Wedding on the beach?

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I am a couple sponsor for marriage prepration, and we have a particular couple that is intending to get married on the beach. They plan to get the marriage convalidated afterwards, if they have to use someone other than a Catholic priest to marry them.

Where can I find information on why the church does not perform outdoor weddings, and how easy is it to validate the marriage as a sacrament afterwards?

Thank you in advance.
 
According to the Code of Canon Law:
Can. 1118 ß1 A marriage between Catholics, or between a catholic party and a baptized non-Catholic, is to be celebrated in the parish church. By permission of the local Ordinary or of the parish priest, it may be celebrated in another church or oratory.

I would suggest you call the Bishop’s Office and talk to someone there about this. They will help you out on this.

God Bless,
Matt
 
zmaw said:
I am a couple sponsor for marriage prepration, and we have a particular couple that is intending to get married on the beach. They plan to get the marriage convalidated afterwards, if they have to use someone other than a Catholic priest to marry them.

Where can I find information on why the church does not perform outdoor weddings, and how easy is it to validate the marriage as a sacrament afterwards?

Thank you in advance.
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Your Diocese should have something. There are a couple of dioceses in the US that actually permit this. Most don’t though.
You can do a web search. The basic answer is that marriage is a Sacrament. We celebrate sacraments in our faith community which is in the church.
You should also inform the deacon priest who is in charge of the prep program. This couple is possibly planning to commit a sin and you are participating in it if you don’t inform the priest and just verify this couple took the classes.This couple will need to abstain from sex if they wish to avoid sin and will still need to go to confession for ignoring the churches guidelines on marriage. They will have to make an appointment with a priest and explain to him why they did it. All in all it will be fairly simple, unfortunatelely. BTW Catholics should not go to this wedding.
From the Diocese of Trenton-
Why can I not get married outdoors…on the beach, in the park, at Walt Disney…?
Please understand that the church is a sacred place which symbolizes the people who worship there and is a parish community. The most sacred events and rituals are celebrated in the Church where we encounter Christ most intimately. Because marriage is a sacrament, it deserves to be celebrated in a church or other suitable place of worship. Outdoors is not considered suitable for weddings in most dioceses, even if one partner has not been baptized.
 
This needs to be brought to the attention of the Priest or a Deacon of the Parish.

This is like saying , oh, I can rob the bank with the intention of going to Confession after the fact. This in itself is a sin, the sin of presumption - presuming upon God’s mercy :).

Perhaps the couple can be talked into having just the reception on the beach.

Brenda V.
 
zmaw said:
I am a couple sponsor for marriage prepration, and we have a particular couple that is intending to get married on the beach. They plan to get the marriage convalidated afterwards, if they have to use someone other than a Catholic priest to marry them.

Where can I find information on why the church does not perform outdoor weddings, and how easy is it to validate the marriage as a sacrament afterwards?

Thank you in advance.
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Well as the couple sponsor who are preparing them for the reception of the Sacrament you need to explain to them it is not permitted to intentionally offend the Sacrament of Marriage by doing this. You have a serious obligation to recomend that they do not Marry as they are not ready as Catholics to do so. It is never acceptable for a Catholic to Marry outside the Church with the intention of “fixing it” later, Never.
 
Br.Rich_SFO said:
Well as the couple sponsor who are preparing them for the reception of the Sacrament you need to explain to them it is not permitted to intentionally offend the Sacrament of Marriage by doing this. You have a serious obligation to recomend that they do not Marry as they are not ready as Catholics to do so. It is never acceptable for a Catholic to Marry outside the Church with the intention of “fixing it” later, Never.
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👍 What he said!!

~Liza
 
marty1818 said:
According to the Code of Canon Law:
Can. 1118 ß1 A marriage between Catholics, or between a catholic party and a baptized non-Catholic, is to be celebrated in the parish church. By permission of the local Ordinary or of the parish priest, it may be celebrated in another church or oratory.
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Marty1818 has given incomplete and misleading information about what Canon 118 contains. It has:
“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.”

See vatican.va/archive/ENG1104/__P40.HTM where it has this translation of the Canon Law Society of America.

The local ordinary can allow “another suitable place”. Not just “another chruch or oratory” as Marty wrote. §3 makes it clear that this “suitable place” need not be a church.

So its the bishop’s decision to allow, or not, a wedding on a beach.
 
The decision of what constitutes a suitable place is not merely at the whim of the Bishop or his VG. A beach has never been regarded by the Church as a suitable place. A suitable place is one that respects the nature of the rite and allows it to be celebrated properly. From my studies in Canon Law the purpose of this canon would be to allow situations where a church or oratory is not avalible. In such a case a community hall might be allowed, or in the case of an ill person their home or hospital room.
 
zmaw said:
I am a couple sponsor for marriage prepration, and we have a particular couple that is intending to get married on the beach. They plan to get the marriage convalidated afterwards, if they have to use someone other than a Catholic priest to marry them.

Where can I find information on why the church does not perform outdoor weddings, and how easy is it to validate the marriage as a sacrament afterwards?

Thank you in advance.
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let the pastor know immediately because their intent is not to enter into a valid Catholic marriage, and he needs to know now, and he will take it from there.
 
In our diocese if one is married outside the Church one must wait at least twelve months before a request for convalidation will be considered.
 
Brenda_V said:
This needs to be brought to the attention of the Priest or a Deacon of the Parish.

This is like saying , oh, I can rob the bank with the intention of going to Confession after the fact. This in itself is a sin, the sin of presumption - presuming upon God’s mercy :).

Perhaps the couple can be talked into having just the reception on the beach.

Brenda V.
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Bravo Brenda V!!!
 
As one who does marriage prep, I tell them simply.
A captain of a ship has the power to witness the marriage of people when they are at sea. A priest/deacon has the power to witness the marriage of people only when they are in church.

Period…no exceptions! And if you don’t want to invite Jesus to the wedding, well…that’s serious. And there are serious consequences when you distance yourself from the church, Jesus founded. Have your reception on the beach or go take pictures after the church wedding at the beach. That’s the only reason they want it there in most cases…for the pictures.
 
Joe_Kelley said:
In our diocese if one is married outside the Church one must wait at least twelve months before a request for convalidation will be considered.
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During which time they are instructed that they must not act or live as though they were Married, hopefully!
 
stbruno said:
Period…no exceptions! And if you don’t want to invite Jesus to the wedding, well…that’s serious. .
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Jesus is incapable of coming to the beach? :rotfl:

I believe Jesus can go anywhere he is invited.
 
mikew262 said:
Jesus is incapable of coming to the beach? :rotfl:

I believe Jesus can go anywhere he is invited.
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Jesus created the beach…but he also created His church. And gave the church powers. So when you say…I want to get married on the beach…go ask a captain of a ship.
 
mikew262 said:
Jesus is incapable of coming to the beach? :rotfl:

I believe Jesus can go anywhere he is invited.
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He could go to the sewage treatment plant too…that doesn’t make it an appropriate place for a wedding.
 
mikew262 said:
Jesus is incapable of coming to the beach? :rotfl:

I believe Jesus can go anywhere he is invited.
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Can go? Yes, of course (even if NOT invited). He is God.

Will He go? Up to him. Not necessarily.

Especially if the couple is starting by being disobedient to the Magesterium that He put in place to guide us. A beach is indeed beautiful. But the Flesh and Blood on the altar is absolutely adorable.
 
AHapka said:
Can go? Yes, of course (even if NOT invited). He is God.

Will He go? Up to him. Not necessarily.

Especially if the couple is starting by being disobedient to the Magesterium that He put in place to guide us. A beach is indeed beautiful. But the Flesh and Blood on the altar is absolutely adorable.
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God made everything,so anywhere should be appropriate. However, I do believe the wedding should be witnessed by a representative of God, a priest if they are Catholic or a ordained minister if they are not.
 
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