Woman World Web

August 30th, 2009 by Wendy Racklave

The differences in wedding traditions and customs among nations are based on several reasons. People have various cultures, religions, ethnic groups, and social hierarchies. But in general, these ceremonies that unite two individuals, has only four major types.

The first and most common type is called a religious wedding. People rarely encounter problems with it if the persons to be wed have the same religion. Problems occur when two people have different faiths, and when one party doesn’t want to give up his religion for the sake of the other.

Nowadays, this problem is being solved by most ministries to allow couples to get married even with different religion, though there are still very strict religions that prohibit this. The best thing to do then is to consult with your own Church in order to work out the harmonious union of two parties.

Money can also be a problem with this type since there are a lot of expenses to spend for in this type of wedding. Couples and participants wear gowns and rent choirs and catering services for the wedding.

Civil wedding is the second type of wedding where judges or marriage commissionaires lead the ceremony outside of churches. They are persons appointed by the state for this specific job. Often, there are scripts being read by all participants as the marriage vows are being exchanged. These weddings may be grand or not, depending on the financial capacity of the couple. They may also occur inside or outside the house, but it often happens in courthouses.

The third type is known as military wedding. This ceremony is only for people who serve the military, either as a current officer or a retired one. Depending on the arrangement, they may occur in military chapels or even outdoors. Sometimes, couples walk through the aisle while carrying a sword upon exit.

The fourth type one resembles civil weddings, but it often takes place in non-traditional religions. This is what you call non-traditional weddings. You can have the privilege to be imaginative with how you want your wedding to go about.

Some examples of this type are as follows: double weddings, destination weddings, weekend weddings, and same sex weddings. Double weddings are ceremonies where two couples are wed at the same time. Beach wedding is an example of destination wedding, where couples and guests travel together for the ceremony. Weekend weddings are ceremonies which incorporate weekend activities in the ceremony itself. Same-sex weddings are those which unite persons of the same gender. Some US states have legalized this, though it is strictly not allowed in most countries.