Christian marriage is a solemn and public covenant between a man and a woman in the presence of God. In the Episcopal Church it is required that one, at least, of the parties must be a baptized Christian; that the ceremony be attested by at least two witnesses; and that the marriage conform to the laws of the State and the canons of this Church.
                                                                        (from the Book of Common Prayer)

Weddings are wonderful celebrations of God’s great love for us shown in the love and commitment of the bride and groom as they make vows and exchange rings. Wedding traditions and customs span cultures, languages, and even time. Engaged couples and their families often have expectations and ideas about the celebration before they come to the Church. While the reception and other wedding events can be primarily focused on personal expression, the church service is more about the groundedness of a particular couple’s relationship in the universal love of God in Christ. So the Church has its own requirements and customs, and within those constraints, Ascension tries to accommodate couples’ particular ideas for the wedding.

The Ascension clergy team’s greatest priority in working with engaged couples is to build a solid spiritual and relational foundation for marriage. Second, they strive to celebrate weddings in a way that best enables God to touch the lives of everyone present and that creates a joyful celebration of God’s love as manifested in faithful marriage.

Ascension has written guidelines for weddings, and they are available by contacting the Parish office.