Enter the first name of both partners and at least one surname before clicking on the Find button. the search function will locate the couple. Don't worry if the spelling is not accurate, we will offer you the nearest matches to your search.
Share your wedding worldwide...
...with a Worldwide Wedding website
Roman Catholic Weddings
What do Roman Catholicism?
Roman Catholics are Christians who believe that Jesus was sent by God to show people the right way to live. The Pope, based in The Vatican, is the leader of the Church and advises on matters of faith and morality over his worldwide followers.
A Roman Catholic view of Weddings
For Catholics, marriage is a sacrament and a very serious commitment. If neither of you has any real religious convictions, it may be advisable to choose a different kind of ceremony for your marriage.
What happens at a Roman Catholic wedding service?
The individual priest has a large part to play in how the marriage ceremony will run.
Generally, the bride is escorted to the altar where the groom is waiting by her father, or whoever is giving her away. This may be accompanied by organ music or a hymn.
The priest introduces the service and says a short prayer. There is a reading from the Bible. This will have been chosen by the couple themselves and is usually read by someone of their choice. A psalm is read or sung. The priest reads a Gospel reading (chosen by the couple). The priest gives a short homily or sermon. The couple exchange vows, using the religious form, followed by the civil version (if the civil marriage is not taking place separately).
The priest blesses the rings and the couple place them on each other's finger, saying, 'Take this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity, in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.' Some short bidding prayers are read for the new couple. They may be composed by the couple themselves and read by a person of their choice. The service continues with the celebration of the Nuptial Mass if there is one. The priest reads a Nuptial Blessing over the couple. If there's a Mass, the couple receives Communion. The priest gives a final blessing. The couple and their witnesses sign the register. Bride and groom process out, to be greeted at the door of the church.
All in all, a Catholic wedding will not hold too many surprises or strange customs, even for non-Catholics. It will be solemn enough to fit the importance, without excessive formality or stuffy pomposity.
What are the legal requirements ?
The legal requirements to be fulfilled for a Roman Catholic wedding ceremony are those that apply to civil marriages. If you are both Roman Catholic, the publication of banns goes ahead as normal but they do not form part of the legal preliminaries. If only one partner is Roman Catholic, banns are not published and the priest of the Roman Catholic partner will have to give permission for the marriage to take place either in a Roman Catholic Church or a non-Roman Catholic church.
If the church is in a different registration district to where you live, you need to prove to the superintendent registrar that the church is your normal place of worship. If you cannot do this, you will be required to give notice in the registration district in which the church is situated after having met the necessary residency requirement.
What happens if only one of us is Catholic ?
If only one of you is a Catholic, then the 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 the bride and groom are both practicing Catholics, they may choose a Nuptial Mass, where they will both receive Communion. Mixed marriages, between a Catholic and a non-Catholic, are usually performed outside of Mass, in a ceremony which includes readings and prayers but no Communion. The vows are the same, whichever version you choose; the bride does not promise to obey.
What is Pre-Cana ?
An additional requirement of the Catholic Church is that couples attend premarital counseling sessions, sometimes referred to as Pre-Cana. Most couples find Pre-Cana quite worthwhile. It gives them a forum for talking about and even resolving potentially serious issues before the wedding takes place. This time-honored tradition goes a long way toward ensuring that the couple's a good match, with a good chance at a lasting union. Sessions are usually hosted and moderated by a priest, and sometimes include young married couples who can testify to both the bitter and sweet of marriage. Pre-Cana sessions can be either individual or group-based. They may involve weeks or months of sessions, or simply one intensive weekend.
How much say will we have over the content of our ceremony ?
The priest will provide you with a sample of texts and possibly hymns during the preparation. The attitude to non-biblical readings varies from parish to parish. As a general rule, it is best to keep non-religious texts for a moment like the signing of the register, when they will not be seen to be 'competing' with the Bible readings. Some priests will follow the rules to the letter, however, and not allow even this.
The same is true for music, which in principle should all be sacred. If the parish has an organist available, you may request their services. If you have friends who play other instruments they may be allowed to play, on condition that the choice of music respects the sacred character of the occasion and place.
How many people can I invite to the ceremony ?
It is a good idea to check the capacity of the church before sending out invitations: don't choose a small country parish for a grand scale wedding!
There are no restrictions on who may be present. Most parishes help non-churchgoers to follow what is happening by providing a booklet. Alternatively, it may be a good idea to produce a service sheet yourselves, once you have chosen the texts and hymns. Consult the priest on what should be included.
I am a guest at a Catholic Wedding, what should I wear??
There is no compulsory dress code, either for the couple or their guests, although you are in a place of worship and should dress accordingly.
Have you got time to waste, or have you got wedding plans to make?
A Worldwide Wedding website gives you the greatest number of features available to build and manage your personal wedding website and plan your big day. Simply use as many, or as few, of the tools available to create a unique wedding website for the journey to your special day and plan the event with military precision!
Ready to get started? Sign up now and you can be creating your own weddding website in seconds.
If you're not ready to purchase right now, then why not try out our FREE Trial wedding website to get unrestricted access to all of the features. Complete our simple Registration form and we will have your custom website online in seconds!
YOUR ACCOUNT
Please fill out your details and click 'SIGN IN'
