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Catholic Wedding Ceremony

Catholic ceremony, St Anna Koh Samui

Catholic Wedding Ceremony on Koh Samui

For Catholics, the Sacrament of Marriage, or Holy Matrimony, is a public sign that one gives oneself totally to this other person. It is also a public statement about God: the loving union of husband and wife speaks of family values and also God's values.

The Catholic Church believes that the marriage bond is sacred and permanent. In the wedding ceremony the bride and groom administer the sacrament to each other by their declaration of consent. In this awesome and holy act, they are filled with the Holy Spirit who strengthens them for their life together. This is the blessing couples seek by coming to the Church for their marriage.

Father Michael

A Catholic wedding normally takes place in your own parish church, as a church is the appropriate venue for the marriage of those who believe in Christ and who wish to celebrate publicly God’s blessing of their union. If for some reason you would like to celebrate the wedding in another church, it is wise to discuss it openly with your parish priest first.

Couples have sometimes booked a favoured church only to find that the priest of that parish is only able to marry people who live in the parish and their own parish priest is unable or unwilling to officiate at a wedding in another church in the diocese. It is then often very difficult to find a priest who can undertake the preparation and celebration of your marriage with you. These contacts should take place as early as possible, normally at least six months before the wedding date.

Before a wedding in a Catholic church all couples will be asked to reflect on their commitment to each other and to prepare for married life by undertaking some form of marriage education and spiritual preparation.

It is best to begin this marriage preparation at least six months prior to your wedding. It will help you recognise the strengths of your relationship, identify and discuss any weaknesses, and give you new skills to help build a satisfying marriage.

The Catholic rite of marriage is structured as follows:

1. INTRODUCTORY RITES
After the entrance procession, the minister greets and welcomes the people and prays the opening prayer.

2. LITURGY OF THE WORD
A reading from scripture is followed by the singing of a psalm and the reading of the gospel. An extra reading from scripture may be included. Then in the homily the priest or deacon speaks of marriage.

3. LITURGY OF MARRIAGE
After an introduction and some questions addressed to the couple, they declare their consent to marry. This is followed by the blessing and exchange of rings, and prayers of intercession. If the Liturgy of the Eucharist is not included, the Nuptial Blessing and Lord’s Prayer follow.

4. LITURGY OF THE EUCHARIST
If the marriage is celebrated during Mass, the Liturgy of the Eucharist follows. It incorporates the Lord’s Prayer and Nuptial Blessing.

5. CONCLUDING RITES
The priest blesses the couple and the people.
The marriage register is signed.

For committed Catholics it is desirable for marriages to be celebrated during Mass because it is such a powerful expression of our love for one another in Christ. However, if one of the families or a large number of those attending the wedding are not in communion with the Catholic Church, it is best to choose the rite of marriage outside Mass.

Within the structure of the ceremony, you are able to choose readings, prayers and music to make your marriage a special celebration. There are also decisions to be made about how you enter the church in the entrance procession, where you stand, how your family and friends will be involved in the celebration, and so on.

For details of a Catholic Wedding package in Koh Samui:

•  Catholic wedding (St Anna Church)