A Catholic Outdoor Wedding: Is It Possible?

For centuries, Catholic weddings were only permitted inside a Catholic church. However, this tradition is slowly changing, with the Church now allowing outdoor weddings in two US cities: the Archdiocese of Montana and the Archdiocese of Baltimore, Maryland. While some dioceses may permit outdoor weddings on a case-by-case basis, it is still generally promoted. The Church's stance on indoor weddings stems from the belief that marriage is a sacred sacrament and a vocation, requiring a respectful and serious setting, such as a church, to be celebrated.

Permission for outdoor weddings

The Catholic Church has traditionally required weddings to be held within a Catholic church building. This is because the Church views marriage as a sacrament and a vocation, and therefore a deeply spiritual and sacred act. The Church believes that a church is the most appropriate setting for a couple to pledge their faithful love to each other in the presence of God.

However, there are some circumstances in which outdoor Catholic weddings may be permitted. Canon 1118.2 notes that a bishop can allow a Catholic marriage to be celebrated in "another suitable place". This means that, in theory, a Catholic couple could get married outdoors with the approval of the diocesan chancery. In practice, however, it is extremely difficult to obtain such approval, as bishops are reluctant to allow weddings outside of church buildings due to the sacred nature of the occasion.

There have been a few instances where bishops have granted permission for outdoor Catholic weddings, but these have typically involved at least one spouse who was a celebrity and needed a more private location to avoid tabloid journalists. In addition, some dioceses may allow outdoor weddings on a case-by-case basis, but they generally do not actively promote this policy.

As of 2019, the Archdiocese of Montana and the Archdiocese of Baltimore, Maryland, have ruled that priests or deacons can officiate weddings in "another suitable place", including outdoor venues. Nearly a third of the requests for weddings in these dioceses have been for outdoor locations.

For Catholic couples who wish to have an outdoor wedding, it is best to work with their parish priest to find a suitable location that accommodates their requests while still adhering to Church teachings and traditions.

The Church's stance

Canon 1118.1 states that a marriage between two Catholics, or between a Catholic and a baptised non-Catholic, is to be celebrated in the parish church, although permission can be granted for it to be held in a different Catholic church or chapel. Canon 1118.2 notes that the bishop can allow a Catholic marriage to be celebrated in another suitable place. However, in practice, it is very difficult to obtain such permission. Bishops are reluctant to grant authorisation for outdoor weddings because they want to maintain a sense of the sacred, which is what a Catholic wedding ceremony is: a sacred, sacramental occasion.

There are some exceptions to the rule. A bishop of a diocese may grant permission for a couple to marry outside a Catholic church building, but this is usually only for serious reasons such as political, cultural, or safety reasons. For example, if a church building has suffered structural damage due to a natural disaster.

The Church's position is that a wedding is a special moment in the life of a new family, and an opportunity to make a covenant with God and each other in the church with loved ones as witnesses. The Church encourages couples to focus their attention on the Sacrament of Marriage, not just the physical details of the wedding ceremony.

The Sacrament of Marriage

The Catholic Church considers marriage between two baptised persons a sacrament. This means that the couple's relationship expresses, in a unique way, the unbreakable bond of love between Christ and his people. Marriage is one of the seven sacraments of the Church, all of which were instituted by Christ and entrusted to the Church to be celebrated within the community of believers.

The rituals and prayers of the sacrament visibly express what God is doing invisibly. In a sacramental marriage, God's love is present to the spouses in their total union and flows through them to their family and community. Through their permanent, faithful, and exclusive giving to each other, symbolised in sexual intercourse, the couple reveals something of God's unconditional love.

The Catholic Church teaches that sacraments bring grace to those who receive them with the proper disposition. Grace is a way of describing how God shares the divine life with us and gives us the help we need to live as followers of Christ. In marriage, the grace of this sacrament brings spouses the particular help they need to be faithful and to be good parents. It also helps a couple to serve others beyond their immediate family and to show the community that a loving and lasting marriage is both desirable and possible.

Marriage in the Catholic Church, also known as holy matrimony, is the "covenant by which a man and woman establish between themselves a partnership of the whole of life, and which is ordered by its nature to the good of the spouses and the procreation and education of offspring". It is a covenant, which is more than a contract, as it expresses a relationship between persons. The marriage covenant refers to the permanent union of a husband and wife, capable of knowing and loving each other and God.

The celebration of marriage is a liturgical act, appropriately held in a public liturgy at church. Catholics are urged to celebrate their marriage within the Eucharistic Liturgy. Weddings in which both parties are Catholic are ordinarily held in a Catholic church, while weddings in which one party is Catholic and the other is a non-Catholic Christian can be held in a Catholic or non-Catholic church with permission from the Bishop.

The Catholic Church recognises as sacramental the marriages between two baptised non-Catholic Christians or two baptised Orthodox Christians, as well as marriages between baptised non-Catholic Christians and Catholic Christians with consent from the diocesan Bishop. The Church also recognises marriages between two non-Christians or between a Catholic Christian and a non-Christian, but these are not considered sacramental and require permission from the Bishop.

The validity of a Catholic marriage results from four elements: the spouses are free to marry; they freely exchange their consent; in consenting to marry, they intend to marry for life, to be faithful, and be open to children; and their consent is given in the canonical form, i.e. in the presence of two witnesses and a properly authorised church minister.

Exceptions to the rule

The Catholic Church has traditionally held that weddings must be performed inside a Catholic church. However, there are some exceptions to this rule. Firstly, in two US cities, the Archdiocese of Montana and the Archdiocese of Baltimore, Maryland, priests or deacons are permitted to officiate weddings in "another suitable place," including outdoor venues. Additionally, some other dioceses allow outdoor weddings on a case-by-case basis.

While it is rare, there are circumstances under which a bishop may grant permission for a Catholic wedding to be held outside of a church. These circumstances include political, cultural, or safety reasons. For example, if a church building has suffered structural damage due to a natural disaster, a bishop may allow the wedding to take place outdoors or in a different location.

Another exception may occur when one of the spouses is a celebrity. Actors, rock stars, politicians, or well-known business executives may require greater privacy for their wedding to avoid unwanted attention from the media. In these cases, a bishop may grant permission for the wedding to take place in a private location, such as a residence or hotel, to ensure the security and privacy of the couple.

It is important to note that even in these exceptional cases, the Catholic Church maintains the sacredness and seriousness of the sacrament of marriage. The decision to allow an outdoor or non-traditional wedding venue is made by the local bishop, who considers the specific circumstances and the spiritual needs of the couple.

The role of the diocese

Canon 1118.1 of the Code of Canon Law states that a marriage between two Catholics or between a Catholic and a baptised non-Catholic should be celebrated in the parish church. However, it also allows for the possibility of the wedding being held in another Catholic church or chapel with the permission of the diocesan bishop or pastor. This provision is often used when a parish church is too small to accommodate all the guests or when there are other practical considerations.

In certain exceptional circumstances, the diocesan bishop may allow a Catholic wedding to take place outside of a church altogether. Canon 1118.2 notes that the bishop can permit a wedding in "another suitable place". This could include outdoor venues such as gardens, hotels, or museums. However, it is important to note that obtaining such approval is extremely difficult and is typically only granted in cases of necessity, such as political, cultural, or safety reasons. For example, if a church building has been damaged due to a natural disaster, the bishop may allow the wedding to take place elsewhere.

The decision to grant permission for an outdoor wedding ultimately rests with the diocesan bishop, and their primary concern is to maintain the sense of the sacred nature of the sacrament of marriage. They may consider factors such as the couple's reasons for requesting an outdoor wedding, the suitability of the location, and the potential impact on the spiritual dimension of the ceremony.

In summary, while the default venue for a Catholic wedding is the parish church, the diocese and, specifically, the diocesan bishop play a pivotal role in determining whether an alternative venue, including outdoor locations, can be approved. Their decision-making process is guided by a balance between practical considerations and the theological significance of the sacrament of marriage.

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