We believe a Christian Marriage Service is different from a civil ceremony. When a couple chooses a church for their wedding, they are choosing a service above and beyond the legal requirements of a civil marriage. In a civil ceremony, the couple simply promises before a magistrate to enter into a legal contract and to abide by the laws of the state. In a Service of Christian Marriage, a couple promises to God and to each other to live out lives of faithful discipleship by making a lifelong commitment to each other and to God that will be witnessed, blessed, and acknowledged by the community of faith in which they are making their vows.