Ceremony Help... :(

jaimelee327

So here's my dilemma.  My fiance and I both grew up catholic with pretty religious families.  Yet neither of us are active in any church and haven't been for years.  Our families would love for us to get married in a church, but I feel its hypocritical to "join" a church for the sake of getting married, knowing I probably won't return.  Any one know of any chapels or non-denominational churches that will allow you just to do the ceremony?  so maybe I can have the best of both worlds.... thoughts??  thanks!!

AmyRI

The First Unitarian Church in Providence lets you rent out the church for ceremonies. You can bring your own minister/reverend, or arrange to have the minister at the church do the ceremony for you. The church is gorgeous.
http://www.firstunitarianprov.org/about/rentals.shtml

I know less about it, but there's a chapel in East Greenwich that does weddings.
http://www.chapelbythesee.com/

KB_RI

I've heard not-great things about Chapel by the Sea because I was looking into that as well before we decided on a venue.

There's also South Ferry Church in Narragansett. It's nondenominational and does not have a current congregation, so you would rent it ($500 when I looked into it last year) and bring in your own minister. www.southferrychurch.org. The Web site doesn't seem to be working so here's a pic.

caralinda1985

I'm pretty sure that you don't have to be a member of a church to get married there.  i think the fee is just higher. 

chantz2387

Not sure where you're from, but Watch Hill chapel is beautiful. Some churches allow you to marry there without being a member. They give you a "non-parishoner" rate. It doesn't hurt to ask if you have a church in mind! That is what we're doing since our reception site is an hour from our hometown church...we found a church close to the reception and are having our ceremony there.

Bucket42

We are in the exact same situation.  We finally decided on Channing Memorial Church in Newport.  It's a Unitarian church, very excepting and really accomodating.  Not sure if Newport is where you are looking but you should definately look into Unitarian as a place that is not so "churchy".

SOUKE

My new husband and I were married by a mutual friend who was ordained online (The Universal Church of Life - or something like that). They are legally recognized by the state & it added a personal touch to our wedding. We also kept God/Lord & all things religious out of our ceremony (readings, songs, etc).