Hello Again!

January is upon us and we continue our wedding season here at the Arsenal Club! Our spirits are high and our outlook bright as we look at the up-coming year! And since we are discussing weddings, I thought that I would discuss a rather sensitive wedding topic; interfaith marriage ceremonies. I will address this article to the parents of the engaged couple.

There are many faiths and beliefs in the world, and sometimes they travel across continents and oceans to arrive on our doorstep in the form of a future son or daughter-in-law. Realizing that our son or daughter has decided to marry a stranger is difficult, understanding that their particular stranger is of another faith can be, well, interesting.

If this should happen to you, do not panic; you are not alone. Try to get as much information possible about the fiancé and their faith. Calmly discuss any concerns with your son or daughter and their fiancé. Many times worries are only that; just worries. Also try to find out if any special arrangements must be made with the wedding ceremony and/or reception. Some faiths require that one of their clergy marry the couple, while other faiths are more open to having any clergy officiate the ceremony. It is possible that two clergy will be needed to marry the couple. Try to have the couple discuss their plans with their chosen clergy as early as possible to help things run more smoothly. Some religions also have particular traditions that must take place during the wedding reception, so plan accordingly. Many couples choose to have a mixture of different traditions from an assortment of religions for their weddings or wedding receptions. Usually couples choose to do this type of wedding reception because they find endearing ideas in different traditions of different faiths.

There are many other aspects to an interfaith marriage, as you can well imagine. Be sure to reach out for support, help and information whenever you feel the need. And do keep in mind, you are not alone!

Until next month -
Greta Chaney