When planning a religious marriage ceremony, you will have a few extra considerations to keep in mind. For Catholic brides, there are certain matters of protocol that must be observed to be married in the Church. This is everything you need to know about planning a Catholic wedding.
The first step upon becoming engaged is to call the rectory office at your local parish and let them know that you intend to be married. They will assist you in setting up a meeting with the priest who will be your officiant. If you do not belong to a parish, there are some Catholic churches which will allow you to be married without joining, especially those affiliated with colleges or universities. Many do limit the use of the facilities to parish members only, but joining the parish is generally not a huge undertaking if that is the case.
An important part of a Catholic marriage is the pre-marital counseling for the bride and groom. This usually consists of several private meetings with the priest as well as taking group pre-Cana classes. During the private sessions, the priest will talk to you about the practicalities of the wedding. He will also ask questions (a written quiz is common) that are intended to determine if a couple is compatible before they get married. This purpose of this step, along with the pre-Cana classes, is to ensure that an engaged couple deals with any potential conflicts before they become married, to prepare them for a Catholic marriage, and to reduce the likelihood of divorce.
