July 8, 2007
Church Wedding or Justice of the Peace?
Are you more of a traditional bride-to-be? Do you plan to have a religious or “church” ceremony for your wedding? Are you and your husband-to-be of different faiths? Maybe you just have a differing of opinions. This can create quite a challenge, when trying to make decisions regarding your wedding ceremony.Church ServiceIf you have decided to have a church service, and you (or your fiancé) belong to a church, it is a good idea to talk with your church leader (minister, pastor, reverend, etc.) for at least one year before your actual wedding date. This may seem like long time in advance, but many church leaders are more inclined to perform the service if you take the time to follow pre-wedding procedures.
Non-Religious Ceremony
If you are not favoring a religious ceremony, then a ceremony performed by a justice of the peace might be more for you. The stigma attached to a justice of the peace wedding ceremony brings to mind the image of a courthouse, simple vows, and a ceremony lasting all of 5 minutes. As more and more couples tend to wed outside of the religious sector, the ceremony provided by the justice of the peace had grown into a longer ceremony, with vows that are more personal to the bride and groom.
Before you make this decision, you must think of all the things you will be “giving up” for each type of ceremony. If deciding to marry in the church, you will be relinquishing your right to the overall feeling and type of service (especially if you are of different faiths). You will also have to follow the time schedule and availability of the church.
If your decision is to go with a service provided by a justice of the peace, you will have more “freedom” in terms of the conditions of the ceremony; however, you will have to find a location. You will also be responsible for the set up of the entire wedding (and you will have to hire an organist, or plan for some type of music, for your entrance).
The bottom line?
Your decision is neither right nor wrong. The decision to have a church wedding or a ceremony performed by a justice of the piece is an important decision (one that should be made by both the bride and groom). Most important, this decision should not be taken lightly. List the pro’s, con’s and costs (both personal and financial) associated with each. Make your decision, and have a beautiful wedding!
Filed under Planning Your Wedding by Chris Morton