Another Wedding Dilemma..Beach or Catholic Ceremony?

Question

Hi..This is was my original wedding plans..**beach wedding ceremony at a destination location which is the same state but about 2 hours flight & immediately followed by the reception**
BUT the thing is I'm Catholic & after some research I realised it's not possible to have a beach wedding that is recognised by the Catholic Church..
BUT is it possible & okay by the Catholic Church to have a non-catholic wedding ceremony at the beach and then followed by a Catholic Church wedding ceremony/blessings at the church..
And which should we have first? the Catholic Church ceremony followed by the beach wedding? or the other way around?
And does my husband who isn't Catholic have to be baptised before the Catholic wedding blessings?
Just want anyone's views/advice ..or even better someone who were/was in the same shoes..Thank You :)

I've always wanted a beach wedding..the cool breeze..soft wet sand beneath your feet..
And my parents are strong practicing Catholics.

Answer 1

I am Catholic too and it would never happen that I would marry outside the Catholic Church. I doubt if it is against the Church law to get married on a beach, but finding a Catholic priest to perform the ceremony might be difficult.
My brother and sister-in-law were married in Panama, so they had the best of both worlds. The wedding was in a chapel open to the air and breezes of the morning before it got too hot. That was almost like a beach wedding.
Afterwards, the reception was held at a club on the beach. Although they didn't do it; a honeymoon at the beach, or on a boat is definitely OK and great.
If your parents are big Catholics, they won't be happy if you are married on a beach by some Universalist Minister-by-Mail Order.
Check on your boyfriend's baptism. I would wager he was baptised if his parents were Christians. Not of course, if he is Jewish. :-) The Catholic Church does not require him to be baptised or anything else.
Afterwards, if he decides to become Catholic, he will be asked to be baptised (if necessary) and confirmed, but it is a lot easier for adults and many Churches have programs to take care of people wanting to become Catholic.
Finally, ask a priest about all your quesitons to make sure you get it right. They probably do not want two weddings, but sometimes two ministers perform Catholic weddings.
Good luck to you both!

Answer 2

Hi Mia and congratulations on your engagement and your upcoming wedding!

I am Catholic myself, so I know what you are going through. I never had all these choices when I got married 30 years ago! No one had "destination" weddings. Everyone simply got married in a church usually.

Now....I do SHARE your dilemma as is it a hard choice. I LOVE the beach myself so I can see how you have a difficult decision! Ultimately this is a decision that only you can make. It really doesn't matter what we think.

You must ask yourself....does the venue matter THAT much to me? A beach does sound nice....but I'm sure there have been disasters too! I live in Michigan so I would never attempt to plan something outside! I would be a basket case worrying about the weather! In any case, there are weather concerns no matter where you are, I'm sure. What if it's REALLY pouring rain....then you are stuck and what would be your "plan B?"

There are so many elegant alternatives even in the Catholic Church now. I think an evening wedding...maybe candlelight? would be so elegant. You can do so many different kinds of receptions....an evening wedding followed by a reception with appetizers/drinks/dancing and desserts? Just an idea...

Then....you and your groom go to a nice beach location for your honeymoon!!!

Even with all the alternatives now, I know that I would choose to be married in the church. Being Catholic and having my marriage start in the church meant a lot to me and still does.

And, NO, your groom does NOT have to be baptized. As with all faiths (not just Catholic), you will need to go to a few pre-marriage classes (I did 30 years ago!)....but they are no big deal. I work at a Lutheran church as a secreary and all the couples being married at the church that I work at ALSO go to pre-marriage classes....no big deal!

I would go and talk with your priest and get some more answers straight from him as to what would be acceptable and not acceptable regarding your beach wedding and church wedding.

Good luck with your decision and I hope you have a beautiful wedding wherever it may be!

Answer 3

I would do the beach wedding you had planned. A day or two after have a quick ceremony at the church. You/husband/two witnesses. Perhaps invite the people who couldn't afford to travel to the beach one but don't make a huge ordeal out of the second ceremony. Quiet and basically just to make the priest happy.

You could also have the church wedding and plan a "reception weekend" at the beach.

Your husband does not have to be baptized but you will need to go through all the pre-canna classes, he will have to attend a few Mass, and sign papers that promise to raise the children Catholic

Cons of doing it afterwards:
No sex on your wedding night

Cons of doing it before:
Your anniversary will be wrong and your recations at the beach wedding people see might not be as intense since it's the second round saying vows.

Answer 4

Yes, in most cases. What usually happens is that the 'visiting' priest concelebrates the ceremony with the parish priest - they each do parts of the ceremony. You just need to talk with your parish priest about this, and explain the situation. Most likely, he's had a similar situation before. You could have a bilingual ceremony - with each priest doing specific parts. I'm Ukrainian Catholic, and bilingual ceremonies are done all the time at our church. For our own wedding, we had the ceremony all done in Ukrainian, though. We had three priests concelebrating. Good luck to you!

Answer 5

Got to go with what you want and not what the church wants and everyone else.
I know they say that the most important thing is that you're actually getting married and that is true but its how you feel about it too.
You dont want to get married somewhere you dont want to be for church reasons, you might end up being unhappy about it.
And yes there is nothing against having two ceremonies if that is your choice, but remember you can only sign the Marriage License once.
I hope you enjoy your wedding day and go with your heart on this one, you will enjoy every single minute.

Answer 6

I would have a small, private Catholic wedding (maybe just your parents & witnesses) first and then have your big beach wedding.

You can receive dispensation to marry a non-Catholic, but you will still have to go through all the premarital preparation. That can take 6 months or longer, so please do not delay contacting the priest and getting started.

Answer 7

Have ONE wedding ceremony - just pick one.
We were both strong Catholics, so of course we wanted our wedding in our church - it meant a lot to us.
Talk to your parish priest about your HTB - he doesn't have to be Catholic, but must agree to certain things - such as raising the children Catholic. What matters more is that you and he have some serious talks before you go any further in planning - as to what faith you will have in your home, how your children will be raised, etc.

Answer 8

Beach wedding - stormy seas with gale like winds - wet sand all over your wedding dress - hair flying all over - uncomfortable heat complete with sunburn and in the distance ==== plans for another wedding ceremony lurking over the ceremony, IT SOUNDS LIKE A DAY YOU WOULD WANT TO FORGET. Have your wedding in your church and give a beach party some other time.

Answer 9

Beach, then wedding. But have you discussed the actual religious ceremony with your padre? And what his personal requirements are for marriage to a non-Catholic?

Please, let me urge you to contact your priest immediately...and then once you have the answers, discuss the issue with your fiancee.

Answer 10

I think if u would really like a beach wedding, go for it. Then for religious purposes, hvae a church wedding afterwards. I know it costs a lot of money but if u would like it, have it coz it's ur special day!