Catholic wedding traditions
In the Catholic Church marriage is a sacrament, in which the couple themselves are the ministers and the priest or deacon is the official witness.
In the Catholic Church marriage is a sacrament, in which the couple themselves are the ministers and the priest or deacon is the official witness. Most weddings take place at a Mass, called a nuptial Mass, though a shorter service is also allowed. Customs differ widely between Ireland, Poland, the Philippines, Mexico and Italy.
The rite
The Rite of Marriage includes readings, a homily, the questions about free consent, the exchange of consent, the blessing and exchange of rings, and the nuptial blessing. Marriage preparation is required, and for a Catholic marrying a non-Catholic, permission is usually sought. The Church does not recognise a second marriage while the first spouse lives unless the first was declared null.
Local customs
In Mexico and the Philippines, godparents sponsor the arras, thirteen coins given by the groom, and the lazo, a cord or rosary draped around the couple in a figure eight, and the veil. In Poland the parents greet the couple with bread and salt, and in Italy confetti sugared almonds are given as favours. Irish weddings may include a Celtic cross, a handfasting-style cord or a unity candle, though the latter is not part of the official rite.
Current questions
Cohabitation, civil remarriage and same-sex unions are debated, and the Church has not changed its teaching on marriage as between a man and a woman. Annulments are an area of attention for many Catholics, and priests in different countries are asked to explain them clearly. Many couples marry first in a civil ceremony where the law requires it.
Written by the EveryShaadi desk with AI assistance. Background on Catholic (faith). Customs differ from place to place and family to family. If this is your tradition and we have it wrong, tell us.
🇰🇷 South Korea and 5 moreBlessing ceremony of the Unification ChurchHoly Marriage Blessing Ceremony (축복결혼식)
A large-scale marriage rededication or new union ceremony that engrafts couples into a sinless lineage.Rite · Engagement and betrothal
🇸🇬 Singapore and 3 moreMatchmaking
The practice of pairing two people for marriage through an intermediary or system.Betrothal · Finding a match
🇫🇷 France and 5 moreProxy marriage
A union where one or both partners are absent and represented by another person.Vow · The ceremony
🇺🇸 Pittsburgh, United States and 1 moreCookie table
A display of assorted homemade cookies served alongside the wedding cake at a reception.Feast custom · Reception, dance and gifts
🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 5 moreGroomsman
A male attendant who supports the groom and assists guests at a wedding.Family role · Finding a match
🇫🇮 Finland and 5 moreBanns of marriagekuulutukset avioliittoon (Finnish)
The public announcement of an impending marriage in church or town hall to allow for legal objections.Vow · The weeks before
🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 3 moreCare cloth
A linen or silk cloth held over the heads of a bride and groom during a Christian wedding blessing.Attire · The ceremony
🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 3 moreMarriage bond
A financial guarantee posted to prove a couple was legally free to marry before the ceremony took place.Vow · Engagement and betrothal
🇺🇸 United States and 5 moreInterfaith marriage
A union between spouses of different faiths, navigating legal and religious boundaries across the world.Vow · Engagement and betrothal
🇮🇳 India and 5 moreWedding veil
A cloth covering the head or face worn by brides and grooms to mark marriage.Attire · The ceremony
🇸🇾 Syria and 3 moreMystery of Crowning
The crowning ritual in Eastern Christian weddings that marks the couple as king and queen.Rite · The ceremony
🇧🇹 Bhutan and 5 moreSororate marriage
A practice where a man marries his late or infertile wife's sister to keep family ties strong.Family role · After the wedding
🇵🇱 Kraków, PolandWedding of the Weddings
A Polish annual gathering for couples who chose alcohol-free wedding receptions.Feast custom · The ceremony
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia and 5 moreCousin marriage in the Middle East
A traditional practice of marrying close relatives, especially paternal cousins, across Middle Eastern communities.Betrothal · Finding a match
🇹🇩 ChadPolygamy in Chad
A legally recognized marriage structure where one husband has multiple wives across Chadian communities.Family role
🇬🇭 GhanaPolygamy in Ghana
A practice where a man has multiple wives, recognized under customary law but illegal under civil statutes.Family role · Engagement and betrothal
🇷🇼 RwandaPolygamy in Rwanda
The traditional practice of men having multiple wives, now illegal but still found in rural areas.Gift custom · Engagement and betrothal
🇩🇪 GermanyBeilager
A public ceremony in German-speaking lands where witnesses observed the couple entering the marriage bed to finalize theRite · The ceremony
🇿🇲 ZambiaPolygamy in Zambia
A legal form of marriage allowing one man to have multiple wives under customary law.Family role · Engagement and betrothal
🇰🇪 KenyaRecognition of same-sex unions in Kenya
The legal ban on gay marriage alongside traditional female-to-female unions that persist in some communities.Vow · Engagement and betrothal
🇬🇳 GuineaPolygamy in Guinea
A polygynous marriage structure regulated by Guinean family law since 2019.Gift custom · Engagement and betrothal
🇳🇬 Kano, NigeriaPolygamy in Nigeria
A marital practice where men take multiple wives, legally recognized in twelve northern states under Sharia law.Family role · Engagement and betrothal
🇺🇬 Uganda and 3 morePolygamy in Uganda
The legal practice of a man having multiple wives simultaneously in Uganda and neighboring nations.Family role · Engagement and betrothal
🇽🇰 Kosovo and 2 morePodruga
A second wife brought into the home to bear children when the first marriage is childless.Family role · Engagement and betrothal
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Interfaith marriage in Christianity: Andreas Praefcke, CC BY 3.0, source
- Cookie table: Chris Winters, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Groomsman: Jenny Mealing, CC BY 2.0, source
- Banns of marriage: After William Hemsley, CC0, source
- Care cloth: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Marriage bond: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Matchmaking: Pavel Fedotov, Public domain, source
- Wedding veil: David Ring, CC0, source
- Blessing ceremony of the Unification Church: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Mystery of Crowning: Shakko, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Proxy marriage: Alejandro Cicarelli, Public domain, source