Civil Service Weddings Explained

Posted by Nick Niesen on October 27th, 2010

A civil service wedding doesn?t have to include just the couple, an officiant and state provided witnesses anymore. Many states offer the option of a civil service wedding in small conference rooms that can accommodate as many as 50 guests. A civil service wedding is ideal for a couple that wants to be married but doesn?t want to deal with all the hassle and stress of planning an elaborate wedding. A civil service wedding is also an ideal alternative for couples who have different religious backgrounds and want to eliminate religious connotations from their wedding rather than trying to plan a wedding that blends the two religions. Some couples may also opt for an affordable civil service union and use their wedding savings for other options.

Civil service weddings are extremely affordable and convenient. In many states you can plan your entire wedding for you and a small number of guests for under $1000. If you budget correctly this fee could include the use of a decorated wedding suite or chapel, an officiant to perform the ceremony, a notary public who is capable of obtaining and filing your marriage license and even certified copies of your license that can serve as official proof of your marriage. You may also be able to use the suite or chapel for a limited time to host a small reception following the wedding ceremony.

A bride and groom who come from different religious backgrounds may opt for a civil service wedding. While there is an increasing trend in multi-denominational weddings that do an excellent job of creating a ceremony that blends the two religions beautifully there are some people who would rather have their religion not be a part of the ceremony than be compromised in a blended ceremony. While the issue of how a couple intends to deal with their religious differences in their married life is nobody?s business but their own, there are many friends and relatives who would be offended by a wedding ceremony that is not true to their religion. In this situation a couple may choose to have a civil wedding that is devoid of religious connotations in the effort to not offend any family members or friends. Of course the couple should not compromise their beliefs and if they desire a wedding with blended religions then they should go ahead and have their wedding exactly as they had planned. However, if the couple does not feel strongly about having a wedding that blends their religious beliefs then it might be wise to opt for a simple civil service wedding.

Another reason that couples may opt for a civil service wedding is to use their wedding savings for another cause. Although some couples may have saved for over a year to host an elaborate wedding, they may decide that they would prefer to invest their savings in a dream honeymoon or a down payment for a new home or even making a donation to a charitable cause. A couple that spends months or even years saving up for an elaborate wedding may decide in the end that they don?t think wasting their entire savings on a one night wedding extravaganza is such a good idea. If the couple makes this decision before the planning has gone too far they may be able to scrap their wedding plans without too much of a financial loss and choose to have a civil service wedding and use their wedding savings for another purpose.

The connotation of civil service weddings being strictly for couples needing to get married quickly for either citizenship reasons or due to an impending pregnancy is a thing of the past. Couples are beginning to see the value of a civil service wedding and are opting for these simple unions for a variety of reasons. The affordability and convenience that a civil service wedding offers is very appealing to couples who either do not have a large savings or the time required to plan an elaborate wedding. Religious differences also drive many couples to opt for a religious ceremony. Couples who come from vastly different religious backgrounds may opt for a wedding that is devoid of religious elements in order to not offend any of their friends or relatives. Couples may also choose to have a simple and inexpensive civil service wedding so that they can splurge on their honeymoon or on a new home instead.