Civil Wedding Ceremonies for Interfaith & Multicultural Couples
Many couples I work with navigate cultural or religious considerations as part of their wedding planning. This can include interfaith ceremonies, acknowledging an Islamic nikah within a civil marriage, multilingual readings, or traditions such as the Filipino yugal, the Celtic quaich, or other cultural elements that hold meaning for family and community. My role isn’t to replicate religious ceremonies, but to understand what matters to you and help incorporate those elements thoughtfully and respectfully within a civil ceremony framework.
All ceremonies are tailored to the couple and may include cultural or personal elements from any background.
This page covers common challenges couples face when faith, culture and civil marriage don’t neatly align. While Greek Orthodox and Catholic traditions are a frequent source of questions, the broader principles apply across many interfaith and multicultural situations. Greek Orthodox and Catholic ceremonies tend to raise more complex questions due to church-specific requirements and interfaith restrictions, which is why they’re addressed in more detail here.
Greek Orthodox & Catholic Weddings: A Common Example
Q: Can my partner and I get married in a Greek church if only one of us is Orthodox?
It’s a question I get asked more often than you’d think. Mixed-faith couples or those from different cultural backgrounds are completely standard these days. Love doesn’t care much for labels. Unfortunately, the Greek Orthodox Church does. Short answer: ÏŒχι (that’s “no”).
Longer answer: Greek Orthodox churches require both parties to be baptised in the Orthodox tradition. It’s not personal, it’s policy. Very old-school policy. Think Byzantine old-school. Unless both of you are Orthodox (and yes, your koumbaros too), the church bells won’t be ringing there. There can be some crossover between Catholic and Greek churches, but it’s handled on a case-by-case, or more accurately, priest-by-priest basis.
Greek Orthodox wedding ceremonies, and Catholic ceremonies for that matter, are beautiful and solemn, but they aren’t customisable. Beyond your names being mentioned, there’s no room for personal vows, entrance songs, storytelling, or blended traditions.
And while there’s nothing wrong with tradition, it genuinely hurts when couples call hoping I might have some hidden in-road to a Greek parish that will somehow allow a same-sex, mixed-faith or deeply personal ceremony that simply isn’t permitted. The good news is that you can honour Greek heritage in a way that feels authentic and true to you and that’s where a civil ceremony comes in.
Your culture, your traditions, your way
Q: What if we use a celebrant and and still want our children christened in the Orthodox Church?
Again, no, not off the bat. There are two ways around this one: either have a ceremony conducted by a marriage celebrant with all the personal touches you’re after and have a second religious ceremony at a Greek Orthodox Church (assuming you’re both of the faith), or find a priest who is very understanding very empathetic very compassionate to your plight and just genuinely wants to help a member of their parish.
Q: Can I get an Orthodox priest to come to my venue and conduct a ceremony?
Short answer: no. Orthodox priests do not conduct wedding ceremonies outside the church. Ever. A blessing might be possible, depending on the priest, your family’s relationship with the church, and how regularly you attend services. But solemnising a marriage outside the church itself is simply not permitted.
Q: We got married in Australia — will our marriage be recognised in Greece?
This comes up all the time, especially when there’s family in Greece or plans to move, buy property, or update the ol’ family tree.
Sadly, and more often than not, it comes up because the old guard are trying to find ways to spook a couple out of a civil ceremony with a celebrant.
The short answer? Yes — Australian civil marriages can be recognised in Greece, but there may be a process depending on what you’re needing it recognised for. You’ll need to have your marriage certificate officially translated, apostilled, and submitted to the appropriate Greek authorities. The Apostille stamp can be obtained easily with a visit to the Greek Consulate. It’s not automatic, and it definitely doesn’t involve a priest waving it through.
But the rules regarding the Greek Orthodox Church and your state-issued marriage certificate remain the same:
The Greek Government will recognise your marriage. The Australian Government will recognise your marriage. The Church will not.
Old world feel, new world spin. Stefana and personal vows inside a Uniting Church
Q: So what's the solution?
As a marriage celebrant, I can create a ceremony that honours both partners’ cultural roots while remaining modern, personal and inclusive. I’ve incorporated rituals commonly seen in Orthodox and Catholic weddings, and I’m always happy to incorporate language or cultural elements where they matter.
My ceremonies strike a balance between tradition and personality. They speak to Yiayia’s memories and Nonna’s values, while still feeling fresh, relaxed and genuinely you. It’s about creating a ceremony where elders feel seen, without sacrificing the wedding you actually want.
Q: We love the idea of a celebrant but still want that 'church' vibe.
If you’re drawn to the look and atmosphere of a traditional church but want to avoid the strict rules of Orthodox or Catholic ceremonies, a Uniting Church can be a great option. These venues often have the same sense of reverence — stained glass, pews, high ceilings — without the canon law. You still get the setting and formality, with the freedom to include personal vows, cultural rituals and meaningful touches that reflect who you are as a couple.