Getting Married in a Church But not Religious? It’s a Trend!

Why some non-religious couples are choosing church weddings

 

ASK AMM: “Can I get married in a church if I’m not religious?”

 

If you’re planning a wedding, you may have wondered if you can have a church wedding even if you’re not religious. After all, churches are beautiful buildings, even if you don’t believe that anything particularly supernatural is going on inside. And they certainly get a lot of practice hosting weddings! 

 

But can you get married in a church if you’re not religious? 

 

The answer is yes – but it depends on the church.

 

Each church makes its own rules about who can hold weddings there. They’ll also have guidelines on who can officiate those weddings. If you have a specific church in mind, you’ll need to contact their office directly (or look online) to ask if they host special events for nonmembers.  

 

Some churches allow couples from outside their membership to rent areas of the building for special events. In these cases, you will also be able to choose your own wedding officiant for the ceremony. Essentially, the church is just another type of wedding venue which you are renting for your event for a set amount of time.

 

But some churches have strict rules about who can marry there. These churches might let couples who belong to a neighboring congregation hold a wedding there, but require a member of their church’s clergy to officiate. They are unlikely to let nonreligious couples use the space for a secular wedding with a private wedding officiant. 

 

In fact, some churches don’t even allow members of their own congregation to marry there, unless they meet strict requirements – like the Mormon Church (LDS). Mormon weddings are notoriously secretive, and are completely off-limits to non-Mormon guests. 

 

Learn more: Mormon Weddings : From Top-Secret Temple Sealings to the Myth of Magic Underwear

 

The takeaway? Some churches will host weddings for nonmembers. If you’d like to have your wedding in a local church where you aren’t a member, we recommend you contact their office directly to ask about event rentals. They’ll be able to tell you which days the church is available (if any), and rental rates for the size and type of celebration you’re dreaming of. 

 

 

(Photo by Hebert Santos / Pexels)

 

Why Have Your Wedding in a Church if You're Not Religious? 

 

But why have a wedding in a church in the first place if you aren’t religious? 

 

This question is coming up more often lately, and it probably has a lot to do with the astronomical cost of renting a large wedding venue. Think about it! 

 

On the one hand, the average cost of a wedding venue was about $12,800 in 2023, out of an average total wedding cost of $35,000. Considering that the average household income in the US that year was $80,610, that’s equivalent to spending nearly 16% of a couple’s yearly income in about 3 hours. (Yikes.)

 

Learn more: How Much Does the Average Wedding Cost?

 

On the other hand, churches typically charge about $500 to $3,000 to host a wedding. That’s still a lot of money, but it’s a heck of a lot less than a commercial wedding venue – and that’s one big reason couple’s are considering church weddings even if they aren’t religious. But it’s not the only reason! 

 

You might choose a church for your wedding if you’re spiritual but not religious, spiritual agnostic, non-denominational, or interfaith, as a way of infusing your ceremony with spiritual aspects without focusing on a single religion. 

 

Ask a friend to officiate your wedding! Interfaith Minister Ordination for Wedding Officiants and Celebrants

 

You might choose a church for accessibility reasons – many churches and places of worship have updated their structures to be ADA compliant, to accommodate diverse families. This means that many churches are equipped with wheelchair ramps, wide aisles, accessible restrooms, and more. 

 

You might choose a church for its beautiful architecture and decor, comfortable seating, or modern A/V equipment. Or to honor family members who do belong to a specific faith or congregation, as a way of paying tribute to them. 

 

As you can see, there are many reasons to consider a church wedding if you aren’t religious. What do you think? Is there a church in your area you’d love to host your ceremony? 

See Our Minister Ordination Package!

---

 

More Wedding Ideas & Inspiration

 

• 5 Great Reasons to Ask a Friend to Officiate Your Wedding
   
• Free Places to Get Married (Don’t Go Into Wedding Debt!)
   
• Need a simple wedding officiant script? We’ve got dozens to choose from!
   
• 10 Unusual & Unique Places to Get Married in the U.S.
   

 

Looking for unique and unusual places to get married? Click the article linked above for some creative ideas. (All aboard for love! Photo: Amtrak)

 

 

---