Question about Christian Orthodox weddings?

Here's a page on the Antiochian Orthodox website (www.antiochian.org) which offers a link to a customizable wedding brochure. The brochure gives an explanation of the parts of the service, so people from other traditions can "get it." Everything is done for a reason. (Since they are in the Antiochian Archdiocese, they may know about the brochure already.) But you can download it in advance and read it through, and share it with others. If you and others read it in advance, you can pay attention to the service itself, rather than read while it's going on. The hymns are beautiful, and you should pay attention to the words, which are really the point.

Congratulations on your daughter's wedding. May God grant them Many Years!

Orthodox Christian Wedding

I got married in the Catholic church and we have similar ceremonies, especially the length. My husband and I both have families who are not Catholic. I made my program as detailed as possible so that people could follow along and understand all the symbolism.

If they are able to have a full Orthodox ceremony, please dont try and convince them to simply have a validation (the blessing) later. Its like saying we dont wish to have everyone participate in witnessing your sacrament, and it would be like telling your daughter not to be sealed in the temple because her non-LDS relatives cant go. Our wedding ceremonies are deeply spiritual and sacred as are those in the temple and for us it is just out of the question to forgo it to make other people feel better about it. The church ceremony is the literal sealing of the couple together with God and for religious orthodox (and Catholic) there is no other way to begin a marriage.

The wedding is for the bride and groom and you should not try to change the ceremony. This is their day. Anyone who needs to sit, can sit and anyone not wanting to take part in the ceremony need not attend and can give their well wishes at the reception

Sorry, but your question really has me chuckling. You see, my mother's sister is LDS as are her children. When I asked asked to be a bridemaid for my cousin, I had to make an ugly bridesmaid dress and wasn't able to attend the ceremony, just the reception. We asked my cousin to have a "civil" ceremony so the family, including grandparents, could see her get married. They flat out refused. You're concerned that people will not "get it" with an hour long service, but you don't realize that some people don't "get it" when they can't attend the ceremony.

In the end, we respected my cousin's decision, just as you should for your daughter. If you're LDS, then you have no trouble sitting through a church service that lasts an hour or more. And the grandparents probably have no trouble sitting through a church service either.

Stop showing your disappointment that your daughter has chosen to change her faith. Support her and stop making an issue of the length of the service.

There is never a dull moment in an Orthodox wedding, which is actually two different ceremonies back-to-back: The Service of Betrothal, and the Services of Crowning (the actual wedding). No, you can't cut one out.

The scripture reading is especially important, since it outlines the roles of the spouses together and individually. Some will focus on a few words that they <try> to make sound like the man is to dominate the woman, and so hate the Bible all the more. But in truth, the couple is to submit to each other, as the first part of the reading states. The bulk of the reading is directed toward the husband, who (apparently being thick-headed) has to be told over and over to love his wife. Paul was no misogynist, if you read the whole passage.

There will likely be pews or seats. If someone can't stand (there are significant portions where the congregation does stand), then remaining seated is OK. No harm is done. Now, if you're just an impatient adult, suck it up and stand when expected.

Blessings.

/Orthodox

I am sure that if they intend to marry in the Orthodox (no need to say Christian Orthodox - that's redundant) then they want to get married there, not at the courthouse and just have the marriage blessed afterward. In fact, I'd go out on a limb and say they most expressly DO NOT want to do that. The marriage is the sacrament, in their church, not a blessing to be done afterward.

I am CERTAIN that any elderly guest will be able to sit through an hour long service - I am sure most sit through movies or TV shows that are that long - So please refrain from being disengenuous about why you don't think they should have an Orthodox ceremony. Furthermore, if any of these elderly guests are Mormons too, you'd think they'd be used to sitting in churches for a long time.

Why don't you do some research on the web and look for examples of Orthodox ceremonies - I am sure you will find that they aren't all that different than any other church service. They probably have a few more traditions that will take some extra time, but in the long run, what is one hour of your life if your daughter believes and wants this as her wedding.