Rhiannon Hendricks
For Catholics, the topic of marriage is a serious commitment that requires careful discernment and preparation. Canon 1115 of the Code of Canon Law states that marriages are to be celebrated in the parish in which either spouse has a domicile, quasi-domicile, or a month's residence. With the permission of the parish priest, marriages may be held elsewhere. If both parties are Catholic, the ceremony must occur within a Catholic Church. If one party is non-Catholic, the wedding can be held in a non-Catholic church with the bishop's permission. However, dispensations for weddings outside of a church are rarely granted and usually only for serious reasons, such as illness or injury.
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What You'll Learn
Catholic weddings must take place in a church
For Catholics, the sacrament of marriage is a holy and spiritual vocation, and the Catholic Church considers it a sacred commitment. As such, Catholic weddings must take place within a church.
Canon 1115 of the Code of Canon Law states that marriages should be celebrated in the parish where either the bride or groom has a domicile, quasi-domicile, or at least a month's residence. With permission, marriages may be celebrated elsewhere. This permission is usually granted by the bishop or the parish priest, and it is up to them to decide whether to allow it.
The Catholic Church teaches that marriage is a sacrament and should occur in a church. The Church considers it a sacred space and part of serving the church. While it is not impossible to get married outside of a church, it is very difficult to get approval. The Church is very restrictive about allowing weddings to take place outside of a church setting, and permission is usually only granted for serious reasons, such as illness or injury.
If a Catholic wishes to marry a non-Catholic, the wedding can take place in a non-Catholic church, but it must still be a church. The local bishop may give permission for this, and the Catholic spouse must agree to raise any children as Catholics. However, the non-Catholic spouse does not need to convert.
In summary, Catholic weddings are considered sacred and are ordinarily held within a church. While there are some exceptions, permission for these exceptions is difficult to obtain, and the Church is generally restrictive about allowing weddings to take place outside of a church setting.
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Dispensations are rare and usually for serious reasons
Dispensations for Catholic weddings to be held outside of a church are rare and usually only granted for serious reasons. The Catholic Church considers marriage a sacrament and believes it should occur in a church. While it is not impossible under canon law for two Catholics to marry in a Catholic ceremony outside of a church, in practice, getting approval for this is not easy. The decision is left to the diocesan bishop, and they are usually only granted for sufficiently serious reasons. For example, one person getting married might be bedridden or hospitalised, or one party is unbaptised. Another example is if the couple is unable to travel between the wedding and reception locations, and holding the ceremony next to the reception site would be easier for their elderly parents.
If a Catholic wishes to marry a non-Catholic Christian, the wedding can be held in a Catholic church or a non-Catholic Christian church with the permission of the bishop. However, the Catholic party must agree to remove dangers of defecting from the faith and to baptise and bring up any children in the Catholic Church. If a Catholic wishes to marry a non-Christian, the marriage is recognised by the Catholic Church but is not considered sacramental. The Catholic Christian must seek permission from their bishop for the marriage to occur, and this permission is known as a "dispensation from disparity of cult".
According to Canon 1115 of the Code of Canon Law, "Marriages are to be celebrated in the parish in which either of the contracting parties has a domicile or a quasi-domicile or a month's residence [...]. With the permission of the proper ordinary or the proper parish priest, marriages may be celebrated elsewhere." This means that, under normal circumstances, Catholics should have their wedding ceremonies in a parish church where either the bride or groom has a permanent residence or has been living for at least a month. It is possible for a Catholic to marry in a parish other than their own, but this requires extra planning and communication, and ultimately, permission from the parish priest or bishop.
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A non-Catholic partner does not need to convert
For a Catholic wedding to be considered valid by the Catholic Church, it must take place within a "sacred space". This means that the ceremony must be conducted inside a Catholic church. However, there are certain circumstances in which a Catholic wedding can be held outside of a Catholic church building.
If one or both parties are Catholic, the ceremony must usually happen within a Catholic church. If both members of the couple are Catholic, the wedding should take place in their parish church—that is, the church where either the bride or groom has an established permanent residence, called a "domicile", or a part-time or long-term temporary residence, called a "quasi-domicile". With permission from the parish priest, the wedding may be held in a different Catholic church or chapel.
If one member of the couple is Catholic and the other is a non-baptised non-Catholic, the wedding may be held in a non-Catholic church or sacred space with permission from the bishop. This permission is known as "dispensation from disparity of cult". However, this is only granted in very rare cases, usually for serious reasons such as illness or injury. If one member of the couple is Catholic and the other is a baptised non-Catholic, the wedding should be held in a Catholic church, but may be held in a non-Catholic church with permission from the bishop.
In all cases, the Catholic Church requires that the non-Catholic partner does not need to convert to Catholicism for the marriage to be considered valid. However, the Catholic partner must agree to remove dangers of defecting from the faith and to do everything in their power to baptise and raise any children in the Catholic faith. The non-Catholic partner must be made aware of this undertaking.
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Children must be raised Catholic
For a Catholic wedding to be recognized by the Catholic Church, it must take place within a Catholic Church. Bishops can, however, give special dispensations for the wedding to be held elsewhere, but only for very serious reasons. For example, if one of the people getting married is bedridden or hospitalized, or if the couple is marrying someone whose family refuses to set foot in a Catholic church.
Now, when it comes to children, the Catholic Church has specific expectations. If a Catholic is marrying a non-Catholic, the Catholic party must declare their commitment to removing dangers of defecting from the Catholic faith. This includes promising to do everything in their power to ensure that any children from the marriage will be baptized and raised in the Catholic faith. This is a solemn promise made in the presence of the non-Catholic spouse, who is informed of this promise but is not required to make the same promise.
While the non-Catholic spouse is not obligated to agree to raise the children in the Catholic faith, it is strongly encouraged that couples discuss the religious upbringing of their children before marriage and come to a mutual decision. The Catholic Church recognizes that both partners may have serious commitments to their respective faiths, and finding a compromise can be challenging.
It is worth noting that the Catholic spouse's promise is to make their best effort to raise the children as Catholics. In some cases, despite their sincere attempts, the Catholic spouse may be unable to fulfill this promise due to strong objections from the non-Catholic spouse. In such situations, the Catholic spouse is not considered to have broken their pre-nuptial promise, as they have done everything within their power to uphold it.
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Marriage is a sacrament
The Catholic Church teaches that marriage between two baptised persons is a sacrament. This is because the couple's relationship expresses the unbreakable bond of love between Christ and his people in a unique way. Marriage is one of the seven sacraments of the Church, and it is a sign or symbol that reveals the Lord Jesus and through which his divine life and love are communicated.
The sacrament of Christian marriage involves the couple's entire life as they journey through the ups and downs of marriage and become more able to give and receive from each other. Their life becomes sacramental when they cooperate with God’s action in their life and see themselves as living “in Christ”. In a sacramental marriage, God’s love becomes present to the spouses in their total union and also flows through them to their family and community.
For a Catholic marriage to be considered a sacrament, it must take place within a Catholic Church. Bishops can give dispensations for the marriage to take place outside of a church, but this is usually only granted for serious reasons, such as illness or injury. If one spouse is not Catholic, the marriage can take place in a non-Catholic church with the permission of the Bishop. However, if both spouses are Catholic, the ceremony must happen within a Catholic Church.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Catholic weddings ordinarily take place within a Catholic Church. If both parties are Catholic, the ceremony must happen within a Catholic Church.
Yes, but only in very rare cases. If one party is a non-Catholic Christian, the wedding can take place in a non-Catholic Christian church with the permission of the Bishop or ordinary.
This is very restrictive under Catholic law. A bishop can allow a Catholic marriage to be celebrated in another suitable place, but this is usually only granted for serious reasons, such as illness or injury.
Permission can be granted to have the wedding in a different, bigger Catholic parish church.
No, you do not. When you say your vows at the church, the priest signs your marriage license and you are legally married.
