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Outdoor Wedding vs Church Wedding?

Hatsumomo7Hatsumomo7
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in Wedding Vows & Ceremony Discussions

How did you ladies choose which one felt more comfortable because I know I am having a hard time deciding. I originally wanted to get married outside but have also been open to getting married at the church we are kind of attending. I believe the pre-marital counseling is a wonderful idea and our church is beautiful, but I haven't been going there very long at all. I grew up going to church every sunday and sort of got burnt out on the idea, I felt God and Jesus could be found anywhere, you didn't have to attend church just to feel fulfilled. Anyway, I'd like to know where some of you are getting married/have gotten married and why you chose a church ceremony or an outdoors ceremony?
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Re: Outdoor Wedding vs Church Wedding?

  • mary9449mary9449
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    For me, it wasn't even an option to get married outside. I grew up Catholic and I'm getting married Catholic. Church is a very important part of my life, growing up and now. I also want it to be a part of my married life as well. Not to mention, if it rains, it doesn't matter because we're inside. I'm having a June wedding in the mid-west, weather isn't certain.
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  • Calypso1977Calypso1977 member
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    same as Mary - outside wasnt an option and we are practicing catholics.
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  • kellya01kellya01
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    We're having a church wedding, with all the pre-marital counseling, etc, and it's inside purely because in July in my area it is TOO hot and humid to have anything outside.  We had considered having a "church style" wedding that was outdoors.  If we were able to go that route, we STILL would have opted to have the premarital counseling, etc, so I don't see that as a major difference.  Just location.  I agree with the notion that it doesn't necessarily have to be inside the church building to be a church wedding -- in my church, as long as you're married by the pastor, and have witnesses who support you both from a religious standpoint as well as a marital one, it's enough to be a church wedding.  No condescension in my church!! :-)  
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  • brianabradbrianabrad
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    We went with a church wedding because FI is Catholic. I'm not baptised Catholic but have been attending church with him for the last year or so. I think outdoor weddings are great and so pretty but since we picked July it would have just been to hot for us and our guest. Weather can play a huge role when planning for an outdoor wedding and it was a variable I didn't want to deal with. If you do go with an outdoor ceremony make sure you have another option in case of rain.
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  • bibliophile2010bibliophile2010 member
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    I'm also Catholic (a convert), so an outdoor wedding wasn't an option. Even if it has been, I would have opted for a church, because that's how I've always imagined my wedding to be -- in a house of worship, before God and my friends and family. Religion has always been very important to me, and I feel that there is importance to being married in a house of God. On top of that, I'm another hot July wedding-girl, so getting married outside was a no-go for me.

    That said, if you really want to get married by the church you are now attending, assuming it is not Catholic, I would talk to them. They may be able to work with you and have one of their pastors marry you at an outdoor location -- the best of both worlds.
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  • Hatsumomo7Hatsumomo7
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    I believe I might, its hard to decide because I dont want to feel hypocrital to get married in a church I have only attended a few times, but I would also love to have a better relationship with God and Jesus. I'm not catholic, but I do feel a pull to decide between a Church wedding and just having it outdoors at our venue.
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  • Audrey&AustinAudrey&Austin member
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    We're doing neither. Since neither of us are religious, it wouldn't make sense for us to get married in a church. And since we wanted to get married in the summer in Texas, outside wasn't much of an option unless we wanted all of our guests to be covered in sweat. So we picked a unique building to hold our ceremony and reception. There are a lot of options other than church or outside.
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  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] member
    First Anniversary 5 Love Its Combo Breaker First Comment
    My H and I are both Catholic. Having a Catholic church wedding was something that was very important to both of us. We also will raise our children in the faith in the future.

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  • fiddle14fiddle14 member
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    I like Audrey's idea... because the weather doesn't always cooperate!  Looking at your info - late October in Ohio can be unseasonably cold or rainy.
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  • Hatsumomo7Hatsumomo7
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    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_ceremony-ideas_outdoor-wedding-vs-church-wedding?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:10Discussion:9d05c91d-d354-492e-936c-df7c7d270d51Post:1097c7db-b3c1-4aa1-9f0a-6a04cf38e97e">Re: Outdoor Wedding vs Church Wedding?</a>:
    [QUOTE]I like Audrey's idea... because the weather doesn't always cooperate!  Looking at your info - late October in Ohio can be unseasonably cold or rainy.
    Posted by fiddle14[/QUOTE]

    It definately is unreliable weather wise in Ohio in the fall lol. I mean it's april right now and we are getting rain/snow mixes with cold weather one day and warm spring weather the next. I am an  easily indecisive person lol so it's really difficult to make this decision but some of the PP's made sense in that they are either religious and making the decision based on the fact that they do go to church often while others are opting for a ceremony thats neither outside or inside. Our problem is that our venue is limited on back up plans. You get the golf course, the porch, or the fireplace inside the lakehouse lodge. I dunno where to put my guests if we have to do it inside because thats where the reception would be D8.
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  • vaughans532vaughans532 member
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    I'm debating on the same thing. I've already had the in a church wedding, so for my 2nd and last wedding, I want it to be everything I've ever dreamed of. Everytime I look at my prince and think of us at the "alter" I see us outside, sun glistening, laid back, romantic wedding. Follow your heart. What do you see when you visualize him standing next to you at the "alter". Good luck!
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  • EnamiEnami member
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    Easy for us, we're different religions and neither of us have a preferred place of worship. So outdoor was great! Now to figure out who will be officiating...
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  • sariecksarieck
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    We are having an outdoor ceremony because nature brings us closest to God.  I attend a Catholic university, although I am Lutheran, and a priest I got to know really well offered to do our premarital counseling for free.  You can still have premarital counseling and do an outdoor ceremony!
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  • Lisa50Lisa50 member
    5 Love Its Combo Breaker First Comment
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_ceremony-ideas_outdoor-wedding-vs-church-wedding?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:10Discussion:9d05c91d-d354-492e-936c-df7c7d270d51Post:281f5496-8e58-46fa-9935-3b8dec013706">Re: Outdoor Wedding vs Church Wedding?</a>:
    [QUOTE]I believe I might, its hard to decide because I dont want to feel hypocrital to get married in a church I have only attended a few times, but I would also love <strong>to have a better relationship with God and Jesus</strong>. I'm not catholic, but I do feel a pull to decide between a Church wedding and <strong>just having it outdoors at our venue.
    </strong>Posted by Hatsumomo7[/QUOTE]

    I believe you can have an outdoor wedding (or at any venue) and which reflects your relationship with God.  Find a minister whose beliefs you share.  Ask him or her to help you create your wedding ceremony.  Have him or her officiate.  Incorporate a religious reading.  Acknowledge the role God will play in the marriage.  Voila!
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  • amyderrahamyderrah
    First Comment
    I'm Christian and a regular church attendee and for me it was no question, outside!  A church is just a beautiful building.  The venue that we found has indoor and outdoor options incase the weather is off, so there's no worries.  It just so happens that my pastor's son just got married at the same venue too.  I also know someone else getting married this summer from my church, they're doing a back yard wedding but have reserved the church as a indoor back up if the weather is bad.  Like I said, a church is just a nice building, go where you're the most comfortable.  
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