Nine Reasons to Have a Marriage Blessing
A traditional wedding in a Church includes a blessing in the ceremony, but, as weddings move away from the traditional church venue, many couples are opting for a wedding blessing in addition to the wedding ceremony.
A wedding blessing is not legally binding – instead it is a ceremony designed for couples to express their love and commitment to each other. It can be religious or non-religious and can be held at any venue.
Here are 9 reasons why you might choose a wedding blessing:
1. You eloped to get married and now feel you want to confirm your commitment to each other in front of family and friends.
2. You got married abroad and had to have a small wedding party. A wedding blessing is the perfect opportunity for you to show your commitment to each other and celebrate with your wider family and friends.
3. You decided to marry quite quickly due to certain circumstances, for instance imminent deployment in the forces. You now want time to plan and enjoy a larger ceremony.
4. You are both of different faiths and so come to a compromise of marrying in one church and having a blessing in the other.
5. One of you is a Catholic who has been married before and therefore cannot be married in your Church. You might, therefore, have a civil wedding and then be blessed in the Church.
6. You like the freedom and settings a civil ceremony allows but still want to have a religious aspect to your wedding.
7. You are either atheist or agnostic and don’t want a Church wedding, but you do want some kind of spiritual blessing, for instance from a humanist celebrant.
8. You want an outdoor ceremony at a site that is not registered for weddings. You will have the legal marriage in the Registry office and then the main ceremony will be a blessing at the location of your choice.
9. You want a civil ceremony, but your parents are adamant it should be in a Church – having the blessing in a church is a great compromise. Very often the blessing is either on the same day as the wedding ceremony itself or is the main event after a quiet Registry Office ceremony a day or so earlier. Because it is not a legal part of your marriage, a blessing will often be quite informal and will certainly be meaningful to the couple. You should discuss the format of the blessing with the celebrant well in advance of the ceremony. Wording on your wedding blessing invitations will reflect the less formal approach. We can advise you on appropriate wording As always use your invitations and your order of service as a communication tool to ensure your guests know what to expect on the day.
