Language Barrier!!

Re: Language Barrier!!

• Jen4948 member

  

  January 2013

  First of all, you've already had your "wedding."  It may not have been in the church, but it was your "wedding."  What you do in the church is a "re-enactment" (or if you're Catholic, perhaps a "convalidation").
  
  As for the vows, I think they need to be understood in both languages-your family needs to hear them in English, and your FI's family needs to hear them in Spanish.  I'd use both languages and have an interpreter on hand.

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• [Deleted User] member

  

  January 2013

  We were going to do something similar because I had relatives fly in from Germany for the wedding. Our guests thought it was really cool that the ceremony was done in German & English.

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• Annikun member

  

  January 2013

  Well, I'm from a different country, but over here it's perfectly valid to get married in a civil ceremony and later have a ceremony in a church where the marriage is blessed, i.e. validated as a religious union as well as a legal one. I don't think it's unreasonable to want to do that, especially if the couple/their families are very religious. Calling it a wedding might be a bit sketchy, but as long as everyone knows what's really going on there, I'd personally say it's fine.

   

  And yes, being a non-English speaker, I'd say go with the bilingual ceremony. His family will appreciate it immensely, it'll add a personal flair to the ceremony, and your husband would probably appreciate it too, deep down. You could consider saying your potential vows to him in Spanish, as well, or a phrase or two of it, if you have any skill. I'm sure it would be a delightful surprise for him.

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• Jen4948 member

  

  January 2013

  In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_customs-traditions_language-barrier?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:36Discussion:a8522795-6ac7-4239-97f2-41bdf9a51bc8Post:5cb58046-9493-46ff-b701-c7ca9080a85f">Re: Language Barrier!!</a>:
  [QUOTE]Well, I'm from a different country, but over here it's perfectly valid to get married in a civil ceremony and later have a ceremony in a church where the marriage is blessed, i.e. validated as a religious union as well as a legal one. I don't think it's unreasonable to want to do that, especially if the couple/their families are very religious. Calling it a wedding might be a bit sketchy, but as long as everyone knows what's really going on there, I'd personally say it's fine.   And yes, being a non-English speaker, I'd say go with the bilingual ceremony. His family will appreciate it immensely, it'll add a personal flair to the ceremony, and your husband would probably appreciate it too, deep down. You could consider saying your potential vows to him in Spanish, as well, or a phrase or two of it, if you have any skill. I'm sure it would be a delightful surprise for him.
  Posted by Annikun[/QUOTE]
  
  In the United States it is unreasonable to have a civil ceremony but still not consider yourself "married" without another ceremony that meets one's personal requirements followed by a big party.  That civil ceremony, if it comes first, IS the wedding.

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