As of: March 27, 2024, 1:03 p.m
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Expecting couples wanting to get married on April 24th: Pastor Johannes de Fallois, Pastor Christiane Döring, Pastor Rina Mayer and Pastor Simon Döbrich (from left) in front of the Starnberg Peace Church.
© Dagmar Rutt
Simply stroll past spontaneously and get married: The Protestant Church makes it possible with its campaign “Just get married – a blessing for long- and short-term people”.
How it works and why fewer and fewer couples dare to step down to the altar.
Starnberg
– Weddings have to be expensive and a huge event?
Not so with the Evangelical Church.
Under the motto “Just get married” on Wednesday, April 24th, from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the Starnberg Peace Church, couples can get married or have a blessing in church.
After an hour of preparation, a 20-minute ceremony follows.
Volunteers decorate the church festively.
During the preparation, those involved have a wedding conversation and choose songs and a wedding saying.
Afterwards, the couple can toast their happiness at a reception.
Guests can be brought along to the special day.
“The day should be kept simple.
According to the motto 'The two of us and the good Lord',” says the Starnberg pastor Johannes de Fallois.
46 parishes across Bavaria are taking part in the free campaign.
Last year there were only 13. Starnberg is there for the first time and represents the deanery together with Landsberg.
“The Church of Peace is very attractive with its central aisle and Starnberg offers a beautiful backdrop with the lake,” says de Fallois. “We want to give couples a boost and encourage them.”
“Simply Marry” welcomes heterosexual and same-sex couples who are civilly married but not yet married in church.
To do this, appropriate proof must be brought with you or submitted later - completely spontaneously.
Couples who would like to be blessed, such as celebrating couples, are also invited.
Location ties play no role throughout Bavaria on this day.
It is also possible to be non-denominational or have left the church to receive the blessing.
“We are very open and look forward to making contact with those who have left,” says Starnberg pastor Simon Döbrich.
Registrations are not required
The pastors' goal is to bring the topic of church back into the focus of many couples.
“We want to give couples a chance and a day to celebrate their love,” says Christiane Döring, pastor of the Feldafing-Pöcking parish.
The Starnberg pastor Rina Mayer received positive feedback from other parishes from last year.
“It must have been a complete success.
Getting married should be possible without planning and bureaucracy,” says Mayer.
However, the format is not intended to compete with a traditional wedding.
Since the Corona pandemic, significantly fewer people are getting married.
According to Döbrich, there was a halving in Starnberg.
“Sometimes you don’t want to get married if, for example, your family doesn’t agree.
“The seating arrangement is difficult,” says de Fallois.
Registration is not necessary for the campaign.
If the couples would like to save themselves the waiting time, they can contact the Starnberg parish office in advance on (0 81 51) 1 23 19. (sp)