Should You Have a Civil or Religious Ceremony?
by Bridget Mora
Having a civil ceremony does not mean that the wedding cannot still be formal or traditional. If you have always envisioned yourself walking down an aisle in a princess-style gown complete with a cathedral length veil and opulent crystal bridal jewelry, you can still do that and have a civil ceremony. As a matter of fact, there are even some beautiful former churches that are now historical sites for rent. This is a perfect option for a bride who wants all the trappings of a traditional church wedding, but has chosen a civil ceremony. You can have a justice of the peace and your Cinderella moment, complete with fabulous crystal bridal jewelry.
In Europe, it is very common for couples to have both a civil and a religious ceremony. Typically, the civil ceremony is performed first, and is the legally binding one recognized by the government. Then, if a couple chooses, they can follow with a religious ceremony, either on the same day or at a later time. This can be a nice idea for a bride and groom who feel like they need to get married quickly, but would still like to have a big wedding with all of their family and friends. It is frequently seen when one of the partners is about to be deployed with the military, but there are a myriad of other situations for which the dual ceremony would be a good solution (I knew one couple who did it for the health insurance).
The type of ceremony that you and your fiance choose is one of the first important decisions that you will make about your marriage. When the two people have different opinions, it is also a great opportunity to work on that building block of every healthy marriage: compromise. Whether you opt for a traditional religious service or a civil ceremony, the choice will be the right one if the bride and groom make it together.
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