The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, widely known as the Mormon church, is tweaking its rules about weddings to accommodate couples whose family and friends are not members of the church.
Nonmembers are still banned from attending wedding ceremonies inside a Mormon temple. However, the change would open the door for couples to hold civil ceremonies right before temple services, meaning non-Mormons can watch couples exchange vows, walk down the aisle and participate in a number of other traditional American wedding customs.
The change, announced Monday, eases strict rules that essentially excluded non-Mormons from most of the formal aspects of a couple’s wedding day and caused tension and grief for some U.S. families with mixed-religious affiliations.
“We anticipate that this change will provide more opportunities for families to come together in love and unity during the special time of marriage and sealing of a man and woman,” the church’s First Presidency, its highest governing body, wrote in a letter.
A couple poses outside the Salt Lake City temple in Utah. (Photo: jhack via Getty Images)
Temple wedding ceremonies are important to Latter-day Saints because their faith teaches that people who are only civilly married have no claim on each other in the afterlife. Church doctrine states that temple wedding ceremonies allow relationships to continue after death. On their wedding day, couples are “sealed” in a church temple for this life and all eternity.
To participate in ceremonies at a temple, members need to have an active “temple recommend,” a card that shows they are deemed worthy of entering the sacred space. People seeking temple recommends must be interviewed by local church leaders and demonstrate that they are abiding by key church teachings.
Since the temple ceremony is the most important part of a couple’s wedding day, it’s considered inappropriate to exchange vows after already having been married in the temple. The church advises couples to make sure that receptions that occur after weddings are “simple” and don’t resemble an actual wedding ceremony. According to the church’s Handbook, that means no extravagant decorations or wedding marches down the aisle. Photos are also not permitted inside temples.
Due to all of these restrictions, full-blown civil weddings ceremonies need to take place before a temple sealing.
However, to encourage members to center their wedding festivities around temples, the church also had a policy dictating that members in the U.S. needed to wait a full year between a civil wedding and a temple sealing, making it impossible to have two formal ceremonies on the same day. As a result, many U.S. couples in the church decided to forego a civil wedding ceremony altogether.
A couple poses for a photograph with members of their wedding party on Sept. 27, 2014, after their wedding ceremony inside the Salt Lake Temple in Salt Lake City. (Photo: Robert Alexander via Getty Images)
The church’s rules created issues for converts in the U.S. whose family and friends are not part of the church, made more complicated by the one-year waiting requirement.
Fiona Givens, a convert, told the Salt Lake Tribune that her mother was “overcome with grief” upon learning she couldn’t attend Givens’ wedding ceremony.
“I was her only daughter and she had spent years anticipating the festive occasion, having even picked out the church in which I was to be married,” Givens said.
Aubri Alvarez, another convert, told The Associated Press that she was sealed in the Albuquerque temple ― while her evangelical Christian mother cried outside.
“My parents also love God and are very nice people and they couldn’t see their daughter get married,” Alvarez said. “You really had to choose between the church and your family.”
A newlywed couple poses for photographs with family members and friends after their wedding ceremony in Salt Lake City on Sept. 27, 2014. (Photo: Robert Alexander via Getty Images)
The old rules even caused conflict within predominantly Latter-day Saint families if a relative was unable to get a temple recommend and was therefore left out of the ceremony. Scholars estimate that less than half of Latter-day Saints have temple recommends.
Additionally, the church’s one-year waiting policy in the U.S. wasn’t in effect everywhere. Since some nations have not licensed the church to perform weddings, Latter-day Saints in those countries are required by law to get a civil marriage before having a temple ceremony. In those countries, Latter-day Saints have already been able to have two formal ceremonies on the same day.
Now U.S. members will be able to do the same. “The new policy sets a single global standard for Latter-day Saints around the world,” the church said in a statement.
The First Presidency emphasized that the change should not be interpreted as “lessening the emphasis” on temple sealings. It encouraged church leaders to help couples keep the sealing as the “central focus” of the wedding day.
As of this week, non-Mormons will still have to wait outside temples while their loved ones’ religious ceremonies take place inside. Still, the tweaked rules mean that these non-Mormon relatives and friends would still be able to attend the couple’s civil ceremony earlier in the day.
Writer and religion scholar Jana Riess said that the old policy created “heartbreaking situations” for many church members.
“Now, hopefully, stories of exclusion from what should be a joyous event will be a thing of the past,” Riess wrote for Religion News Service.
FILE- In this April 27, 2006, file photo, the sun sets behind the Mormon Temple, the centerpiece of Temple Square, in Salt Lake City. The annual spring ritual of bank shareholder meetings is starting this week, and two major banks, San Francisco-based Wells Fargo and New York-based Goldman Sachs , are decamping from their hometown cities to Utah's capital. This is the first time that either has pulled up stakes for Salt LakeCity. (AP Photo/Douglas C. Pizac)
This Jan. 22, 2013 photo shows the Salt Lake Temple, at Temple Square, in Salt Lake City. Mormon church officials and Boy Scout leaders in Utah applauded the Boy Scouts of America for putting off a decision Wednesday on lifting its ban on gay members and leaders. The policy under consideration would let troop sponsors make their own decisions about leaders and youth members. Boy Scouts of America "acted wisely in delaying its decision until all voices can be heard on this important moral issue," said Michael Purdy, spokesman for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The church will continue to closely monitor the proposed policy change, Purdy said. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)
The Salt lake Temple is shown Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2013, in Salt Lake City. Utahs most-visited landmark, the granite-towered Temple Square invokes the mystery of Mormonism. The 35-acre square is the worldwide headquarters of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and features the churchs sacred temple, one of the worlds largest genealogy libraries and spectacular gardens. The square is open every day of the year from 9 a.m. - 9 p.m., and free tours are available in 30 different languages. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)
Missionaries Sister Khanitta Puttapong, center left, and Sister Christina Wong, center right, talk to Casey Ahlstrom, left, and Jason Mondon in Temple Square during the 182nd Semiannual General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City on Sunday, Oct, 7, 2012. (AP Photo/The Salt Lake Tribune, Kim Raff)
This Saturday, Oct. 6, 2012 photo shows the LDS Temple before the start of the afternoon session of the 182nd Semiannual General Conference for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/The Salt Lake Tribune, Scott Sommerdorf)
FILE - This undated file photo shows the Salt Lake Temple in Temple Square, Salt Lake City, Utah. Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney is starting to open up a bit more about his lifelong commitment to Mormonism and lay leadership in the church, heeding pleas from backers who hope it could help him overcome his struggles to connect with voters. (AP Photo, File)
FILE - In this April 1, 1998 file photo, a statue of Mormon pioneer leader Brigham Young stands in front of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' Temple in Salt Lake City. Latter-day Saints are anxious about whats ahead. Republican Mitt Romney is about to become the first Mormon nominee for U.S. president on a major party ticket, giving Mormons a chance like no other to explain their tradition to the public. But the churchs many critics will have a bigger platform, too. And the vetting will take place amid the emotion of what observers expect will be a nasty general election. (AP Photo/Douglas C. Pizac, File)
This undated photo released by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints shows a sealing room at the new multimillion-dollar Mormon temple in Kansas City, Mo. The temple will largely serve about 25,000 members in the Kansas City area and about 100,000 members in Kansas and Missouri. The only other Mormon temple in Missouri is in St. Louis. (AP Photo/The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)
This undated photo released by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints shows an ordinance room at the new multimillion-dollar Mormon temple in Kansas City, Mo. The temple will largely serve about 25,000 members in the Kansas City area and about 100,000 members in Kansas and Missouri. The only other Mormon temple in Missouri is in St. Louis. (AP Photo/The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)
This undated photo released by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints shows an ordinance room at the new multimillion-dollar Mormon temple in Kansas City, Mo. The temple will largely serve about 25,000 members in the Kansas City area and about 100,000 members in Kansas and Missouri. The only other Mormon temple in Missouri is in St. Louis. (AP Photo/The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)
This undated photo released by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints shows the baptismal font at the new multimillion-dollar Mormon temple in Kansas City, Mo. The temple will largely serve about 25,000 members in the Kansas City area and about 100,000 members in Kansas and Missouri. The only other Mormon temple in Missouri is in St. Louis. (AP Photo/The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)
The Mormon temple is lit as night falls in Colonia Juarez, in Mexico's Chihuahua state, Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012. Several descendants of U.S. Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney's grandfather's brother live in this town.(AP Photo/Dario Lopez-Mills)
FILE - In this April 20, 2005 file photo, a statue by Dennis Smith representing womanhood with children stands in view of the Mormon Temple, rear, in Salt Lake City. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has struggled for acceptance ever since its founder, Joseph Smith, said in the 19th century that God told him to restore the true Christian church by revising parts of the Bible and adding the Book of Mormon as a sacred text. (AP Photo/Douglas C. Pizac, File)
Outside the Washington, D.C. temple, located in Kensington, Md. Clarification: Language has been added to note the temple's location.
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - MARCH 31: The Mormon Tabernacle Choir sings as Mormons gather in the Salt Lake Mormon Temple for the 177th Annual General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints March 31, 2007 in Salt Lake City, Utah. During the General Conference the historic restored Tabernacle on Temple Square will be rededicated. (Photo by George Frey/Getty Images)
The Mormon Temple, Chorley, United Kingdom, Architect Building Design Partnership, 1998, The Mormon Temple View From Walkway Below Church (Photo By View Pictures/UIG via Getty Images)
Assembly Hall of Mormon Temple, UT
North America, United States of America, California, San Diego
Oakland, California Temple, the 15th temple built by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
A view of the exterior of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints temple April 21, 2001 in San Diego, CA. The church will soon be one of seven in California, as construction begins on three new Mormon temples in Sacramento, Newport Beach, and Redlands, which makes California second only to Utah in the number of LDS temples. Entry into the temples is restricted to faithful Latter-day Saints Mormons who have been baptized in the LDS church, confirmed, and received a 'temple recommend.' All men must have been ordained to the Melchizadek Priesthood. The church's second largest temple is location in Los Angeles. (Photo by David McNew/Newsmakers)
Maryland, United States, North America
SALT LAKE CITY, UNITED STATES: Downtown Salt Lake City is bathed in the evening sunlight as an Olympic sports banner drapes the 26 story Mormon church office building with the mormon temple in the center during the evening of 23 January, 2002. The 2002 Winter Olympics will open in Salt Lake City in a little more than two weeks. AFP PHOTO/ George Frey (Photo credit should read GEORGE FREY/AFP/Getty Images)
Jason Fitz and Frank Schwab join forces to recap the draft in the best way they know how: letter grades! Fitz and Frank discuss all 32 teams division by division as they give a snapshot of how fans should be feeling heading into the 2024 season. The duo have key debates on the Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, New Orleans Saints, Los Angeles Rams, New England Patriots, Las Vegas Raiders and more.
This year’s Berkshire Hathaway annual shareholder meeting marked a new era for the Oracle of Omaha, Warren Buffett. It’s the investing legend’s first without his right-hand man, Charlie Munger.
The first electric vehicle I ever drove was a Tesla Roadster in 2011. It was with great anticipation that I slid behind the wheel of the 2025 Acura ZDX Type S. Sure, it's a midsize SUV, but it wears the Type S moniker, a name reserved only for the most fun-to-drive in the Acura stable. On launch, the ZDX will be available in A-Spec and Type S trims -- both of which come equipped with a 102 kWh battery.
There haven't been many punters drafted in the fourth round or higher like Tory Taylor just was. Chicago's No. 1 overall pick welcomed him in unique fashion.
