Life passages As a participant Anglican / Episcopal 8 min read

Anglican wedding as a participant

What an engaged couple typically prepares for and experiences at an Anglican or Episcopal wedding, across The Episcopal Church and the Anglican Church in North America.

01 Before you decide on a date

An Anglican or Episcopal wedding is celebrated according to the Book of Common Prayer marriage rite. The Episcopal Church (TEC) uses the 1979 BCP; the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA), formed in 2009, uses the 2019 BCP. Both rites share substantial language and structure with one another and with the long Anglican wedding tradition; they differ in specifics that are pastorally important.

Before a date is set, the engaged couple typically meets first with the priest or rector at the parish where the wedding will take place. Most TEC and ACNA parishes expect a lead-time of four to six months between the first meeting and the wedding date.

02 Premarital preparation

Premarital preparation in Anglican and Episcopal practice is typically a series of meetings with the priest, often four to six sessions. The priest may use a structured inventory such as Prepare/Enrich to organize the conversations; some parishes also offer a structured premarital course or weekend retreat. The conversations cover communication, family of origin, finances, sexuality, the spiritual life of the marriage, and the Anglican understanding of marriage as a sacramental rite.

The specific form of premarital preparation is set by the priest or rector at the parish; there is no single national standard across TEC or ACNA.

03 The form of the rite

Both the 1979 and 2019 prayer books allow the marriage to be celebrated either with the Holy Eucharist (the fuller form, sometimes called a Nuptial Eucharist) or as a marriage-only rite. The choice is normally made in conversation with the priest, considering the couple's preferences, the makeup of the congregation, and the parish's usual practice.

TEC has authorized same-sex marriage rites since 2015; ACNA does not perform same-sex marriages. Where the couple is preparing for a same-sex marriage, the conversation begins with whether the parish, the diocese, and the priest will officiate; in TEC, the bishop's blessing on the particular marriage is required by some dioceses.

04 At the ceremony

The marriage rite begins with the Declaration of Consent: the priest asks each spouse in turn whether they will have the other as wife or husband, to love, comfort, honor and keep, in sickness and in health, forsaking all others, and being faithful as long as both shall live. Each spouse answers "I will."

The vows themselves follow a fixed form: "In the Name of God, I, N., take you, N., to be my wife / husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until we are parted by death. This is my solemn vow." The exchange of rings follows. The priest pronounces the couple husband and wife (or, in same-sex marriages in TEC, married). If the rite is celebrated with the Holy Eucharist, the Liturgy of the Eucharist follows the marriage rite proper.

05 After the ceremony

The signing of the marriage register and the civil marriage licence is normally done immediately after the ceremony. The marriage is registered with the parish, and from there with the diocese, and with the civil authority.

The Anglican and Episcopal understanding of marriage is that it is a lifelong covenant between the two spouses, made in the presence of God and the Church. The Anglican tradition does not classify marriage as a sacrament in the strict Roman Catholic sense, but the 1979 BCP catechism describes marriage as "the union of a man and a woman in heart, body, and mind, intended by God for their mutual joy" and as a means of grace in the life of the couple.

06 Common questions

What is the difference between an Episcopal and an ACNA wedding?
Both use the Book of Common Prayer. The Episcopal Church (TEC) uses the 1979 BCP; the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) uses the 2019 BCP. The two rites share much of their language and structure but differ in particulars. Most significantly, TEC authorizes same-sex marriage rites (since 2015); ACNA does not. TEC and ACNA each have their own canons governing eligibility, paperwork, and the role of the priest.
Does the wedding include Communion?
The 1979 BCP (TEC) and the 2019 BCP (ACNA) both allow the marriage rite to be celebrated either with the Holy Eucharist (the fuller form, called a Nuptial Eucharist) or as a marriage-only rite (the shorter form). The choice is normally made in conversation with the priest based on the couple’s preferences, the makeup of the congregation, and the parish’s usual practice. A Nuptial Eucharist is more common in some parishes than others.
What if one of the spouses is not Christian?
The 1979 BCP marriage rite presumes both spouses are baptized Christians; the rubric notes that at least one party must be Christian. In TEC practice, marriage between a Christian and a non-Christian is permitted at the discretion of the priest, with the bishop’s consent in many dioceses. ACNA practice varies by diocese; some ACNA dioceses are more restrictive. The priest at the parish is the source for what the local diocese permits.
What if one of the spouses was previously married?
Both TEC and ACNA permit the marriage of a previously married person whose former spouse is living, but the parish or diocese typically requires documentation of the prior marriage and its dissolution, and pastoral conversations on the circumstances. The priest at the parish is the source for the specific paperwork and pastoral steps required; TEC and ACNA dioceses differ in how procedurally specific these conversations are.
Is premarital counselling required?
Standard practice across TEC and ACNA parishes is for the priest to require some form of premarital preparation before officiating a wedding. The form varies: typically several meetings with the priest, sometimes a structured inventory such as Prepare/Enrich, sometimes a parish-organized course. The exact requirement is set by the priest or the rector at the parish.

07 Pastoral note

Last reviewed against primary sources: May 17, 2026