This post is going to be the first in a series that will explain some things that may be a little different at our wedding. The series will be called "What to Expect" and will cover various aspects that you will notice at our wedding and help you get to know the reasoning behind our decisions and maybe you will even learn a little bit about us! To begin the series we will start with Religion.
When getting married, one of the important discussions you need to have, if you have not already discussed it, is religion. This is important not only to determine important factors and requirements for your ceremony but also so you and your partner will know where you each stand on the subject and give you a basis on how you will live as a married couple.
When getting married, one of the important discussions you need to have, if you have not already discussed it, is religion. This is important not only to determine important factors and requirements for your ceremony but also so you and your partner will know where you each stand on the subject and give you a basis on how you will live as a married couple.
Background:
Where I am coming from: I was raised a Catholic but have discontinued attending church after my confirmation. I never really felt a strong bond to "church," to me it was always just the reason you got up early on a Sunday and had to pay attention to if it was time to kneel, sit or stand. I had gone to religion class for years, took the tests, heard the stories (sadly most of which I don't remember well), but it was all a means to an end. That being said, I do believe in God, I do pray in my own way opposed to using pre-written prayers and in my opinion I am a good person that I feel God would be proud of...most of the time.
Where I am coming from: I was raised a Catholic but have discontinued attending church after my confirmation. I never really felt a strong bond to "church," to me it was always just the reason you got up early on a Sunday and had to pay attention to if it was time to kneel, sit or stand. I had gone to religion class for years, took the tests, heard the stories (sadly most of which I don't remember well), but it was all a means to an end. That being said, I do believe in God, I do pray in my own way opposed to using pre-written prayers and in my opinion I am a good person that I feel God would be proud of...most of the time.
Where Dusty is coming from: Even in my early childhood, while I didn't really go to church, I struggled with heaven and hell and how I could get in one and avoid the other. In my early teens, I came to believe that God was real, had my “born again”, saved experience and began attending a Southern Baptist church several times a week. I spent the rest of my teens immersed in church and vowed to be a youth minister myself. Upon graduating High School and attending Bible College, I found that many of my beliefs didn't really match up with the religion I belonged to. As time went on, I found myself growing further and further into opposition with many of my friends and family on many of the big issues. These days, I still believe in and love God and have a personal relationship with him; but my “church” is more likely to be me alone with Him in my apartment instead of inside a building.
What to Expect:
As you can see above, while neither Dusty nor I are church goers we do each have a relationship with God. When planning our wedding neither of us imagined a church as the place that we wanted to officially become a family. We looked through some options and determined that we would find an officiant (the technical term for the person that marries you) who could provide us a ceremony that suited us. We wanted a ceremony that would not require our guests to sit through a sermon but rather focus on the reason for the gathering, that two people were blessed enough to find their soul mates and even outside of a church we truly believe He will be proud of us. I don't know word for word what will be said in our wedding, but I know it will focus on the two people who God created and their love for each other and it will be perfect for us. We know there will be people who are disappointed in our decision, (some have already voiced their feelings), and while we respect everyone's belief system, their traditions and their views on marriage, this is how we want it and we know it will be perfect.
What to Expect:
As you can see above, while neither Dusty nor I are church goers we do each have a relationship with God. When planning our wedding neither of us imagined a church as the place that we wanted to officially become a family. We looked through some options and determined that we would find an officiant (the technical term for the person that marries you) who could provide us a ceremony that suited us. We wanted a ceremony that would not require our guests to sit through a sermon but rather focus on the reason for the gathering, that two people were blessed enough to find their soul mates and even outside of a church we truly believe He will be proud of us. I don't know word for word what will be said in our wedding, but I know it will focus on the two people who God created and their love for each other and it will be perfect for us. We know there will be people who are disappointed in our decision, (some have already voiced their feelings), and while we respect everyone's belief system, their traditions and their views on marriage, this is how we want it and we know it will be perfect.
