They've seen the wave of the future, grabbed their surfboard, and hopped aboard.

Liturgical marriages are not cheap these days, and many eschew them for that reason--pure costs-- but those who want one will find an Episcopalian church right up their alley.

Someone spending some money on a nice one can not only help to fill the church coffers to ensure the 'building and repair fund' always has enough scratch in it, but it also cuts down on altar decoration costs, as most couples will just leave the flowers behind!

Add to that, if a couple is welcome to be married in their church, odds are good the couple will come back on Sundays, and down the years, bring the kids. They'll be donating to the establishment, too. It's a win-win.

The Catholics have some evolving to do on this score, but I suspect that this new Pope, despite his odd admonitions mixed up with his 'Who am I to judge?' rhetoric, is playing a 'Transition Man' role. He's getting the next generation of his church ready for change, by changing the focus of the church back away from doctrinal matters over, once again, to social justice issues. Quite a few old farts have to die, and quite a few haters need to get correct, too. The Catholic church used to be the church of the Democrats, with nuns helping poor people all over hell....then it became -- almost overnight -- the party of hateful Republicans, screaming all sorts of Thou Shalt Nots and sending their kids to Catholic colleges and universitites.

The day we see a woman pope will be monumental, I don't know if I'll live to see it but it would be cool to see a lady in the Popemobile.

Then, perhaps, Islam can start to evolve...! Female imams! Now that would freak a lot of the old school farts out. Women helping to secure the Holy Places--we're talking earth shattering change. I'll bet it will happen one day, I won't live to see it, but I'll bet it will happen in time.

nor do they charge a fee for a wedding. Sunday flowers are generally provided by the membership "in memory of X" or "thanksgiving for Y."

to so do!

a Roman Catholic and some other person of an undetermined religious provenance at a very beautiful Episcopal church at least a decade ago--it was around the time that the RC chuch was getting all "rules and regs" about stuff, and they, apparently, weren't happy with the specifics of the union, so the bride hauled the whole endeavor over to the Episcopal venue, which was actually a prettier church with a more positive service, better music and more parking.

Neither were Episcopalian, and the officiant didn't care--he was a very agreeable fellow, too; great conversationalist!

We don't marry non-members.

I went a - hunting, and every link I clicked on had that bit I clipped upthread, or similar verbiage. They want one Christian with a baptismal certificate in the union, but otherwise, they're flexible. If you're not a member of the home team, of course, you're opening your wallet. That's only fair, I should think.

The nicer churches will charge a sweet bundle for using the venue, but people who want a pretty church and who are rich will shell out the dough. Some of those churches are very beautiful, especially the seaside ones.

I think this policy is a) Very nice for people of "lapsed" faith, b) Very sensible, and c) Very inclusive of the Episcopalians, actually. They welcome people, they recognize that their churches are beautiful buildings and religious venues that can "handle" people of different views, without the church itself having a fit and feeling aggrieved.

I tip my hat to them, and think that if they're that cool, they might draw people to join them just because they're so nice to people who need/want a nice marriage experience and have no home church at present.

all of them ask for that much of a commitment. Three hours on the low end, to ten on the high end, and you're good!

http://www.stmargarets.org/worship/covenant/requirements/counseling/

You rent it out to day trippers, and maybe they'll like the place and want to hang around.

It's just a building, at the end of the day. I have a neighbor who lives in an old church. It's a nice building.

The sense of community and warmth doesn't come from the brick and mortar, it comes from the assembled people.

And, nowadays, religious institutions are struggling to stay afloat. If day trippers rent out the church and throw down a couple of grand to have their event, then that's money that can be used to fix the roof, repoint the masonry, repair the glass, paint and polish, that doesn't have to come out of other donations that might be used to help the needy.

I think it is a win-win!

two sixty five year olds who have been living together for thirty years, but weren't able to marry until the Supreme Court ruled?

The latter couple needs a half hour, at most--if anything. There comes a point when adults know their own minds!

There are instances that they don't need the council thing.

at least one of the couple had to be Episcopalian.

The Anglican/ Episcopal Church considers itself one of three Catholic Churches, the other two being the Roman Catholic and Orthodox. It's quite possible that the bride whose wedding you attended was allowed to marry in an Episcopal Church where a Baptist might not have been, precisely because RCC sacraments are fully recognized by Piskies.

churches that subscribe to the national rules are down with that.

I think it's a wonderful gesture. It will probably earn them more members over the long haul.

It was not always so.