Question about Christian Orthodox weddings?

Question

My daughter has just gotten engaged to a wonderful young man.  My daughter was raised LDS (Mormon) and her fiance was raised Roman Catholic.  Her fiance has converted to Orthodoxy, and she's in the process of converting.  I'm not 100% sure what all that entails, since I'm a practicing member of the LDS church.  My question is this:  From what I've studied about the Orthodox marriage ceremony, it's a sacrament (I get that) and that the ceremony lasts for over an hour.  They have both expressed their desire to be married in their Orthodox church, and I support that.  Since most of the guests and family are not Orthodox, I'm concerned that not only will they not "get it," but some may also become a little annoyed with the length of the service, since Western wedding services are usually a 1/2 hour, max.  The bride also has grandparents (my in laws) who are quite elderly and may not even last for an hour long service.  Is there a possibility that they could have a more "civil" ceremony for all their guests, and either before or afterwards, have their marriage blessed by the orthodox priest?  By afterwards, I'm talking a week or so later, or maybe even the next day.  I'd appreciate any information someone familiar with the Christian Orthodox Church can give me.  She says it's the Antiochian Order, if that makes any difference.  Thanks so much in advance.

lawrenceba549 · Accepted Answer

I'll tackle the easy one first: what "order" the church belongs to (Antiochan, Greek, Russian, etc) doesn't matter at all.
The first part of an Orthodox wedding is a betrothal: the couple stands in the doorway to the church (probably in a vestibule) and the priest puts the rings on their fingers three times.  He then leads them to the center of the church, and crowns them three times.  When the marriage is official in the eyes of God, he leads them on their first steps as a couple by walking around a sacramental table three times (everything is done three times in honor of the Trinity).  During all of this time, prayers are said and scripture read.  There is no formal vows as in Western Ceremonies.  I have also WAY oversimplified the procedure.
The average length of a ceremony that I have attended has been about 1 hour 45 minutes.
I would advise against a civil ceremony to be blessed later: the church will not recognize the validity of a civil marriage, and consider the couple as living in sin, and a blessing will be delayed for a long time.
This is a link to the ceremony outline from the Orthodox Church of America:

http://oca.org/questions/sacramentmarriage/orthodox-wedding-ceremony

May God grant them many years!

? · Answer

Services in an Orthodox rite are stunningly beautiful. I can't imagine anyong being annoyed by it. I am not Orthodox. But my sister-in-law married a Greek Orthodox fellow. I was enraptured by the entire service. 

Older family is held in very high regard by members of Eastern churches. There will be oodles of elderly. But still...  If you think they will have an issue, it is better to suggest they skip the service and only attend the reception.

If your daughter is serious about her faith, then please realize suggesting she have a civil ceremony then get a priestly blessing later is like a slap in the face.  This is HER day. Her very special day. Please allow her to have it and be a little less worried about who might not care. If they get bored they can bow out.

FROG E · Answer

The mass could last up to 2 hours....and non Catholics are not invited to participate in the eucharist (communion) which is a sacrament

Zena IC XC NIKA · Answer

HERE IS THE ANTIOCH CHRISTIAN PAGE

THEY WERE FIRST CALLED CHRISTIAN IN ANTIOCH ( ACTS 11.26 ( BIBLE ) 
http://www.antiochian.org/

YOU CAN GO INTO THE ANTIOCH CHURCHES ( IF ONE IS NEAR YOU AND  YOU WILL BE
WELCOME TO ASK ALL THE QUESTIONS YOU  WANT

WE ARE THE ORTHODOX ( RIGHT DOCTRINE ) KATHOLIKOS ( GREEK FIRST UNIVERSAL) 
APOSTOLIC CHURCH .

ANTIOCH ORTHODOX  ( DO NOT HAVE AN INFALLIBLE POPE) BUT A PATRIARCH
AS ABRAHAM

WE DO NOT  HAVE  BREAD FLAKES ( FOR COMMUNION
WE HAVE WINE AND BREAD

OUR PRIESTS MARRY ( BE FRUITFUL AND MULTIPLY)

WE DONT HAVE STATUES IN OUR CHURCHES ( JUST EIKONAS ( ICONS )

WE ARE ALL SAINTS ( IN PHILLIPIANS ( ALL WHO BELIEVE IN JESUS CHRIST ARE SAINTS

WE DO CALL SPECIAL PEOPLE ( SAINTS ) WHEN THEY PASS ( BUT THEY DONT HAVE TO
HAVE 4 MIRACLES ( TO BE A 
SAINT OR ARE SAINT BY THE INFALLIBLE POPE

WE DO NOT ANNUL MARRIAGE ( CAN DIVORCE BUT AS IN ALL FAITHS IT IS NOT RECOMMENDED BUT IF YOU MUST YOU CAN DIVORCE AND REMARRY . IN OUR CHURCHES

MY MARRIAGE CEREMONY IN AN ORTHODOX CHURCH WAS FOR 3 HOURS ( I AM NOT
ANTIOCH ORTHODOX ( AND SOME HAVE SHORTENED THE CEREMONY

WE ARE TO LOVE GOD AND LOVE YOUR FELLOW MAN AND LIFE LIFE AS JESUS TAUGHT

COME AND FOLLOW ME

I AM THE WAY THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE

AND WE BAPTIZE OUR CHILDREN  WHEN THEY ARE BABIES ( IN  BAPTISMAL FONTS
IN DAYS OF OLD

WE FAST AND REPENT ( AND ARE CHRIStiANS

IC XC NIKA
GREEK ORTHODOX KATHOLIKOS ( GR FIRST UNIVERSAL APOSTOLIC CHRISTIANS
OF THE GREEK SEPTUAGINT ( VIA JUDAIC OLD TESTAMENT) GREEK SOLEY NEW TESTAMENT AND ALL ANCIENT GREEK ANCIENT SCRIPTURES

LOVE ALL AS I HAVE LOVED  YOU

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Question about Christian Orthodox weddings?

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