…Also, half of her family is not catholic and would not be able to partake in the mass. I was wondering if it is possible to have a non-mass wedding in the catholic church where the Eucharist is not involved?
Yes. In the liturgical book Rite of Marriage, the second chapter has the ceremony: “Rite for Celebrating Marriage Outside Mass”.
The Introduction to this book gives considerations for this decision:
“6. In the celebration of marriage (which normally should be within Mass) …”.
“8. In a marriage between a Catholic and a baptized person who is not a Catholic, the rite of marriage outside Mass (nos. 39-54) shall be used. If the situation warrants and if the local Ordinary gives permission, the rite for celebrating marriage within Mass (nos. 19-38) may be used, except that communion is not given to the non-Catholic, since the general law does not allow it.”
(The Rites Volume One, Liturgical Press, 1990, ISBN: 0-8146-6015-0, page 721).
Pope Benedict wrote last year about this issue in the document at
vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/apost_exhortations/documents/hf_ben-xvi_exh_20070222_sacramentum-caritatis_en.html :
“50. … In this regard, I would like to call attention to a pastoral problem frequently encountered nowadays. I am referring to the fact that on certain occasions – for example, wedding Masses, funerals and the like – in addition to practising Catholics there may be others present who have long since ceased to attend Mass or are living in a situation which does not permit them to receive the sacraments. At other times members of other Christian confessions and even other religions may be present. Similar situations can occur in churches that are frequently visited, especially in tourist areas. In these cases, there is a need to find a brief and clear way to remind those present of the meaning of sacramental communion and the conditions required for its reception. Wherever circumstances make it impossible to ensure that the meaning of the Eucharist is duly appreciated, the appropriateness of replacing the celebration of the Mass with a celebration of the word of God should be considered.”
