WeddingGuideUK.com - Roman Catholic Weddings

Roman Catholic Weddings

Preparing for a Roman Catholic Wedding
Many of the rumours about marrying into the Catholic Church are exaggerated. The individual priest has a large part to play in your marriage preparations and you will need to meet early on in your planning.

If only one of you is a Catholic, the parish priest will consider whether to apply for a Dispensation to Marry. This is a permit issued by the Catholic Church giving permission for a Catholic to marry someone who is not. The priest applies for this permit once he has spoken to both of you, often at length, to make sure that you are aware of the Catholic Church's attitudes towards marriage - that the Catholic partner understands the obligations they will undertake, and that you are both fully aware of the problems that can arise in mixed-faith marriages, such as the faith of any subsequent children.

It is important to note that a priest cannot refuse to give dispensation to marry if he is not happy about the motives of the couple; he has to ask his bishop to make the final decision.

If both of you are Catholic, the procedure is simpler, and a few forms are filled out to say that both of you are legally and spiritually able to marry, that you freely intend to marry and that you agree with the Church's view of marriage.

The priest will be able to advise you on all areas of the service, and help with your choice of readings, psalms and hymns. If you choose to have the Nuptial Mass, you must let the priest know during the planning stage which guests are eligible to take the communion. It will probably only be available to Roman Catholics, in which case you must decide whether to have some of the wedding party take Communion while the others sit and wait (it could take up to 30-minutes). Alternatively, you may choose not have this part of the service included.

It is usual for you to marry at your local church, although special permission may be obtained from the Roman Catholic authorities if you wish to marry at another church.

The Wedding
The Roman Catholic Church offers two rites:

The Rite of Marriage During Mass - this is usual when both partners are Catholics, and offers communion to the bride, groom and any eligible congregation, although non-Catholics are not expected to participate. The vows form part of the mass and are inserted into the liturgy after readings from the scriptures.
Rite of Marriage Outside Mass - tends to be used when one of the parties is a non-Catholic and/or when the couple wish to have a shorter ceremony.

The guests assemble at the church about 15 to 20 minutes before the start of the ceremony, and may be greeted by ushers. Your parents sit at the front of the church. Any Catholics entering the church will bless themselves by making the sign of the cross (sometimes using the holy water which can be found when entering the church), and may pray immediately after sitting down. Guests who are of other faiths are not expected to do likewise.

Reception Celebrations
The reception after a Roman Catholic wedding can be held anywhere, often in a local hotel, hall or stately home. Sometimes the hall attached to the family church is used, as it is often close to the ceremony venue. Often the priest is invited to the wedding reception, especially if he is a friend of the family. If the priest is present, he may be asked to say Grace before the meal.

If you still have any unanswered questions about the Catholic marriage ceremony, please post your question on our Wedding Forum.

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