Questions

[Pro-Life_Teen]

I know that one cannot have two wedding ceremonies celebrating the same marriage.

But I have heard of people getting civilly married and then wed in a Church, the former being merely a legal thing. Is this different than a civil wedding that’s covalidated?

And what if there are outside problems, like the Church requiring 6 months notice to get married, but a fiance visa requiring marriage 90 days after entry. Would pre-Cana and such have to be done by each separately?

Thanks for the answers ^^

 

[1ke]

But I have heard of people getting civilly married and then wed in a Church, the former being merely a legal thing. Is this different than a civil wedding that’s covalidated?

No, it’s not different. This would be convalidation, not a wedding.

And what if there are outside problems, like the Church requiring 6 months notice to get married, but a fiance visa requiring marriage 90 days after entry. Would pre-Cana and such have to be done by each separately?

This would be discussed with your priest. It is possible to satisfy both the laws of the Church and the laws of the civil government.

 

[anna1978]

Depends on the country’s laws too: in Holland you have to, BY LAW, go down to the townhall to marry in a civil (=legally binding) ceremony FIRST. Then, everyone gets in the car/carriage and goes to the church for the ‘church wedding’. Even the Queen of Holland had to do that! It’s the civil ceremony that makes the marriage ‘legal’ in Holland, and you get a ‘marriage-book’ which records the date of the wedding, later on any children are recorded and any deaths in the family. You can get a ‘Catholic marriage-book’ from the townhall, where your priest can record dates of baptism, First Communion and Confirmation. EVERY religion in Holland has to see proof of the civil ceremony before proceeding with the church wedding (which, even for Catholics, is considered a ‘blessing’-although Catholics themselves ofcourse see the civil ceremony as ‘just a signature on a piece of paper’ and the church wedding as ‘the real deal’!).

 

[1ke]

Depends on the country’s laws too: in Holland you have to, BY LAW, go down to the townhall to marry in a civil (=legally binding) ceremony FIRST. Then, everyone gets in the car/carriage and goes to the church for the ‘church wedding’. Even the Queen of Holland had to do that! It’s the civil ceremony that makes the marriage ‘legal’ in Holland, and you get a ‘marriage-book’ which records the date of the wedding, later on any children are recorded and any deaths in the family. You can get a ‘Catholic marriage-book’ from the townhall, where your priest can record dates of baptism, First Communion and Confirmation. EVERY religion in Holland has to see proof of the civil ceremony before proceeding with the church wedding (which, even for Catholics, is considered a ‘blessing’-although Catholics themselves ofcourse see the civil ceremony as ‘just a signature on a piece of paper’ and the church wedding as ‘the real deal’!).

This is not the case in the US. In the US, priests are also authorized to act as the civil representative. Therefore, the marriage ceremony satisfies both. To marry civilly alone violates Catholic Form since in the US you do both at once.

 

[BlestOne]

This is not the case in the US. In the US, priests are also authorized to act as the civil representative. Therefore, the marriage ceremony satisfies both. To marry civilly alone violates Catholic Form since in the US you do both at once.

But… you do have to go apply for a marriage license up to I think 60 days or 30 days before the ceremony… then you take that to the church when you get married and the priest fills it in and sends it back to them.

 

[1ke]

But… you do have to go apply for a marriage license up to I think 60 days or 30 days before the ceremony… then you take that to the church when you get married and the priest fills it in and sends it back to them.

Yes, absolutely. Marriage license requirements vary by state. A Catholic must meet the requirements of both civil and church laws.