The Liturgy Course: Why do we need Priests?

Sometimes a Catholic engaged to a person of a different faith wishes to have the marriage in the fiance's church. Many Catholics believe that this can be done as long as a priest is present for the ceremony.

A couple who were married outside the Catholic Church, but who want the Church's approval of their marriage may do so later in a ceremony they popularly call a blessing.

When engaged couples think about music for their wedding, they often want music they've heard at the weddings of their friends.

Having a Catholic wedding doesn't have to mean having a Catholic Mass. You can celebrate a Catholic marriage in your parish church with a service that does not include a full Mass.

Newly added to the Catholic marriage rite is a prayer for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the bride and groom.

The congregation at a Catholic wedding sings an acclamation of praise to God right after the groom and bride exchange their consent and the priest or deacon receives their consent.

During the Catholic wedding liturgy, the couple exchanges rings as a sign of their new union.

"I do," he says. "I do," says she. But only if the couple opts for it. We have several different versions of giving consent to the covenant of marriage.

The Scriptures you hear at weddings usually come from a collection of texts specially chosen for the occasion.