The essence of the Scientology wedding service is the traditional vows of loyalty and devotion.
A Scientology wedding is a religious ceremony performed by a minister of a Church of Scientology.
It is similar to weddings in other religions, with the bridal procession, the traditional roles of the bride’s father and best man, and the seating of the respective families and friends.
There are several different wedding ceremonies offering varying degrees of length and formality, and it is the choice of the couple which ceremony is performed. Other elements, such as music, honored guest speakers or tributes are welcome. Whether the ceremony is held in a church, indoors, outdoors or in another location is the decision of the bride and groom.
While a Scientology wedding consists of elements similar to other denominations, there are several aspects unique to a Scientology wedding.
The ceremony includes fundamental principles of Scientology that provide the couple with practical information to assist them in a successful relationship.
For example, the basic principle of ARC is most predominant.
Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard isolated the three elements that make up Understanding: A is Affinity—which is the degree of closeness, liking or affection one has for something or someone; R is Reality—which is what we agree on; and C is Communication—which is of course the interchange of ideas between two people.
If you increase any one of these points in your dealing with another person you will have greater understanding with that person. Understanding is, of course, everything in a successful relationship.
In a Scientology wedding, the rings are spoken of as symbols of permanency. They are a reminder to the bride and groom to continue creating the love and understanding they have for one another in order to maintain a successful relationship.
As part of the ceremony the minister asks them to make a pact -- that they will never close their eyes in sleep without healing any breach of understanding with communication. By this, the love and understanding they have created will remain a reality throughout their future years.
