Going to the Chapel!

Next on the list of possible ceremony locations was a church. J and I are certainly spiritual people, but we weren't raised attending church and we don't have any religious affiliations. I've always enjoyed the beautiful language in religious ceremonies and this style would suit us as a traditional couple. The idea of a church wedding became more appealing once logistics and the budget killed my dream of a garden ceremony. Churches can be beautiful, provide an opportunity to join in the traditions of a larger community and a religious ceremony gives your vows the serious and reverent treatment that I think they deserve. The only problem: could we find a church that worked for us?

Right away we decided on the United Church since they support same-sex marriage and have an inclusive and welcoming philosophy. There are two show-stoppers in Vancouver: St Andrew's-Wesley and the Canadian Memorial United Church.  

We discovered the Canadian Memorial Church after attending a friend's wedding there. The Church was commissioned as a memorial to those killed in World War I and II. There are 10 stained glass windows to represent the provinces and others to commemorate different branches of military service. At the front of the church, replicas of the Books of Remembrance are guarded by the angels of justice and peace. If you have a relative who died during these wars, their name is listed here. How amazing is that?!

J and I chose the Canadian Memorial Church for several reasons. We like the minister and feel comfortable having him perform the ceremony. We respect the minister's philosophy and and are intrigued that he combines Christian traditions with modern evolutionary biology. We love the sense of community in this church and are delighted to support the many good works done by its members. And we appreciate that the church is very flexible so that we're able to really personalize our ceremony with decor, music and even the vows and readings.

At the start of this process, I was worried because choosing the ceremony and reception locations are so critical to the feel of the wedding day and I wanted to make sure we could make these decisions without having to compromise or deal with pressure. Well my worries were for nothing! We found exactly what we hoped for and I can relax for a bit before we need to begin selecting other vendors. I would highly recommend that newly engaged couples start planning ASAP, especially if you're wanting to get married at a popular time of year. Booking far in advance will put your mind at ease and save you a lot of stress, and who wants to be stressed at the very start of planning such a major event?