Las Cruces church offers free weddings on Valentine’s Day

LAS CRUCES, N.M. — If you’re looking to take your relationship to the next level this Valentine’s Day, you may want to skip going west to Las Vegas and head south to Las Cruces.

The average cost of a wedding is around $20,000. However, Morning Star Church in Las Cruces is offering to help you do it for free.

“Because weddings are expensive, as most of us who are married know, so this is a really cost-effective way but it’s still really beautiful and meaningful,” said Reverend Amy Wilson Feltz at Morning Star Church.

The church is also offering free vow renewals for couples. However, if you are getting married, be sure to get your wedding license and bring it with you.

“I guess, for lack of a better description, it’s a Las Vegas-style wedding but in a less-Las Vegas kind of way,” said Stuart Davenport, Morning Star’s executive minister.

There may not be an Elvis impersonator officiating your big day, but there are other ways the church still wants to make it special.

“We have the ceremonies that are available. The couples can pick the vows but the ceremonies are essentially the same: We offer flowers, cupcakes and sparkling cider. We have a professional photographer in our congregation that will be taking photos that they can email to the couple,” Reverend Wilson Feltz said.

This is the second year that the church has done this. Just like last year, the weddings will be on the plaza in Las Cruces. You can either walk up or even do a drive-thru ceremony.

No matter what you choose, church officials just hope to witness more love stories.

“I remember the very first couple that came to me. I thought it was a wedding renewal because they were in their ’70s but they were getting married and they were so so lovey-eyed. They couldn’t take their hands off of each other or their eyes off of each other. They were so much in love and in that moment,” Reverend Wilson Feltz said.

Last year, over 30 couples tied the knot or renewed their vows. They’re hoping to continue this annual tradition and, one day, make it bigger.

Don’t worry, it’s not going to take you that long, either.

“We do it pretty quick. We get to the point so things run petty much 10 minutes or less. If people are worried about time or they’re coming on their lunch break, you can have all this done within your lunch break,” Reverend Davenport said, “and that’s what it’s all about more than anything else, really to take a big load off of people’s plates.”

Click here to learn more about Morning Star Church in Las Cruces.