Are destination weddings only civil or can they be religious?

Question

I was just wondering if when having a beach resort destination wedding are they only civil ceremonies or can they be religious weddings........just wondering because I was sure if since its not at a church it might not be a religious wedding..........thnx in advance!!!

Answer 1

That all depends on your religion.  The only way to be sure is to ask your priest, rabbi or other religious authority.

I had friends who were Catholic and wanted their marriage to be recognized by the church.  However, in the Catholic religion, a marriage is not recognized in the church unless it takes place in the church.  This crushed them because they had chosen a beautiful outdoor location for their wedding.

They were really close with the priest who they wanted to perform the ceremony.  He suggested to them that they have their rehearsal at the church the night before the wedding.  In the eyes of the church, they were married at their rehearsal.  The priest then said he would perform a "blessing" for their outdoor ceremony.  It worked out very well for them.

My cousin is also Catholic and wanted a beach wedding.  She found a small church right on the water (on the shore of Cape Cod) and ended up getting married there.