goin' to the chapel

and we're gonna get maaarried.

In deciding where to hold the ceremony, we knew we wanted to get married in a church. We are both people of the Christian faith, and attend church where we live in Michigan. Our current church, which we love, was not an option, as the wedding is in Cleveland Since both of us grew up attending church, it was more a matter of whose church than scouting out beautiful churches in the area.

My mom is finishing up her last year in seminary, and will be ordained in June 2008. In planning our wedding, we talked with my mom about what she would want in regards to officiating. She said that she would prefer to just be the mother of the bride, and would like to be involved in the service, but not the one presiding over it. She is, however, excited about helping out with the design of the service, since we are looking for a real worship service, and worship planning is one of her greatest strengths.

Calvin's family switched churches when he was in college for a variety of reasons, so the church he grew up in was not really an option. That basically left us with two choices- the church I grew up in (and of which I am still a member), or the church his family now attends, which we have attended occasionally.

Conveniently, both churches are beautiful.

St. Peter's Episcopal


Church of the Saviour United Methodist


We ended up going with Church of the Saviour. Growing up, if I wasn't at school or home, I was at church. All the time. The organist will be the same person that accompanied the choir in which I sang in high school, and I remember thinking at various times how long that walk down the aisle would be when I get married. The minister is absolutely awesome, and is also one of my mom's mentors in her ordination process.

(Besides, I used to play hide and go seek in the dark in the church. Best activity EVER.)


Additionally, the family friends with whom I grew up (and consider to be my cousins, as they are more family than any extended family of mine) attend the church, and it is where I reconnect with people when I am in town. Like this week- I went to church on Sunday, saw a friend of mine, which led to getting together with people on Monday, which then led to lunches Tuesday and today.

I've always wondered how people decide on a ceremony site if they are not getting married in a house of worship familiar to the family. If you are getting married, how did you decide where to hold your ceremony?