church
Getting married in a church
usually isn't as simple as walking into any old church and picking out a date
for your wedding. More often than not, you'll need to be a member at a church
before you're allowed to get married there.
If you're already a member at a
church, great. You won't have to worry about taking steps to become a member
there. But if you're not a member at a church—or if your soon-to-be spouse
isn't one—start things off by becoming members at the church at which you want
to get married.
In some cases, this will be easy
enough. You can become a member of a church by filling out a few forms in a
church office.
In others, you or your spouse may
have to take classes and go through an entire process to become a member of a
certain religion and, by extension, a member of a church. It all depends on
what religion the church practices and how they handle membership.
Let Your Church Know You Would
Like to Schedule a Wedding
Once you and your spouse are official
members of a church, the next step you'll want to take as far as getting
married in a church is concerned is scheduling your wedding.
Generally speaking, it's best to
do this well in advance of your wedding date. Many churches schedule weddings a
year or so in advance.
For this reason, you should check
with a church to see about their availability for a wedding before you look
around for an affordable wedding venue for your reception. The
last thing you want to do is plan out an entire reception for a specific day only
to discover that your church can't handle a wedding ceremony on that same day.
This could throw off your wedding
plans and make it impossible to get married in a church.
Make the Proper Preparations for
Getting Married in a Church
Getting married in a church often
involves doing more than just showing up on your wedding day and saying "I
do!" You and your spouse will also have to go through some type of
marriage counseling sessions in the months leading up to your big day.
In the Catholic Church, Pre-Cana
preparations are mandatory for all those couples getting married. In other
churches, the pre-wedding preparations aren't nearly as extensive.
When you pick out a date for
your wedding at your church, check to see what kind of preparations you'll be
expected to take care of beforehand. It'll ensure that you don't put off any
necessary preparations that could prevent you from getting married in a church
as expected.
Put Together the Plans for Your
Wedding Ceremony With Your Church
When you plan a wedding ceremony
outside of a church, it's pretty much up to you to map out every aspect of it.
You can customize the ceremony in
almost any way you want.
Weddings in the church operate a
little bit differently. There is a format to them that you'll need to follow when
you're married inside a church.
That being said, that are
some small plans that you'll need to make for your wedding ceremony in a
church. For example, you'll have to pick out songs and readings used during the
wedding ceremony.
You'll also be in charge of
decorating the church for your wedding ceremony, provided the church allows you
to do it. You'll have to bring in flowers and other decorative touches to make
the church look more festive on your wedding day.
Pay Your Church for Your Wedding
Ceremony or Consider Making a Donation
Getting married in a church is
not free. You'll usually be asked to pay a small fee to use the church for
your wedding. You'll also have to pay for someone to sing, play the piano, etc.
The good news is that most
churches are willing to work with those who are going to struggle to pay for
these things. There are even some that will ask for donations to their church
as opposed to creating set fees for wedding services. This allows couples to
donate what they can instead of being obligated to pay a certain amount of
money to a church.
Make sure that you work the
church fees associated with a wedding into your overall wedding budget. It'll
help you and your spouse stay on track with your wedding spending.
Attend Church With Your Spouse
Following Your Wedding Ceremony
Getting married in a church is a
great idea for couples. It solidifies their bond in the eyes of God and sets
down a solid foundation for their marriage.
It also gives couples a good
reason to continue coming back to the church throughout their
marriage. They can keep building on their faith together and utilize the
church as the backbone of their relationships.
Would you like to get your hands
on more tips for getting married?
Browse through all the
wedding-related advice in the articles on our blog to make sure
that you're able to put together plans for the wedding of your dreams.
