Wedding Ceremony Site, Officiant, and Religious Requirements
Since I knew I wanted to get married in the church I grew up in, we were able to avoid the search for a ceremony site. The church came with the Pastor I had also grown up knowing, so it was one less decision to make for us!
Had I not grown up in that church, I would have loved to explore other ceremony location options. There are so many unique choices out there, from beautiful parks to antique homes or museums. There is also the choice of having your ceremony right on site at the reception, which cuts down on travel and scheduling time. I’m glad I chose my location, however. Looking back at my wedding photos, I am able to see my marriage taking place in a building that has meant much to me over the years.
Getting married at the church had its share of religious requirements, which most churches have for couples wishing to get married. The church wanted to see that Brian and I had been regularly attending church together and were not living together before marriage. It also required that we attend pre-marital counseling before getting married. The pastor set us up with a marriage counselor, and we attended monthly sessions.
The most beneficial part of our marriage preparation experience was the book we worked with, called ‘Before You Say I Do’ by H. Norman Wright. This workbook was a gift from my mom, but we used it in addition to the pre-marital counseling we received. We are grateful for this requirement, because we feel that it humbly prepared us spiritually and mentally for marriage.
Since I was a member of the church, we did not have to pay to use it. We only had to pay the sound technician, and then we tipped the pastor after the ceremony. It’s important to receive a contract for the ceremony site so you are sure what you are responsible for, such as setting up or cleaning up.
It is also important to be aware of what decorations are allowed. For example, by reading our contract we discovered that only drip-less candles were allowed during the ceremony, and that we were responsible for cleaning up afterwards. I assigned the ushers to do that!
“The ceremony site is important, because when you think about the moment you were joined together as husband and wife, that place will be in your mind’s eye. Look for something that reflects your personal style, and make sure you find out about any religious requirements ahead of time so there are no surprises!”
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