Now going back to my previous blog about my cousin's wedding, and never have been to a civil ceremony I want to dig through what I noticed. Before going to the wedding I had talked to my Nana about how civil ceremonies can have absolutely no religious reference or affiliation at all. Or else it must be stopped and can not continue. Initially I was absolutely shocked by this and will admit that at first I was somewhat upset. My thoughts were how in the world could a wedding be stopped if something like this happened? That is a pretty drastic reaction. What about people who are consider themselves kind of religious? Where do same sex couple fit into to marriage in the UK? Many questions began to swim in my brain, let me tell you! After taking some time to think about it, I realized I needed to think more, and not have such an emotional response. Being a Christian and someone who receives my identity in my faith as opposed to worldly things, and a person who incorporates my faith into all areas of my life, I have honestly never thought about marriage outside of a religious context. As someone whose faith and my belief in God and Jesus Christ is the most important thing to me, I began to think about marriage outside of a religious context. Bare with me here... What I am saying is that I have never really stopped to think about marriage from a civil ceremony standpoint before. I am glad that my cousins beautiful and lovely wedding was the spark that ignited my mental flame.
So with my interest in their civil ceremony I hit the web and did some searching of my own. Here is the official info I got straight from the UK marriage website. Since I assume anyone who actually maybe possibly kinda reads or skims this is American like me, I will share my findings:
Check the website out for yourself @ ---> http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Governmentcitizensandrights/Registeringlifeevents/Marriagesandcivilpartnerships/DG_175715
OR here are some of the highlights I found:
Civil marriages and civil partnerships
A civil marriage ceremony or civil partnership can take place in any register office in England or Wales, or at any venue approved by the local authority. These include stately homes and other prestigious buildings, hotels and restaurants.
You will first need to formally give notice of marriage or notice of civil partnership.
On the day of your marriage or civil partnership, you will need to bring at least two other people who can sign as witnesses.
A civil marriage ceremony cannot have any religious content, but you may be able to arrange for individual touches such as non-religious music and readings to be added to the legal wording, and for the ceremony to be videoed. The register office where you intend to marry will be able to tell you more about the options available.
A Civil Partnership is legally formed by the signing of the civil partnership schedule. Like a civil marriage, this is also non-religious, but couples who wish to arrange for a ceremony should discuss this with the registration officials.
Welsh speaking marriages and civil partnerships
You can marry or form a civil partnership in Welsh in any place in which the Welsh language is commonly used. Both yourselves, your witnesses and the person conducting the marriage should be able to understand what is being said. You don’t have to have given notice in Welsh.
You can marry or form a civil partnership in Welsh in any place in which the Welsh language is commonly used. Both yourselves, your witnesses and the person conducting the marriage should be able to understand what is being said. You don’t have to have given notice in Welsh.
Religious marriages
If you wish to be married in the Church of England or Church in Wales, speak to the vicar of the church in which you wish to marry. There is usually no need to involve your local register office.
If you wish to have a religious ceremony other than in the Church of England or Church in Wales, you should usually:
- first arrange to see the person in charge of marriages at the building
- normally live in the same district as the church or religious building
- give formal notice to the superintendent registrar at your local register office unless one of you is subject to immigration control
You will need to bring at least two other people who can sign as witnesses at your wedding.
Civil partnership
Same-sex couples can have their relationships legally recognised as 'civil partnerships'.
Civil partners must be treated the same as married couples on a wide range of legal matters, including:
- tax, including Inheritance Tax
- employment benefits
- most state and occupational pension benefits
- income-related benefits, tax credits and child support
- their duty to provide reasonable maintenance for their civil partner and any children of the family
- ability to apply for parental responsibility for their civil partner's child
- inheritance of tenancy agreements
- protection from domestic violence
- immigration and nationality purposes
If you want to learn more about a wedding in the Church of England here's the link for that---> http://www.yourchurchwedding.org/
Do I think marriage is supposed to be between a man and a woman? Yes I do. I think marriage is a covenant made by a man and woman before God.
Do I think the government should be able to control who gets married? Heterosexual, homosexual, transgendered, etc? No, I do not. The government should not be able to control such a thing.Do I think benefit and health care policies should only be for a heterosexual couple? No, I don't. Again, the government should not be able to control such things.
I may not agree with gay marriage personally, but that does not mean I do not support, care and love people with different sexual preferences than me. Trust me, I crazy love many people with different sexual preferences than me. I believe we are called to love everyone. If society and people place so much concern and in my opinion "hot air" arguing about these issues, I feel like we just end up not loving people, same sex couples or people that are different than we are. Discrimination is a wicked thing. Loving people who you don't agree with can be hard at times, we all know this. But think about how lovely it would be if we did just that ---> L. O. V. E.
As I listened to what was being said at my cousin's wedding they talked about love, commitment, respect, honor, care, celebration, and many other special things. All things I have heard included in every Christian wedding I have been to, yet this time no mention of God. No prayers, no hymns, no blessing from a pastor. While I did feel it was weird at first to have this government lady (registrar) announcing everything that was going on in such a legal way, I began to really try to focus on what was being said. But after thinking about it, a pastor does something similar talking about the covenant of marriage. I can't even express how lovely, wonderful, happy, enchanting and amazing their wedding was!!! Seriously, it was great, I can't say enough good things. I had the best time!
As a result of this wonderful experience and thinking about these things for a day shy of a full week, I gained so much personal confirmation. I was confirmed in what marriage means to me personally in a big way and what I want to be included in my marriage. This was MY personal realization, through MY observations, and MY heart searching, not because of anyone else. I know every person and every couple entering into marriage is different, but I am so appreciative to experience this different marriage. Even though it is in the future, I very much look forward to my marriage one day down the road. I am genuinely excited, not in some obsessive marriage crazy kind of way, but in its own sweet timing, kind of excited way. Marriage is beautiful and such a gift. I look forward to being a wife one day.
Here is a BEAUTIFUL video I came across awhile back. It is wonderful no matter what you think about marriage. Watch it. It's worth it!! (The article is great too, but if you want to cut to the chase, the video is at the end)
Always feel free to comment on a post! Thanks for reading! Happy thoughts :) You are great!
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