Planning an inter-religious wedding? Get tips below on how to plan a successful inter-religious wedding! Interfaith marriages — those between a bride and groom of different faiths and belief systems — are not uncommon. In fact, the number of such unions are growing more common in recent years. Overall, about 43% of all marriages in the U.S. are between husbands and wives of different religions, and that number is even higher among Jewish Americans, who marry someone of another faith about 47% of the time.
Are you planning an interfaith wedding ceremony? If you are, there are some helpful tips to help you plan a wedding that is seamless and beautiful, no matter what faith you and your fiancé happen to be. Here’s how to make it open and inviting to your family and guests of all belief systems.
Pick a Religiously Neutral Wedding Venue
Begin by selecting a venue that’s equally comfortable and inviting to all your guests. Instead of choosing a church, temple, or mosque, opt for “neutral territory” by selecting something like a NYC charter yacht for your wedding ceremony. This venue offers additional benefits, too: you can hold the reception in the same neutral location, and your charter yacht service can help you create a wedding reception menu that adheres to the special dietary restrictions of all your family and guests.
Make Sure All Parties Involved are Fully Informed
Your wedding should be a time of joy; a time when everyone comes together to celebrate this union and offer their support and encouragement. At the same time, telling Mom and Dad or Aunt Suzie that you’re marrying outside your family’s faith is difficult. But this is best done well before the wedding, so that any negatives can be addressed and remedied before the Big Day. Saving the news until the wedding ceremony might backfire, turning your day of bliss into something negative. Go ahead and get the objections out of the way so that your wedding can be everything you imagine.
Consider Pre-Marital Counseling
One way to help calm the worries of any of your family and friends who object is to submit to premarital counseling. Many officiants who perform wedding ceremonies offer or insist that all couples go through premarital counseling. Select an officiant who is open to interfaith marriages, and go through the necessary counseling sessions. In addition to calming the worries of your loved ones, premarital counseling might improve the chances of having a successful marriage by as much as 50%.
Select Vows & Ceremony Rituals That are In Line With Both Religions
Many couples write their own vows. Others use the traditional vows and ceremony rituals common to their faith. When blending couples of different faiths, this might be challenging. Work with your counselor and/or your wedding officiant to create vows that aren’t offensive to either religious group. The same goes for other elements of the wedding ceremony. Make sure traditions like candle lighting ceremonies, ring exchanges, and other rituals are done in a way that’s acceptable and inoffensive to all religious groups involved. Absolutely include any rituals and traditions you find endearing! That’s what makes any wedding ceremony special to the couple and their loving guests.
Plan a Reception Menu That Accommodates Guests of Both Religions
Finally, prepare a reception menu that accommodates all religious dietary requirements. For Jewish and Muslim families, this may include a menu that steers clear of pork. If you marry during special times, such as Lent or Ramadan, you might need to alter the menu to avoid fish or so that guests eat after sundown. If you have Hindu family or guests (or any religious group who avoids meat), make sure they can make a full meal out of the vegetarian dishes provided.
You can do this! By taking the right steps before the wedding day, you can pull off a fabulous wedding that is open and inclusive to all. We can help. Visit the Yachts for All Seasons website to begin planning your interfaith NYC wedding aboard one of our fabulous charter yachts today!
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