Can a Catholic get married in another state?

[rzeziegirl]

I am wondering can you get married in a Catholic church if it is in a different state than either the bride or groom live? I know it is preferred you get married in the church you belong to, but is it against Church teaching to, say, get married in Hawaii in a Catholic church?

 

[Michelle_Arnold]

No, it’s not against Church teaching. In fact, a Catholic could get married in another country and could arrange to get married at the American Catholic parish in Rome. So long as proper procedures are followed with both the Church and the state, such a marriage is possible. It should be said though that it is probably easier to get married in another state or in another country if the purpose of the couple is either religious (for a couple seeking to marry in Rome) or familial (for a couple seeking to marry near family who live out of state). While it’s still possible to arrange destination weddings for lesser reasons such as the romance of being married in Hawaii, you may find that parish and diocesan personnel are far less sympathetic to the idea of facilitating such ventures. Priority may well be given to couples with more serious reasons for wanting to marry outside their state of residence.