Order of ceremony for a religious, non-church wedding

You can certainly have a religious wedding outside if a church building (not one recognized by the Catholic Church, but a religious one, sure!)

Have you booked your officiant yet? Pros are really good at putting together ceremonies in a way that isn't awkward at all!

I am having a Catholic wedding outside the church. There will be one or two readings by people we choose, a gospel reading by priest and a sung psalm. Maybe a religious song around the vows.

@D&G who is preforming yours? I'm just curious because it's incredibly difficult to get an ordained Catholic priest to do a ceremony outside of the church that is recognized by the Catholic Church. Are you getting it blessed afterward?

Thanks for the responses! It will not be a Catholic wedding... I just meant I was attracted to the order of a Catholic ceremony. We have not booked anything yet but do have our venue on "hold"

There are priests who have previously been ordained and who are retired who will do it outside of the church. I found my priest through a family member. The marriage won't be recognized though by the catholic church.

We didn't have our ceremony in a church. Our minister said we could order things however we wanted. We had him speak and offer a prayer, had DH's dad do a scripture reading, did the vows, rings, and unity ceremony, and then we were done. We decided we didn't want any singing.

You can absolutely do a Catholic Style wedding outside the church, but any priest who tells you it's a sacrament is wrong. It's not, but that doesn't seem like an issue for you.

Find a good officiant, one who will actually look like a 'real' officiant (as in not 'papers and a mic"....)

Blue Hen's order of celebration is a good template. I'd add 'the love story" somewhere between the invocation and the vows, but that is kind of what we're known for.

There are tons of religious outdoor ceremonies! Your officiant should have a professional looking folder or folio to use, and you can easily make a focal point or ceremony backdrop. It's a wedding ceremony, everyone will except an officiant to be up front and center

You can add as many songs and readings as you want, and you can certainly ask your officiant to do a quick homily! Here was our ceremony order:

Charge To The Bride and Groom

Opening Prayer

Declaration of Intent

Scripture Reading

Homily

Commitment of Vows

Exchange of Rings

Pronouncement of Marriage

My FH is not Catholic which allows for a Catholic ceremony to happen outside the church. I know this can vary diocese by diocese. My best friend and several other friends are very active in the church and I have friendships with a number of priests.