Traditions & Rituals of Catholic Weddings
As with all aspects of the wedding, the unity of two people in a Catholic ceremony takes a great amount of planning, from the specific preparation and counseling you as a couple must go through, to the specific order of events and the significance they hold of Roman Catholic practice. Although planning your wedding is a time of enjoyment and contentment, great thought, care and sensitivity must be used in order to make the day beautiful for you, your families and your guests.
The Basics of the I Dos.
In Roman Catholicism, the marriage between two people is known as the Sacrament of Matrimony. Your ceremony is a public ritual of events for those who love and care about you to witness.
In short, the service begins with three biblical readings from the Old and New Testaments administered by the priest or chosen guests. Next, the couple exchanges rings provided by the best man. A few prayers that include the Prayer of the Faithful and the nuptial blessing follow this, all while sacred music is sung by the church choir.
The processional in a Roman Catholic wedding is similar to secular weddings in the fact that there is a bridal party, and the bride walks down the aisle solely with her father (in the big white dress, of course), or if she chooses, with both of her parents. However, unlike other religions, the priest, his ministers and cross bearers will also walk down the aisle to the altar prior to the wedding party.
As for the dress, most churches will require shoulders to be covered. Therefore, if your wedding party (and yourself) are wearing strapless gowns, a wrap, bolero or shawl, be sure to consult the church.
The “Wedding March,” or what most people would recognize the bride walking down the aisle is not normally played in the church because of its secular connotations. The church choir and/or organ player will practice sacred music of the church.
Pre Cana.
Before you and your beloved make your trip down the church aisle, you will be required to seek counsel by your Priest in what is known as Pre-Cana. Provided by the church as pre-marital guidance period, you and your fiancé will discuss your views of marriage, how your will handle future decisions together, your feelings about procreation, etc. The priest will also ascertain whether you have engaged in pre-martial sex together and whether you are planning to raise your children in the Catholic religion. Although you may feel that these are deeply personal issues, this part of the wedding process is required, and is meant to help you iron out the kinks, rather than create conflict between you and your partner, you and your family, and you and your priest.
Marrying into Catholicism.
If either of you is not of the Catholic faith, it may be more difficult to marry in certain churches. First you must appeal to the local Bishop for dispensation. Since marriage is a sacrament as well as a legal arrangement, it also depends on the priest and the rules of the parish. If your first choice of a church does not allow it, you can simply look in to another church. Just like individual people, congregations vary in degrees of strictness, and which values are most important to them.
Incorporating faith into your wedding can add a greater sense of beauty, power, and importance to the proceedings, but it can also complicate the planning stages because there are more people to please, and more things to consider. If you plan on working with your church, and are respectful of traditions, you will find that you can have the wedding of your dreams.