The American Cathedral performs around 80 Episcopal ceremonies a year, the American Church in Paris will host 200, while an Adventist church outside Paris takes pole position with 300 weddings per year.
Hawaii is still the number one overseas wedding destination for Japanese, but Europe is gaining ground, with around 20,000 marriage ceremonies last year.
However, these picture postcard trips and ceremonies, costing anything from 2,000 Euros to 4,500 Euros (roughly £1,360-£3,000), are not strictly weddings, but “blessings” or “thanksgiving” ceremonies. They use many of the familiar wedding vows but as most couples have already been married in civil ceremonies in Japan, the words are changed to “I have taken you to be my wife” instead of the present tense.
It is such a beautiful City, although I probably have rather spoilt when visiting. I had not understood La Gloire until I had been there.
And who knows what a work God will start when attending a church.
Oh, dear – what if TEC decides to raise litigation funds by renting out its churches for these ceremonies?
TEC parishes in Honolulu have been cashing on in this bonanza as a significant source of operating revenue. Hundreds of thousands of dollars from the staging of fake weddings for already married Japanese visitors. Such a deal. Goes great with the all inclusive approach.