How Long is a Catholic Wedding?

Marriage is viewed as one of the seven sacred blessings or conduits of divinity. It's widely held that weddings within the Catholic faith represent a profound sense of spiritual wealth and well-being. In a Catholic marriage, a bond is formed between a man and a woman, committing to a lifelong partnership. This solemn ceremony takes place within a Catholic church, overseen by a priest.

Catholic wedding programs are usually full of tradition and history. Many faith-based details are given below around this special day. Because you can be confused if you are not familiar with religious processes. If you are considering having a catholic wedding, you need to know how long is a catholic wedding. We will help you to know how long it takes to complete a catholic marriage. So, keep reading the article.

So, How Long is a Catholic Wedding?

Well, it will depend on whether you are doing mass service or not. If you organize mass service and communion, it will take a little more time. But some couples don’t participate in the mass service and communion. They only participate in the main ritual of marriage function. In that case, it takes much less time.

A traditional catholic wedding ceremony needs anything like 50 minutes to an hour to complete. Note that if you or your fiancé are not catholic, there is not necessary to have a mass during the wedding. But if the couple is both catholic, it’s required to have a mass. Because a full mass and communion is a common traditional part of any catholic marriage. Although it is not a mandatory thing. It’s totally up to the wedding couple.

Without a mass and communion, it typically requires around 30 minutes to complete a catholic marriage. It is often seen that couples become believers in two different cultures. If they follow the customs of the culture then the time of marriage may increase a little more. So it is understood that how much time it takes for your wedding to be completed will determine how many formalities you will participate in.

What are Rituals for Catholic Weddings?

A catholic wedding is a very special day for everyone. Some peoples who may not know what are the rituals of a catholic wedding. In this article, we will discuss that in detail. Couples who like to go without mass cannot expect so many elements in their service. If you want to know about those rituals then keep reading the following paragraph.

Entrance Rite (Processional)

If the couple follows catholic wedding traditions, there are two choices for the processional. Both priests and servants can welcome the wedding party at the church door. First, the priests and servers enter. Then the wedding couple will enter by following them.

Secondly, priests and servers can enter themselves and take their place before the wedding couple enters. When the bridegroom arrives at their place, they greet them. Once everyone came and took their places, the priest drew everyone’s attention to the cross sign when the processional song was complete.

Greetings

After the processional, catholic wedding programs usually start with a greeting from the priest and an opening prayer which everyone listens to very attentively. The priests then naming the couple and praying for god’s blessing on their wedding day. If proceeded with a favorable mass, the priest would then lead the wedding guests to a hymn.

Hymns

Hymns in catholic weddings must be religious. Before the wedding ceremony, the couple meets with the priest and discusses their favorite readings and themes. In the case of instruments, there are various combinations for a catholic hymn. The couple can decide on a cantor to work as the head or organist of the live instrument.

Even many Christians like to go with a guitarist, harp, or wind instrument. ‘Classic Gloria’ is everyone’s favorite when it comes to catholic hymns.   

Opening Prayer

When the greetings and opening hymns are complete, then comes the opening prayer. Couples usually choose one of the opening prayers out of six options. However, at the end of each prayer, the guests present at the gathering in unison concluded with an ‘Amen’ response.

Bible Reading

There will be at least three bible readings in a public ceremony. This is how the main function of the wedding ceremony will start. The priest will frequently read from one of the four gospels. You can read from a paragraph of the New Testament through a friend or family member. After the reading is over, the priest will give insights into the reading passages. 

Rite of Marriage

Now it’s time to take vows in front of everyone. The whole church will stand when the couple accepts their vows. They will then declare and acknowledge their commitment to each other. Basic words are like that when receiving a vow: ‘I take you (groom's name) to be my wife/husband. I promise to be true to you in good times, in sickness, and health. I will love and honor you all the days of my life.’ The priest will then ask for their consent. If yes, he will bless them.

Exchanging Rings

The main exciting and most awaited part of the marriage is exchanging the rings. Once vows are complete, the couple will exchanging their rings. Then the priest will bless the rings as a symbol of faithfulness and love. A successful catholic weeding is accomplished through a ring exchange.

Holy Communion

Holy Communion is also known as Eucharist. This is the symbol of the ‘Last Supper’ where Jesus shared bread with his dispels just before his death. Guests arriving at the wedding will leave their seats and each will stand in a line in front of the priest. The priest will provide communion bread to everyone.

 There is also a tradition of drinking alcohol in catholic marriage. Note that only baptized Catholics can participate in this tradition.

Final Blessing

After the communion is over, the priest will recite the closing or final blessing. He will bless the newly married couples and the entire guest. If the newlyweds decide to sign a marriage license during the service, it should be done immediately.

Conclusion

A catholic wedding ceremony takes only 1 hour to complete. This time may vary according to your preference. If you do it with a mass and communion then it will require one hour. If you neglect these you will be able to complete your marriage ceremony within half an hour. Hopefully, this article will help you to know about the period of a catholic wedding.

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