Are Mormons dissappointed that their non-mormon friends won't be able to attend their wedding?

Question

you won't be able to invite me :(

Answer 1

My husband and I are the only members of the church in our families, and we were married last year. We got to have two ceremonies. The first one is legally recognised and we had that in the chapel, I walked down the aisle with my father and five bridesmaids in front of about 200 people, we did all the usual vows and exchanged rings, and then we had a fantastic reception for everyone in the cultural hall. It was wonderful.

In the evening we went to the London Temple to be sealed. That was wonderful in a whole different way. It was very quiet and private and special and spiritual and amazing. We had only seven people (close church friends) with us and the whole Temple to ourselves.

My family were not at all disappointed at not being able to go into the Temple. It was a bit of a journey (about an hour's drive) and they had had a long day by then. And for me I wouldn't want the church to change the rules to allow non-members to witness Temple weddings. It meant such a lot to us because we understood it, but my family don't even believe in eternal marriage, so for them it would have been meaningless.

*Edit* In the UK we get married in church first because marriages in the Temple are not legally recognised. In the UK a wedding has to take place in a authorised building (so you can't get married outdoors) in the presence of a government registrar. In the US you can be legally married in the Temple, so if you choose to marry elsewhere you are deliberately chosing second best, which is why the church then says you should marry in a classroom, not in the chapel. Over here we don't have that restriction, and most couples marry in the chapel and then go to the Temple in the evening, like we did. The Temple stays open late on Saturdays just for these sealings, which is why we were the only ones there.

Answer 2

If it's in a Mormon Temple, then they won't be able to attend the actual marriage ceremony. If it's in a Mormon Tabernacle or anywhere else for that matter, they can attend. The ceremony takes about 30 - 45 minutes. Afterwards people generally take pictures at the temple. You'd be welcome to wait at the temple for them to come out and then participate in everything else that occurs the rest of the day.

Answer 3

Mormons with many non-Mormon friends sometimes hold the ring exchange ceremony at the reception.

Many countries outside the US don't recognize temple marriages as legally binding so couples will have a civil ceremony in addition to the temple ceremony. As a general rule in the US a couple must wait a year after their civil marriage to get sealed.

Answer 4

yeah! it was a really hard thing for me. My two best friends for over 11 years weren't able to attend, or my aunt, or my grandpa- or most of extended family for the most part. It was really hard for me, and i really wish they could have. Especially my friends becuase they are such a huge part of my life- and i really wanted to share that day with them. But i explained to them, that as much as i wanted them there, i couldn't give up having a marriage that was for an eternity. It was really important to me, that my husband and i be not till death do us part, but that our marriage would be forever. They understood and were very supported. I know they really wanted to be there, but they loved me enough to respect that this meant a lot to me, and if i could have them there i would. They drove 2 hours and waited for me to come out of the temple, and were as happy as could be! we took bridal party pictures (they were bridesmaids) had reception that they were fully participated in, and everything else was just like a normal wedding. I know they wish they could have been there, and i do to- but there are some things that more important, than one moment in time. It hasn't affected our friendship at all.

Answer 5

I was married in the temple and I would not have traded it for the world. Sure, my maid of honor couldn't go into the ceremony. It didn't make her any less of a friend to me. But she understood that there are things that I hold sacred and wished me well. My grandparents also couldn't attend. But they waited outside and were among the happiest people to see me get married in the temple. There were no hurt feelings because everyone understood the situation.

If a person's family truly accepts them for who they are, they will understand their decision is not based on excluding their family, but based on including God and their Savior into their marriage.

Answer 6

Not at all. A wedding day isn't about making everyone else happy. It is about the 2 people who are getting married and how they choose to do so.

gw

Answer 7

The only thing I found not disappointing so much as sad, is one of my old high school friends wasn't worthy to hold a temple recommend and could not attend. He still went to the dinner and reception, but I really missed him in the sealing room.

I really like sunnyannie's answer and vote for her for best answer.

Answer 8

I'm actually really upset about that, because my mom isnt a member and almost all of my friends aren't members.

However, I am going to have a ring ceremony at my local ward and everyone is invited so you can come :). Also everyone is welcomed to the reception as well. :D

Answer 9

When I marry my prince, I will invite you to the reception party ^_^ after the Temple ceremony!!!
But yeah, it is sad that if I marry before my mother converts she can't be in my wedding, nor my best friend (we always used to plan our weddings when we were younger) but that's the way it is! anyways, they are going to be at the reception party ^_^

[edit]: do you know, for some reason this question made me feel kinda sad...

[edit]: Kudzu Heathen, yup! for exaple, for my royal wedding reception everyone will be welcome to bring me and the prince a present from our royal registry :P

Answer 10

Doesn't bother me in the least. And it didn't bother me when I couldn't attend my brother's wedding or my sister's wedding. But I was able to attend their respective receptions. And honestly, I wouldn't have invited you to my reception...much less my wedding.

And in the US we cannot have weddings in the chappel at our buildings. Only in other rooms. I find it interesting that they can have them in the chappel in other countries like England. In the US, we would have to wait 1 year following a civil ceremony outside the temple in order to go there to be sealed to our spouse.