Someone wrote, "I dreamed of a wedding of elaborate elegance; a church filled with flowers and friends. " If the dreamer lives in this era, he would have a dream of a wedding in a barn or a museum instead.
Couples nowadays forego church weddings and shift to garden, backyard, high-end hotels or courthouse, according to Yahoo News. Since 2008, there is about 50 percent increase in weddings celebrated at the city clerk's Manhattan marriage bureau as noted by New York Times article. The change of desired wedding venues into a simpler one may be classified acceptable, given the unclear economic terrain couples are navigating and the expensive costs of a ceremony and reception.
Melmed's Center research led to the immergence of twelve millennial groups. Melmed noted creativity as one of the characteristics of Millennial young adults. It could be one of the reasons why nontraditional wedding venues are more appealing to young couples who believe that weddings should be a reflection of their personality, interests and taste.
There is also evidence that young couple consider pragmatic or aesthetic concerns when it comes to choice of wedding venues. An increase number of young adults choosing to marry in courthouse than at church is one evidence that something more foundational has moved in the religious landscape.
In 2013, Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) conducted a survey which shows that younger couples prefer secular wedding ceremonies and venues more than the older couples. Only 39 percent of married young adults age 18 to 29 revealed that their wedding ceremonies were held at church and other places of worship administered by a priest or other religious leaders compared to nearly 65 percent of seniors age 65 and older. 37 percent of young adults even admitted that their weddings took place in a secular setting and were administered by a secular officiant, such as a close friend. This made a huge difference considering that only 1 in 5 seniors report getting married the same way.
Three major reasons had risen to answer why church weddings are becoming less common to Millennials. Couples may be convinced to choose secular venues due to the increase number of interreligious marriages and the lack of interfaith worship centers. Secular venues can satisfy their religious needs. Only 45 percent of interfaith marriages took place at church with a religious officiant compared to 66 percent of marriage between couples who share the same faith. Many interfaith couples believe that a secular venue might be the easiest choice since some churches may lack the feasible option to cater the interfaith couple or may object it.
Religious nonaffiliation may also be one of the reasons of a rise in secular weddings. Several religious groups are losing their members every year. Only 36 percent of married unaffiliated Americans got married at church or other place of worship. This number is relatively low compared to the number of married couples who are members of established religious faith.
The secular wedding trend may also be caused by the growing number of unaffiliated person marrying another none believer. In the 1970s, an unaffiliated person has greater chance to marry a religious spouse (63 percent) than someone who also had no religious affiliation (37 percent). Now, almost 59 percent of married unaffiliated Americans claimed that their spouses share their unaffiliated religious status.
Though the rise of secular wedding ceremonies has been rampant today, it doesn't indicate an end to religious worship or belief now nor in succeeding years. Millenials are only choosing secular wedding venues over churches and other house of worships.
