Catholic Wedding Question

If you are already married, you can't have a Catholic wedding ceremony as such. You might have a convalidation ceremony, but those are typically small and private. Or a priest might be willing to do something like a vow renewal, in which the wording was changed just a little from what would happen at a normal wedding.

You might also talk to a priest about whether you could have a Catholic wedding on your original date, but with just the priest and a very few people (e.g., immediate family) in attendance. You'd then be recognized as married not only by the law but by the church, and could have a later ceremony of your choice.

My fiance are doing a civil ceremony soon and a Catholic ceremony next year, which will be considered a convalidation. The priest said some of the paperwork is a little different but that the ceremony would be the same. We're having about 100 guests, so it definitely doesn't need to be small. You may want to check with your parish to see how they handle this.

This really depends on your priest/archdiocese. Your ceremony in the church if you’re already married is a convalidation, not a wedding. Some priests allow them to take place similar to a wedding with as many guests as you want. The priest at our church only allows immediate family (parents, siblings and any children you have) to attend a convalidation.

I think priests would be more flexible to do a convalidation with a larger group at a later date given the circumstances.

I just spoke with my priest about this yesterday. If this goes on till August (which is when my wedding is supposed to be), we can do a small service with less than 10 people. This way, it will still be recognized as a sacramental marriage. Then whenever this Covid stuff dies down and we can have big gatherings again, he says we can have another Mass celebration for us, which would kinda be a vow renewal but not really lol. I think maybe you should talk to your priest.

Our church wedding had to be canceled for our original date 4/17/2020 because L.A. archdiocese isn't allowing any weddings right now. Our priest said it was at the discretion of each priest to decided if he would preform the sacrament of marriage once already legally married. He agreed under the circumstances he would definitely do this for us since it wasn't our faults. we tried desperately to get married in the church. Downside for the next year that we are only legally married we are not allowed to receive communion because technically we are living in sin and if you are Eucharistic minister or lector you may or may not be able to continue serving, again depends on the church.

My priest won't allow this. It has been so stressful. My choices are risk my families health or give up on my childhood dream of getting married in the church. He seems to be against rescheduling since we are allowed legally to have our wedding commence. How am I supposed to live with myself if someone gets ill because of my wedding? I have a lot of older family and this has really been stressful.

View Quoted Comment We had our ceremony with only 25 of our immediate family and a few friends, but had it livestreamed for everyone else. Most churches had been doing live stream during quarantine. You should ask your priest about livestreaming. That way you can make sure that the people who don't feel comfortable coming can at least be there in spirit. Many people sent us videos and photos of themselves watching our wedding. It made it seem a bit better. God really works in mysterious ways. I wish you luck.

View Quoted Comment Hey Elizabeth, where are you from? I'd love to find a priest willing to work with me like yours is.

View Quoted Comment Houston, TX

Whenever you sign the marriage license will be the legally recorded ceremony. Anything prior to that or after that is ceremonial (meaning just a ceremony). You won't get medical benefits, etc until the marriage certificate is signed and the Catholic Church won't recognize you as married - unless you sign the marriage license - the signing of the certificate is what is connected to the rules. I was married in the Catholic Church but am Methodist.

All of you or any of you should be able to have a ceremony and not sign the marriage license. That way you can have the people there that you want and avoid the Church issues. Does that make sense?

View Quoted Comment

I'm praying our priest agrees to do this for us!!