Stupid question, I know...

jennaLynn544 · October 24, 2009

I apologize in advance for asking such a silly question but I really don't know much about what exactly an "ordained minister" is and I really want to know...are they ordained ministers of the church? Are there any religious ties? Or can an ordained minister just be anyone who is authorized to marry people? I guess the reason I am asking is because the WC for Beaches Negril said they have an ordained minister perform marriages at their resort and that if I were to want a priest/pastor perform the ceremony we'd have to marry off-site in a church. We are traveling all this way to get married on the beach (w/our guests) so I don't want to have it in a church, otherwise we could have just gotten married here at home. But I am really interested in having religious references made in our ceremony script...can an 'ordained minister' rightfully do this? If not, would I be ridiculous to ask this of an ordained minister? I know this all probably makes me sound really dumb but I just honestly do not know...

punkie569 · October 25, 2009

I don't think it's a silly question at all. I think if you get an ordained minister you can have it be religious or not. In order to marry someone you have to be ordained but I don't think it matters what is said because they can be of different religons. So if you want certain religious things included then you should tell them that is what you want. I'm sure they will read whatever you ask of them. Doesn't hurt to ask, right? Maybe they use this minister because not all brides are religious so they don't always need a priest/pastor? Good luck!

bholthof · October 26, 2009

Ask the resort what types of weddings thier minister performs - I think the confusion might be that people who want specific religious ceremonies (ie. Catholic) HAVE to be married in a church.

I, for example, am doing a religious ceremony, but my specific denomination doesn't care WHERE you get married, as long as you are being married before God.

So check with your resort. But they should be able to accommodate you.