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.

About this page

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.

🇪🇸 Spain and 4 moreMantilla A lace or silk veil worn over the head and shoulders by women in Spain and Latin AmericaAttire · The weeks before

🇦🇹 Austria and 4 moreDirndl The bodice, skirt and apron dress worn by brides in the German-speaking Alps.Attire · The ceremony

🇫🇷 France and 5 moreProxy marriage A union where one or both partners are absent and represented by another person.Vow · The ceremony 🇵🇹 Lisbon, PortugalSame-sex marriage in PortugalCasamento entre pessoas do mesmo sexo The legal recognition of marriage between two people of the same sex in Portugal.Modern · Engagement and betrothal 🇲🇹 MaltaSame-sex marriage in MaltaŻwieġ bejn persuni tal-istess sess The legal recognition of same-sex marriage and civil unions in Malta.Modern · Engagement and betrothal

🇬🇧 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

🇩🇪 Germany and 4 moreDower A share of the husband's property set aside to secure a woman's life if he dies first.Gift custom · Engagement and betrothal

🇵🇱 Poland and 6 moreKolachколач (kolach), калач (kalach), kołacz, colac, kalács A braided or ring-shaped bread that marks weddings and major holidays across Eastern Europe.Feast custom · Engagement and betrothal

🇬🇧 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

🇬🇷 Greece and 5 moreWedding ring A metal circle worn on the finger to show that a person is married.Attire · Engagement and betrothal

🇷🇺 RussiaLoving cup A large shared drinking vessel with two handles used in Christian rites and weddingsFeast custom · The wedding feast

🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 2 moreWhite wedding A formal Western ceremony marked by a white bridal gown and traditional Christian rituals.Attire · Engagement and betrothal 🇮🇸 IcelandIcelandic weddings A blend of church ceremony and multi-day feasting that marks the union of two people in Iceland.Feast custom · The ceremony

🇩🇪 Germany and 2 moreBridal ChorusTreulich geführt The Wagner opera march played for the bride's entrance at Western weddings.Performance · Procession and arrival

🇫🇮 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

🇩🇪 Hanover, Germany and 5 moreBridal crownBrautkrone A headdress worn by brides in Central and Northern Europe to symbolize purity and status.Attire · The ceremony

🇪🇸 Spain and 2 moreWedding cord A satin loop placed around the couple to symbolize their lifelong union in Catholic weddings.Rite · The ceremony

🇪🇸 Spain and 2 moreLas arrasLas arras matrimoniales Thirteen coins exchanged by the couple to symbolize provision and trust in a Christian marriage.Rite · The ceremony

🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 5 moreGroomsman A male attendant who supports the groom and assists guests at a wedding.Family role · Finding a match

🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 1 moreWedding breakfast The post-ceremony feast served to the couple and their guests in British English usage.Feast custom · The ceremony

🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 5 moreRing fingerdigitus annularis The fourth digit of the hand where wedding and engagement rings are traditionally worn.Attire · The ceremony

🇩🇰 Copenhagen, Denmark and 1 moreSame-sex marriage in Denmarkægteskab mellem personer af samme køn The legal recognition of same-sex unions in Denmark since 2012, following a pioneering partnership law from 1989.Modern · The ceremony 🇵🇱 Kraków, PolandWedding of the Weddings A Polish annual gathering for couples who chose alcohol-free wedding receptions.Feast custom · The ceremony 🇬🇷 Greece and 2 moreAdelphopoiesis A historical Eastern Christian ceremony uniting two people of the same sex in a recognized spiritual bond.Betrothal · Engagement and betrothal 🇬🇧 United KingdomSame-sex marriage in Guernsey The legal recognition of same-sex unions across the Bailiwick of Guernsey and its dependencies.Modern · The ceremony 🇱🇺 Luxembourg City, LuxembourgSame-sex marriage in Luxembourg The civil union that allows two people of the same sex to wed in Luxembourg since 2015.Modern · The ceremony

🇩🇪 GermanyLandshut WeddingLandshuter Hochzeit A four-year historical pageant in Bavaria re-enacting the 1475 royal marriage of George and Hedwig.Setting · Engagement and betrothal 🇱🇮 Vaduz, LiechtensteinSame-sex marriage in Liechtenstein The civil union that grants equal marital rights to all couples in the Alpine principality.Modern · The ceremony 🇬🇧 United KingdomSame-sex marriage in Jersey The legal recognition of same-sex marriage in the Crown Dependency of Jersey since 2018.Modern · The ceremony 🇲🇨 Monaco, MonacoRecognition of same-sex unions in Monacocontrat de vie commune; union civile Legal frameworks for same-sex couples in Monaco, from cohabitation agreements to ongoing civil union debates.Modern · Engagement and betrothal 🇬🇧 London, United Kingdom and 1 moreSame-sex marriage in Akrotiri and Dhekelia Legal same-sex weddings for British military personnel on the Sovereign Base Areas of Cyprus.Modern · The ceremony 🇬🇧 United KingdomSame-sex marriage in the Isle of Man The legalisation of same-sex marriage on the Isle of Man, following civil partnerships since 2011.Vow · The ceremony

🇮🇹 Venice, ItalyMarriage of the Sea ceremonySposalizio del Mare The annual ritual where Venice symbolically marries the Adriatic Sea with a golden ring.Rite · The ceremony

🇪🇸 A Coruña, Spain and 2 moreFirst same-sex marriage in Spain The 1901 union of two women in Galicia that preceded legal recognition by over a centuryModern · The ceremony 🇩🇪 GermanyBeilager A public ceremony in German-speaking lands where witnesses observed the couple entering the marriage bed to finalize theRite · The ceremony

🇭🇺 Budapest, HungaryRecognition of same-sex unions in Hungarybejegyzett élettársi kapcsolat The legal framework for same-sex relationships in Hungary, ranging from informal cohabitation to registered partnershipsModern · Engagement and betrothal

🇧🇪 Bruges, BelgiumProcession of the Holy BloodHeilig Bloedprocessie A Catholic parade in Bruges that carries a relic on Ascension Day.Blessing · The ceremony

🇵🇱 Poland and 3 moreEaster palmPolish: palma wielkanocna; Lithuanian: verba A decorated willow or juniper bundle blessed on Palm Sunday to protect homes and crops.Blessing · The weeks before

🇩🇪 Germany and 1 moreLaternelaufen A lantern procession held by children in Germany and Austria on St. Martin's Day to celebrate sharing and light.Blessing · The weeks before

🇮🇹 Viterbo, ItalyMacchina di Santa Rosa The annual procession in Viterbo where men carry a towering structure to honor their patron saint.Blessing · Procession and arrival

🇮🇹 Gubbio, Italy and 1 moreSaint Ubaldo DayFesta dei Ceri A procession where runners carry massive wooden pedestals with saint statues through the streets of Gubbio and Jessup.Blessing · Procession and arrival

🇭🇷 CroatiaZa križen A night-long Maundy Thursday procession on Hvar island that honors the Weeping of the Lady.Blessing · The weeks before 🇮🇹 Montepulciano, ItalyBravio delle botti An annual barrel rolling race in Montepulciano that replaces a medieval horse race.Play · Reception, dance and gifts

🇬🇧 United KingdomWassailing Singing and drinking to bless trees or homes during the Christmas seasonFeast custom · The weeks before 🇭🇷 CroatiaŽudijeŽudije (čuvari Kristova groba) Catholic guardians who stand watch over a replica tomb of Christ in Dalmatia until Easter Vigil.Rite · The weeks before

🇩🇪 Germany and 5 moreLenten veilFastentuch A large painted or embroidered canvas that covers the altar during Lent to create a period of visual penance.Rite · The weeks before 🇽🇰 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

🇵🇱 Poland and 3 moreŚmigus-Dyngus The Easter Monday water splashing and willow whipping tradition of Central EuropeRite · The weeks before

Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

Bridal crown: Daderot, CC0, source
Śmigus-Dyngus: Nationwide Specialty Co., Arlington, Texas -- In Buffalo, N.Y., Stanle, CC BY 3.0, source
Landshut Wedding: Oktobersonne, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Wassailing: Joss Smithson, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Interfaith marriage in Christianity: Andreas Praefcke, CC BY 3.0, source
Recognition of same-sex unions in Hungary: Christo, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Dower: Pvasiliadis, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
First same-sex marriage in Spain: Jglamela, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Za križen: E.mil.mil, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Loving cup: Rhodian at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Saint Ubaldo Day: Marco Riccardini, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Bridal Chorus: Pierre Petit, Public domain, source
Macchina di Santa Rosa: Amras Carnesîr, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Same-sex marriage in Denmark: PavelStotsko, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Laternelaufen: Heinrich Hermanns, Public domain, source
Marriage of the Sea ceremony: Francesco Guardi, Public domain, source
Easter palm: Evaldas Liutkus, CC BY 2.0, source
Ring finger: RAPMOODDE, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Wedding breakfast: Arpingstone, Public domain, source
Las arras: penny, CC BY 2.0, source
Groomsman: Jenny Mealing, CC BY 2.0, source
Wedding cord: Phil! Gold, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Banns of marriage: After William Hemsley, CC0, source
Wedding ring: CLW at English Wikipedia, Public domain, source
Care cloth: Unknown author, Public domain, source
Kolach: Лобачев Владимир, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Marriage bond: Unknown author, Public domain, source
Mantilla: Museu Valencià d'Etnologia, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Lenten veil: Plutowiki, CC0, source
Dirndl: High Contrast, CC BY 3.0 de, source
Proxy marriage: Alejandro Cicarelli, Public domain, source
Procession of the Holy Blood: Cbl62, CC BY-SA 3.0, source