Weddingbee Boards: Forum: Interfaith

Weddingbee Boards: Forum: Interfaith - Recent Topics http://boards.weddingbee.com/ Weddingbee Boards: Forum: Interfaith - Recent Topics en Mon, 23 Nov 2009 05:29:28 +0000 GaBGal on "Interfaith/Multicultural" http://boards.weddingbee.com/topic/interfaithmulticultural#post-419103 Wed, 21 Oct 2009 21:01:22 +0000 GaBGal 419103@http://boards.weddingbee.com/ Hey all! I just went to a wedding last weekend... it was a lot of firsts - my first Jewish wedding, my first Filipino wedding yielding a lot of new traditions. The bride and groom did a great job of organizing the cermony and program and they didn't skimp on much. i wanted to share my most recent blog post <a href="http://crosscountrywed.blogspot.com/2009/10/rabbi-priest-and-pilot-walk-into.html" rel="nofollow">http://crosscountrywed.blogspot.com/2009/10/rabbi-priest-and-pilot-walk-into.html</a> for any of you who are balancing your own interfaith ceremony. FallBrideKate on "Jewish Readings for an Interfaith Ceremony" http://boards.weddingbee.com/topic/jewish-readings-for-an-interfaith-ceremony#post-235039 Mon, 22 Jun 2009 09:07:57 +0000 FallBrideKate 235039@http://boards.weddingbee.com/ My FH is Jewish, although not religious.  I am firmly agnostic.  In order to appease all of our relatives, we are incorporating aspects from both of our backgrounds.   I've been looking around for Jewish readings (other then the 7 Blessings) that we could incorporate into our ceremony.  We are doing three readings, one christian, one jewish and one secular one.   Any ideas would be GREATLY appreciated.  Thank you! lotus on "Jewish/Catholic wedding, anyone?" http://boards.weddingbee.com/topic/jewishcatholic-wedding-anyone#post-144656 Sat, 07 Mar 2009 04:25:46 +0000 lotus 144656@http://boards.weddingbee.com/ Any brides out there planning a Jewish-Catholic wedding?  I'm curious about how this is working out for you. This is my story.     I grew up Catholic and though I am not practicing, I want to include rituals familiar to my family for tradition's sake.  My family members are quite religious.  They know I am not, and have been okay with that for the past 10 years.  My FH comes from a secular Jewish family who celebrate religious holidays at home but are not affiliated with any temple or other religious organization. When we announced the wedding, my parents asked about church.  I told them that I wanted a ceremony that reflected both of us and our families.  His parents also asked about the ceremony.  I mentioned that church or a chapel was a possibility, and this did not go over well at all!  His grandparents said that they would not come to the church ceremony.  His mother pleaded with me to find a secular venue. (side note:  It really saddens me when brides marrying into a Jewish family complain about how inflexible the Jewish side is.  I feel understanding a bit about Jewish history helps with understanding why people react the way they do when church comes up.) They were also a little miffed that my mother went and booked the venue for a Saturday as it sure makes finding a rabbi impossible.  We have plenty of time to change the date, but Saturday is logistically important to me.  If not a Saturday, then a Sunday on a long weekend suits me fine.  I want people to be able to have fun at the reception and not worry about work the next day. I told my mother about all this, and she seems to think that NOT including a church ceremony will 1. offend my parents and grandparents and 2. make it nearly impossible to have the wedding convalidated by the Archbishop as I grew up in an extremely conservative Archdiocese.   She thinks the only acceptable solution is to have two ceremonies.  This doesn't sit too well with me.  I don't like to think of my wedding as two ceremonies in two places with different crowds at each.  I know that multi-day multi-ceremony weddings are the norm in some cultures, but at least that also comes with etiquette and expectations.  I don't want to find out which of my relatives will only come to the Catholic one and not the Jewish one.  I don't want to have a ceremony that doesn't include his parents and grandparents.  It's a celebration of unity, after all. I feel like a secular ceremony on neutral turf incorporating the more universal and inclusive readings and rituals from both faiths (and possibly two receptive officiants) is the way to go.  I feel every bridal resource on the internet is backing me up on this one.   The only thing that is eating away at me is my mother suggesting the secular ceremony is not a compromise, because it suits his secular family more than it suits our religious family.  I don't think she is right, but I don't think she is wrong, either.  spaniel on "Unitarian minister?" http://boards.weddingbee.com/topic/unitarian-minister#post-268582 Mon, 20 Jul 2009 13:26:50 +0000 spaniel 268582@http://boards.weddingbee.com/ Anyone having/had a unitarian minister perform their interfaith ceremony? FI and I are both agnostic (I was raised Jewish but no longer practice/not interested in practicing later, either; he has a Catholic extended family but wasn't raised with any religion at all), but we'd like to pay some respect both of our families without getting a rabbi and a priest (because that just doesn't reflect us at all). Anyway we're thinking of trying to find someone from the UU Church to do the wedding, but not really sure what to expect. Anyone with any experience with this? Or alternative ideas (we don't want to have a friend get ordained; all of the friends we're that close to are already bridesmaids or groomsmen!). DaisyBride on "Yarmulkes at an interfiath wedding, how to say they are optional" http://boards.weddingbee.com/topic/yarmulkes-at-an-interfiath-wedding-how-to-say-they-are-optional#post-282091 Thu, 30 Jul 2009 09:45:22 +0000 DaisyBride 282091@http://boards.weddingbee.com/ We are having an outdoor interfaith ceremony with a Cantor and a Preist.  We are going to have a basket of Yarmulkes there but I don't want anyone to feel pressured to wear one if they aren't comfortable with it.  Would it be weird if I just had a little sign next to the basket that says "Optional" or should I go into more detail with something like "Please feel free to wear a Yarmulke". Does anyone have any other suggestions?? FurtureMrsTal on "This is kind of complicated and I don't know where to post it" http://boards.weddingbee.com/topic/this-is-kind-of-comlicated-and-i-dont-know-where-to-post-it#post-241554 Sat, 27 Jun 2009 14:19:13 +0000 FurtureMrsTal 241554@http://boards.weddingbee.com/ Hey Hive! Recently I've been considering converting to the Jewish faith. I have always found that my beliefs are closer to that of Judaism than my Christian upbringing, however I feared my family's opinion (and possible rejections) so I didn't seriously consider it until now. There are not so many problems as questions that I have and thought that perhaps some fellow bees could advise me or share some personal stories. Obviously the decision to convert will take a lot of thought, research, and time, there is no way that I will become a member of the Jewish faith by the time my wedding rolls around. It's ironic because I know many converts do so because they are marrying someone of the Jewish faith, that isn't the case in my relationship. Both my FI and myself were baptised and raised in the Lutheran church. Something which our families both love. I have talked to my FI about it and he is very supportive, but doesn't wish to join me on my journey, so to say. He will fully support my decision, but he has his own beliefs that align more on the Christian side. I've also talked to my immediate family, they seem fairly open to the idea of my finding a faith that fits me. I'm doing some of the research, books, internet, I'm even in the process of contacting a Rabbi. I'm just wondering if any other bee has had a journey similar to this or knows someone who did? I'm curious as to if I'm doing the right thing? I'm also wondering if I do end up converting, will my marriage be viewed as legal in the Jewish community? Will I need to have another ceremony? Can I incorporate some of the Jewish traditions into my Christian ceremony? I know many of these questions can be presented to the Rabbi if and when the time comes, I'm just curious about them now. Any advice or personal stories would be greatly appreciated. Thanks Hive! PastorPrime on "Creating a Unique Ceremony" http://boards.weddingbee.com/topic/creating-a-unique-ceremony#post-88509 Thu, 02 Oct 2008 15:40:49 +0000 PastorPrime 88509@http://boards.weddingbee.com/ Hi, Tomorrow, 10/3/08 I will perform a Hindu/Christian wedding ceremony.  Both bride and groom are yielding traditional forms and their families support them.  The wedding will be outside at the top of a beautiful hill in Forest Park, St. Louis, MO   I will create a 'sacred fire' for them using a very large shallow hand thrown blue pottery bowl filled with smooth river stones and fresh water.  We will center it with a beautiful candle.  The ceremony will be of my own writing. I've married 668 couples so far in 15 years. During the Seven Steps portion of the ceremony, they will circle the sacred flame and the words of the traditional Hindu wedding will be said in English.  I wil give them an article--a feather for something that is of the wind, a seashell for something from the sea, etc. and they will lay these articles on the rocks at the base of the candle, honring the Earth and the spirit of nature as well as their hopes and dreams for the future. Is it a totally traditional Christian wedding?  No. Is it a Hindu wedding?  No. Is is a pagan wedding?  Definitely not, although it does honor the role of nature in our lives.  What it wil be is a service that is sensitive to the beliefs of both families, combined in a totally original service which honors both families' beliefs.  I hope i can do it well.  This will be my third such marriage ceremony.By the way he is Irish so we'll end it all with an irish blessing. fabulouslyengaged on "Muslim/Catholic Prayer?" http://boards.weddingbee.com/topic/muslimcatholic-prayer#post-251843 Wed, 08 Jul 2009 08:25:50 +0000 fabulouslyengaged 251843@http://boards.weddingbee.com/ My fiance is Muslim and I am Catholic. Does anyone know of any great non denominational prayers that we could say at our wedding? We are having a catholic ceremony.  Thanks! gillis on "pre-marriage Interfaith Talks" http://boards.weddingbee.com/topic/pre-marriage-interfaith-talks#post-242999 Mon, 29 Jun 2009 14:14:43 +0000 gillis 242999@http://boards.weddingbee.com/ Religion is a huge issue. Especially because we want to have children.  My fiance come from a Prodestant family. His mother passes away a few years ago and they were very close. His sister and her hisband and their father are very involved in the church, but my fiance is not and has always had doubts. I come from a Jewsih family who has always allowed me the ability to be a free thinker. And I am. And they love and except him. This has caused problems in our relationship before and we took a long break so we both had time to think about wat was important to us and do some soul searching. Recenty this issue has resurfaced and I don't know what to do? Help.   tag117 on "Interfaith Ceremony" http://boards.weddingbee.com/topic/interfaith-ceremony#post-160869 Fri, 27 Mar 2009 07:31:03 +0000 tag117 160869@http://boards.weddingbee.com/ Anyone having an interfaith wedding ceremony or has already? I'm getting married on August 29th, and I having an interfaith ceremony. I am Jewish and my fiance is Episcopalian.  I have been to many weddings with all different religions, but never to an interfaith one. I'm curious to know how they flow. Although we have been meeting with our Cantor every few weeks to discuss the ceremony details, we won't really know how it will be until our rehearsal when the Priest and her meet for the first time.