Outdoor Catholic Wedding

[PatienceAndLove]

I know that Catholics cannot have weddings outside, but why?
A girl I know has converted and is getting married soon, and wants to have an outdoor wedding, but will abide by the Church’s teachings.

Please: don’t derail the thread with your opinions about why or why not the Church should allow them. Please just answer the question.

 

[cameron_lansing]

The principle is that holy actions take place in holy places. The sacraments are public acts of worship by the Church and not the property of the recipients, nor does marriage belong to the nuptial parties whose consent makes marriage. See e.g., canon 837 §1: "Liturgical actions are not private actions but celebrations of the Church itself, which is the sacrament of unity. . . "

The celebration of matrimony by a Catholic is an act of divine worship and accordingly should be normatively celebrated in a place designated for divine worship (see especially canons 1205 and 1214). Churches are where the Christian faithful gather to worship.

Consequently canon 1118 provides for its celebration between Catholics or between a Catholic and a non Catholic baptized person in church or oratory. However the local ordinary may permit another suitable place, and the marriage of a Catholic and non baptized person can be in a church or another suitable place.

While non Catholic places of worship may be suitable places in the determination of the local ordinary, the great outdoors has just not be seen as such in the tradition, since it cannot be expressly set aside for divine worship. As far as I know, almost no diocesan bishop will thus give such permission, although a few apparently did so in the past.

 

[John_Lilburne]

In the 1969 Rite of Marriage it has at the beginnng of Chapter III , entitled “Rite for Celebrating Marriage Between a Catholic and an Unbaptized Person”:

“If marriage is celebrated between a Catholic and unbaptized person (either a catechumen or a non-Christian), the rite may be performed in the church or some other suitable place and takes the following form.
RITE OF WELCOME
55. At the appointed time, the priest wearing surplice and white stole (or a white cope if desired), proceeds with the ministers to the door of the church or to another appropriate place and greets the bride and the bridegroom. …”
(The Rites Volume One, Liturgical Press, 1990, ISBN: 0-8146-6015-0. page 740).

For the other versions, a church is mentioned. Chapter I “Rite for Celebrating Marriage During Mass” has “19. At the appointed time, the priest, vested for Mass, goes with the ministers to the door of the church …”. Similarly for Chapter II, “Rite for Celebrating Marriage Outside Mass” where it has: “39. At the appointed time, the priest, wearing surplice and white stole (or a white cope, if desired), proceeds with the ministers to the door of the church …”.

But the 1983 Code of Canon Law gives the bishop the authority to decide where marriage can be celebrated. It has in canon 1118:
"Can. 1118 §1. A marriage between Catholics or between a Catholic party and a non-Catholic baptized party is to be celebrated in a parish church. It can be celebrated in another church or oratory with the permission of the local ordinary or pastor.

§2. The local ordinary can permit a marriage to be celebrated in another suitable place.

§3. A marriage between a Catholic party and a non-baptized party can be celebrated in a church or in another suitable place."

(From vatican.va/archive/ENG1104/__P40.HTM ).

Regarding the general question of Mass outside of a church, the Code of Canon Law has:

"Can. 932 §1. The eucharistic celebration is to be carried out in a sacred place unless in a particular case necessity requires otherwise; in such a case the celebration must be done in a decent place.

§2. The eucharistic sacrifice must be carried out on a dedicated or blessed altar; outside a sacred place a suitable table can be used, always with a cloth and a corporal."