Church Weddings: A Marriage Ceremony Outline

A church marriage ceremony is still the most popular of all wedding venues today, especially for Christian couples.

The photo above is of my husband, David and me on our wedding day at First Church Of The Nazarene in El Paso, Texas.

I believe that God will bless the marriage of two born-again believers no matter where they choose to marry but there is something very special and sacred about getting married in a church.

Each church is beautiful in its own way and most do not need much decorating at all. Just add some flowers, bows, and candles and most sanctuaries are all set for a wedding.

There are some real advantages to having a church marriage ceremony. The first is that you will be in "God's house" or "The House of the Lord". This will make your parents, grandparents, and minister happy.

Some people still believe you are not truly married unless your wedding takes place in a sanctuary. I disagree but many from the older generation feel that way and you could cause a lot of family trouble by going against the wishes of some of your older relatives. Church and religion are very big deals in families. So discuss this with your parents and grandparents prior to making a decision not to have your wedding in a church.

The next advantage is that you will be indoors. This means you will not have to worry about what to do in case of inclement weather. The church is climate-controlled so you will not have to wonder if your guests are too hot or too cold.

Your dress will not get drenched in a sudden downpour. Your flowers will not wilt out in the hot sun.

Since you are indoors for your ceremony, you can use unity candles and not have to worry about the flames being blown out by the wind.

You don't have to rent chairs or find people to set them up in a church. Pews are nice and dry!

There are so many churches to choose from. From tiny chapels in the woods to giant cathedrals, you are sure to find a church that fits your personal style. Most couples who go to church normally have their wedding at the church they attend. But there is no hard and fast rule.

Some couples go back to the childhood church of either the bride or the groom or get married at one of their parents' churches. Others choose to get married at the church they went to while they attended college. Still others get married in the church where they met. I met my husband at church.

Perhaps you visited a church and you thought that it would be the perfect place for your wedding. For a fee, you can usually rent out the facility for a few hours. Call and check it out if it means that much to you.

Usually if you are a member of the church where you want to get married, you can use the facility for free. However, there are exceptions and some churches have a set fee for everyone for weddings.

Make sure that you reserve the church early, many months to a year in advance to make sure that it is available for your church marriage ceremony. Meet with the pastor or church secretary to see if the church is free on the date you want to get married. Get your wedding date listed on the church calendar as soon as possible.

If the church you want to use is not available, you can either change the time of day, the date, or the church where you will have the ceremony.

Vassar Road Church of the Nazarene Wedding

by Joann
(Poughkeepsie)

My name is Joann and I was married in Poughkeepsie, New York at the Vassar Road Church of the Nazarene. I had my wedding at my cousin's church. There was no alcohol as we had the reception in the church basement and Nazarenes do not allow alcohol. It wouldn't have mattered anyway, as I was pregnant at the time....I did not go to church anywhere and was far from being a good girl! But it was a very nice white wedding and no one knew I was pregnant at the time. Back then, there would have been a lot of trouble. Anyway, I am now helping to plan my granddaughter's wedding which is what brought me to this site. No, she is not pregnant! Yay!

It is nice to know that we started our marriage out in a church, even though we were not Christians at the time. God blessed our marriage and us. Times have changed and we are Christians now and have passed our beliefs on to our children and grandchildren so it has been a rewarding journey.

Sex Before Marriage Is Sin

by Anonymous
(USA)

Dear Juanita,
I found your site while searching for current Christian views on wedding symbols. It is easy to navigate & informative. Well done.

However, I am disappointed that you are a pastor's wife & yet treat the whole issue of sexual sin before marriage as a ‘cultural change.

While I don't doubt the reality of your testimony, your dismissing the change so matter of factly gives the impression that you feel most couples marrying
while fornicating is "normal" and acceptable for Christians. Or maybe you know it's wrong & a sad commentary on the American Church....you don't want to be negative or be seen as intolerant in our society today of everything goes.

I ask you If we Christians don't stand up for what is true, right & the best for us (assuming we both believe God's way is just that), how will we ever
hold off the influence of our ever morally decaying society on our lives & churches, let alone be“ Salt & Light?

Sex Before Marriage Is Sin
by: Juanita

So that everyone knows where I stand, sex outside of marriage is sin. The Bible teaches this. However, the page you are referring to is about wedding customs. Wedding customs have changed a lot and I was merely giving information. Many young women today do not realize how much things have changed.

Our society today, both in the church and out, accepts living together and pregnancies outside of marriage. Many mainstream denominations see nothing wrong with it and will even argue that the Bible does not teach against it. I would like to say they are wrong. They can debate it all day long but God still says it is wrong and He is not going to change His mind, yet they still persist......

Each church that we have been in throughout and the one we are in now has/had unmarried mothers to be and babies born out of wedlock. Couples who are living together and currently practicing adulterers who admit to it are in churches these days, mine included, both past and present. So you cannot ignore it. It is still sin and still wrong but it is there.

This site is not about condemning folks, just letting them know how it has changed. My site gives information on how to create a Christian wedding. So most visitors, in my opinion at least, are already Christians and probably are aware that the Bible condemns sex outside of marriage.

Thank you for your comments.
Juanita

Thank you
by: Anonymous

Anonymous-
Well put

Thank you

Response To Sex Before Marriage Is Sin
by: Anonymous

Yes... actually. The Bible says that when you have sex, that is what marries you to a person... the rest of the marriage tradition is just for our own sake and to replicate the relationship between God (Christ) and the Church.

I understand what you are saying but sex before marriage IS a cultural change. It may not be one that you believe in but it is just that. It is the same situation with cheating on your spouse.

I am a 20 year old bride who was raised in this cultural change and i found my way to God on a long winding path so I have seen much of the cultural change with my own eyes. So, yes I see your point but the author of this site is correct in what she said. Just because she is a pastor's wife does not mean she is blind to the cultural changes in the world.

God bless : )

Bonnie Nicole
*****************
Note to readers by Juanita:

Thank you, Bonnie.

I would like to say that I lived for 34 years before my husband became a pastor and he has not been one now for the past 8 years. Oh, and for those of you who don't know, you experience a whole lot more of the lives of people in sin in the church as a pastor's wife than you do when you are just someone who goes to church. The people who are having problems come to you and dump EVERYTHING in their lives on you and expect you to come up with a solution to fix their problems. I was just amazed with all of the stuff people would tell me! No, the church is not some locked away protected entity. It is a place where real people with real problems go.

I am guilty of that
by: Anonymous

I too am having sin of fornication. But God remind me that if I will not repent of my sin I cannot enter into the Kingdom of God which is in Heaven. I thank the Lord for giving me another chance to change. I believe with all my heart that if I will repent for my sin, turn back what the world is offering me I will certainly be called a Child of God, and I am very happy to tell everyone that I am save..my chains are gone..and God set me FREE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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We are all guilty of sin. The Bible says we are all sinners but the good news is that Jesus came to set us free from sin. All we have to do is ask him and he will forgive us, cleanse us, and give us the power to live the way he wants us to live.--Juanita