Outdoor Weddings

[Irish_Eyes_826]

I won’t be getting married for quite a while, but my friend and I were fantasizing about our weddings today. My family sort of belongs to two parishes, the one I was baptized at and the one where I went to school. At the latter parish, they have an outdoor altar and I would love to get married at it since it is very special to me for a variety of reasons. Would I need special permission for this or is it permitted since it is an actual altar on church grounds? Just wondering…

 

[bmadamsberry]

I won’t be getting married for quite a while, but my friend and I were fantasizing about our weddings today. My family sort of belongs to two parishes, the one I was baptized at and the one where I went to school. At the latter parish, they have an outdoor altar and I would love to get married at it since it is very special to me for a variety of reasons. Would I need special permission for this or is it permitted since it is an actual altar on church grounds? Just wondering…

You would still need permission because you are not being married in a Catholic Church. You are being married on the grounds of a Catholic Church, but that is hardly the same thing. Maybe someone can correct me if I’m wrong.

I would encourage you to get married in a Catholic Church building. People would think if odd if an ordination occured outside of a Catholic Church building, so why should a wedding be any different? Both are Sacraments that should take place at a the center of a parish, which is the Church building. Both are centered around Christ.

 

[Irish_Eyes_826]

Thank you for your (name removed by moderator)ut! The reason I would like to get married at that altar is because it is underneath the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Hudson. It is a statue of Mary holding a tugboat and is dedicated our local seamen. It would be very special since the statue represents to me and many in our area all the work of our ancestors.

 

[bmadamsberry]

Thank you for your (name removed by moderator)ut! The reason I would like to get married at that altar is because it is underneath the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Hudson. It is a statue of Mary holding a tugboat and is dedicated our local seamen. It would be very special since the statue represents to me and many in our area all the work of our ancestors.

Actually, that might change some things. Now I’m not sure if you would need special permission or not (either way, when you talk with the priest or deacon that will be at your wedding, they should know). Because it is at an official shrine, that might change things a wee bit (but I’m not sure). Sorry!

 

[Irish_Eyes_826]

Okay thanks! I thought it being a shrine might change the circumstances. Now I just need to find a husband!

 

[PatriceA]

Okay thanks! I thought it being a shrine might change the circumstances. Now I just need to find a husband!

Wouldn’t it be best to ask the parish or the priest directly if they permit wedding ceremonies at the shrine? Does the parish have a website? The information may be on their site. I think I’d be more suprised that they allow a wedding ceremony to take place at the outdoor altar than not.

 

[bmadamsberry]

Okay thanks! I thought it being a shrine might change the circumstances. Now I just need to find a husband!

Well, I’m not saying that it is for certain that you could have a wedding there, just that I’m no longer sure of what the rules say in regards to this.

 

[puzzleannie]

Yes you need permission to get married in another church than your residential parish, but it is routinely granted. If the shrine is not an actual designated parish (some are not) you also need permission for that. Talk to the priest who is preparing you for marriage, and arrange which priest will actually witness the vows. you also have to find out if the shrine does allow weddings (if it is an actual parish).

 

[Irish_Eyes_826]

The Shrine is not an actual parish, but simply the statue, the altar, a plaque, and a garden. Like I said, I won’t be getting married for many years, I was just curious.

 

[Seatuck]

You will have to find out it the Bishop allows outdoor weddings or not.

 

[Fogwalker]

More generally, are there some kind of objective criteria to follow when a priest or bishop is considering a dispensation for the location of the wedding? Or is it purely up to the discretion of the priest or bishop?

 

[Seatuck]

More generally, are there some kind of objective criteria to follow when a priest or bishop is considering a dispensation for the location of the wedding? Or is it purely up to the discretion of the priest or bishop?

Usually it accompanies the disparity of cult and it is an effort to alleviate the discomfort of a non catholic fiance or their family.

 

[The_Idiot]

Strikes me this is like the recipe for rabbit pie which starts

" First catch your rabbit "

Except this time it’s first catch your man

 

[vsedriver]

I won’t be getting married for quite a while, but my friend and I were fantasizing about our weddings today. My family sort of belongs to two parishes, the one I was baptized at and the one where I went to school. At the latter parish, they have an outdoor altar and I would love to get married at it since it is very special to me for a variety of reasons. Would I need special permission for this or is it permitted since it is an actual altar on church grounds? Just wondering…

Do your family and guests a favor and have the wedding indoors. There is nothing romantic about sitting in the sun, heat, cold, rain, wind, bugs etc on a wedding day. People have allergies, sun irritation, and other issues with the outdoors.

Nothing ruins an occasion like having your expensive hair do blown away or attempting to keep your skirt decent in the wind.

My sister’s June wedding was the coldest day of the summer. It was miserable outside. The ceremony and reception were outside. I was miserable the whole time. Who plans to take a winter coat to a June wedding?

 

[Mrs_V]

It wasn’t outdoors, but my husband and I were married at a parish we were not members of. We just had to give them a letter from our parish stating we were members in good standing. It was the same for our youngest boy who was christened at a parish we were not members of.

 

[Irish_Eyes_826]

I know there is plenty that can go wrong with an outdoor wedding. However, this altar would only be steps away from the church should anything go wrong.

 

[EasterJoy]

A dedicated Catholic sanctuary doesn’t *have *to have a roof. The National Sanctuary of Our Sorrowful Mother (The Grotto) in Portland has both an indoor chapel and an outdoor sanctuary with an outdoor altar. There are regularly-scheduled Masses outside all summer, when the weather permits.

You’d just have to ask if the outdoor altar at the Catholic church you have in mind is normally considered appropriate for weddings. It may well be entirely suitable and not needing any special permission from the bishop for its use by the parish, provided the pastor approves. The outdoor space might even be preferrable, if you foresee a crowd at your wedding that would exceed the capacity of the sanctuary that is enclosed in the building.

Ask. Then you’ll know.

 

[jfmarm81]

I see nothing wrong with an outdoor wedding, as long as everything is in order for the wedding to be valid. I just returned from cousin’s wedding last weekend. It was outdoors and was one of the nicest weddings I have ever been to.