Wedding chapel
Encyclopedia
A wedding chapel is a place, other than a legal court
Court
A court is a form of tribunal, often a governmental institution, with the authority to adjudicate legal disputes between parties and carry out the administration of justice in civil, criminal, and administrative matters in accordance with the rule of law...

, and usually also, other than a church, where couples can get legally married. A church may also be used as a wedding chapel, but churches are usually called that by the marrying
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...

 couple when the ceremony only involves those contracting matrimony. Calling a place of worship a wedding chapel is an unfortunate connotation because it can invoke stereotypes that limit the role of the worship space.

Information

Traditional wedding chapels are usually set in small buildings. Only specially appointed people, such as pastor
Pastor
The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....

s and people who are licensed to carry out marriage ceremonies, can conduct ceremonies at wedding chapels.

Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...

, particularly, is famous for its large number of wedding chapels. Many of the wedding chapels in Las Vegas feature Elvis Presley impersonators.
Perhaps the most famous venue outside of Las Vegas for a wedding chapel is at Mall of America
Mall of America
The Mall of America, also called MOA and the Megamall, is a shopping mall located in Bloomington, Minnesota, a suburb of the Twin Cities, in the United States. It is located southeast of the junction of Interstate 494 and Minnesota State Highway 77, north of the Minnesota River and is across the...

 in Bloomington, Minnesota
Bloomington, Minnesota
Bloomington is the fifth largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota in Hennepin County. Located on the north bank of the Minnesota River above its confluence with the Mississippi River, Bloomington lies at the heart of the southern...

.

Requirements

Wedding chapels across the world must perform their ceremonies under some laws, depending on the region in which they are located. In the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

, for example, wedding chapels must usually require: a marriage license
Marriage license
A marriage license is a document issued, either by a church or state authority, authorizing a couple to marry. The procedure for obtaining a license varies between countries and has changed over time...

 and proof of age of the couple. Requirements for minor
Minor
Minor means "not important", and in Latin "smaller". It may also refer to:* an underage child, see Minor * Academic minor, a secondary focus of a Bachelor's degree, the primary focus being an academic major-Mathematics:...

s to marry vary from state to state.

See also

  • Las Vegas weddings
    Las Vegas weddings
    Las Vegas came to be known as the Marriage Capital of the World due to the ease in acquiring a marriage license and the minimal costs involved. The city continues to be known as a popular wedding destination for the same reasons, but also as a result of the various types of weddings...

  • Same-sex marriage
    Same-sex marriage
    Same-sex marriage is marriage between two persons of the same biological sex or social gender. Supporters of legal recognition for same-sex marriage typically refer to such recognition as marriage equality....

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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