BIBLE STUDY TOOLS – Around the world, wedding ceremonies occur in various locations, from church buildings to local parks.
In this post-pandemic time, destination weddings are still popular, and couples choose to invite their guests to a favorite locale, be it tropical or in view of a snow-capped mountain. Nontraditional? You bet. Biblically sanctioned? It depends.
What Do Traditional Christian Weddings Look Like?
Christian wedding customs have varied throughout history and largely depend on the culture where the ceremony occurs.
Time-honored U.S. traditions include pre-wedding bridal showers and then simple or elaborate ceremonies in a church building or chapel.
The celebrations have grown to include groom’s and couples’ showers to honor and equip the man and woman for married life.
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“We are the church, so true believers always get married “in” the church no matter the location of the ceremony.”
As expected, the weddings mentioned in the Bible were Jewish, and without explicit details, we can glean the following:
The father of the groom chose the bride for his son. The betrothal period (Deuteronomy 20:7) lasted up to a year and it was a covenant before consummation.
The groom would make all preparations for the wedding day, and upon his father’s approval, the wedding feast day (which lasted up to seven days) commenced when the groom went for his bride and brought her back to the house he had prepared for them.
Must a Christian Get Married in a Church?
Herein lies the crux of the matter. A marriage between a man and a woman (as created by God), is a covenant, and vows made between the man and the woman are in the sight of God.
Because God instituted marriage, it must conform to His guidelines and purposes.
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As such, a Christian couple is to:
1. Make sure they are equally yoked (2 Corinthians 6:14). Both the man and woman are to be true Christians, that is, people who have surrendered to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior according to the Gospel. And each is to pray about and for the spouse the Lord has for them.
2. Meet and pray with their pastor for marriage counseling so there is a greater understanding of what a Christian marriage entails. Once their pastor approves based on what the Bible says, they can then move forward.
3. Secure a marriage license from the authorities God has placed over us for our protection (Romans 13:1). In the sight of God and men, a man and a woman are joined in holy matrimony. This demonstrates the betrothed are endeavoring to keep themselves from every sort of evil (1 Thessalonians 5:22), which a public declaration of their union in part assures (as far as being wedded under the law).
4. Arrange for a date and a venue for the wedding ceremony to be performed by their pastor (or another Christian officiate). And be very discerning to make sure the pastor provides a biblical wedding ceremony. A solid Bible-teaching pastor will expect this and will probably give the couple a huge “Attaboy” for their care in making sure they are entering a covenant which glorifies the Lord.