An ecumenical Quaker wedding

Quaker registering officer Ian Macdonald describes an unusual wedding

by Ian Macdonald 11th March 2010

Being an appointed registering officer (RO) has been one of the most rewarding and interesting ways that I have been of service to our Area Meeting.  In these changing times it is a rare occasion if the applicants for a Quaker marriage are both members of the Society. More often than not, one of the applicants is neither a member nor attender and often they might be of another faith or even of little religious conviction at all. The Society lays out clearly how a registering officer should handle marriage applications. If he or she has any doubts about safeguarding our traditions and our legal obligations regarding marriage applications, the RO should seek advice and permissions from their Area Meeting.  Recently I received an application from a Friend who was living in our area but was a member of another Local Meeting who desired to have a Quaker marriage. It had been agreed by the couple that they wished to have a Quaker marriage in the tradition of Friends but, as her intended husband was a Roman Catholic, they desired the Meeting for Worship to be held in the hall of the church where he was an active member. In Scotland a registering officer is able to arrange Meeting for a Quaker marriage at any location where the local authority registrar may grant a Marriage Schedule.