The wedding ceremony lasts around an hour and a half. The service starts with the betrothal, where the wedding rings are placed on the bride and groom's hands. Following is the crowning, in which the crowns are placed on their heads. Next, the priest reads from the Epistle of the Holy Apostle Paul to the Ephesians and the Gospel according to St. John. After which, the bride and groom drink from the 'common cup' and are led around the lectern three times by the priest.

In addition to exchanging wedding rings, the Orthodox wedding service "crowns" the bride and groom. The crowns are placed on the heads of the bride and groom in anticipation of the crowns that await us in Heaven. They symbolize the crowns of martyrdom, as the husband and wife die to their self-will in place of the will of their spouse. When one of the spouses reposes, he or she is buried with the crown of the surviving spouse. For example, if the husband reposes first, he is buried with the wife's crown, and vice versa. This is in anticipation of the dread judgment seat of Christ, where they will present the crown of their spouse to the Lord and, by extension, offer their spouse to the Lord.

Many Orthodox churches do not have pews and you may notice benches around the perimeter of the nave, or "main church area," where the ceremony will take place. While most Orthodox Christians stand during services as an offering of faith to God, we do not expect any of our guests to stand, cross themselves, or bow. If you are pregnant, nursing, sick, or tired, please feel free to sit! If you are called to do so, we welcome you to participate in the service with prayer, crossing yourself, and bowing. We have provided resources at the bottom of this page with more information on etiquette and Orthodoxy if you want to read more.

We ask that attendees dress modestly and respectfully. Wear your Sunday's best :)

Jezabel and Joshua are planning a reception for family and friends in Iowa wish to celebrate Jezabel's and Joshua's wedding. The date and location are to be decided, but is expected to be in early spring.

There is plenty of parking available near Saints Peter and Paul Orthodox Church. The red lines in the picture below indicate available parking. While all red highlighted areas should be free, we suggest you pay attention to any signage nearby. The blue highlighted area is the nearest TRAX station.