Need Religious Wedding Advice. We Want To Get Married in A Courthouse.
My fiance is in the military and will be deployed in June. We want to get married in a courthouse before he deploys then have the traditional church wedding and reception with our Christian families when he returns. How or even SHOULD we go about this? (We can’t afford a wedding before he leaves but could save a lot of money if we were married for when he gets back). It isn’t about the money, but it just seems silly to not use the money the military is willing to give to married couples!
Wedding Queen
First, let me take this opportunity to say thank you for your sacrifices and protection of our country on behalf of Top Wedding Sites, Inc.
No matter where you get married, once you’re married there would be no need for another ceremony (you’re already married!), so make sure you plan the wedding you want. If you want to be married before your love deploys, that’s understandable. Try to plan the wedding in the church, since it seems like that’s the sort of wedding you really want. Since money and time is an issue, you can host a reception at a later date when your husband will be back home (if you think that will happen within a year or so from the wedding) and/or host a small reception after the wedding, one that fits your budget and time constraints.
Another alternative is to be married at the courthouse and then have your marriage sanctified by your church; a blessing of the marriage or, if a Catholic Church, a Convalidation ceremony. Neither of those are considered weddings though, so no dress or bridal parties, etc.
Etiquette Now
I agree. Please be careful with your planning because these types of weddings are viewed very negatively for obvious reasons. They are “pretend weddings” as the couple is already married. So, it is best to go the route the Wedding Queen has mentioned.
Guy’s Opinion
If you marry in a church you are married in the eyes of God and are legally bound in the eyes of society. If you marry in the courthouse you are only married legally in the eyes of society. Both are legal and valid. If you believe in God get married in a church. If not get married in the courthouse.