Hoops

For those who unfamiliar with what goes in to a Catholic wedding, let me just say it has more hoops to jump through than the Olympic symbol. Every marriage has to have the legal stuff, and that's easy to get in comparison. Other denominations have their own requirements. But I'd be willing to bet few top the requirements needed to get married in the Catholic Church. If one of the couple is not Catholic, like my fiance who is Methodist, you can expect to add a few extra hoops.

I've heard many different stories about a Catholic wedding involving a non-Catholic spuse to be, ranging from no problem at all to heavy pressure to convert, which was a concern of my own fiance's. Lucky for us the priest at St. George is totally cool with the whole situation, and assured us he would not have to convert and there wouldn't be any pressure. So far so good.

But back to the steps.

From this website:

http://fla.arch-no.org/steps_to_the_altar.htm

CIVIL REQUIREMENTS

+ Certified copies of Birth Certificates from the Bureau of Vital Statistics of the City or State of your birth

+ Marriage License

CHURCH REQUIREMENTS

+ Baptismal Certificates dated within six months of the wedding day.

+ Initial interview with priest at least six months prior to the planned marriage date.

+ Completion of Pre-Marital Inventory.

+ Certificate of Attendance at one of the five qualified Marriage Preparation Programs.

+ Pre-Marital Affidavits (in some cases).

Phase 1: Chitchatting with the Clergy
1. meet the priest or deacon 6 months or more before the wedding
2. discuss special circumstance, like someone isn't Catholic, is divorced without an annulment, someone committed mass murder without having gone to confession, the usual.
3. Take a assessment test so your compatibility can be determined. Remember, in Catholicism, marriage is like the mafia, once you're in, you're IN. Thus it is necessary to make sure everyone is of sound mind and body and compatible for more than 5 years before locking them into a divine contract until they die.

Phase 2: Assessment
1. go over the test results with the priest who makes the determination of whether the couple is ready for the Big Leap.
2. if there are no problems, the wedding plans can begin. If there are, typically counseling is the next step.
3. The priest gives the couple a big honking folder of all sorts of handouts on the parish guidelines for wedding ceremonies, preparation programs, natural family planning, ect. Most of the guidelines are stuff like "Thou shalt not have more than 3 video cameras," "Thou shalt not hang studio lighting in the sanctuary for the photographer," and "Thou shalt not play Metallica during the wedding march..."

PS if the couple is denied permission to marry for some reason, usually failing the compatibility test, they can appeal it to a higher power, usually the Bishop, then Archbishop, then a Cardinal, then the Pope, and occasionally God if He's taking phone calls that day...

Phase 3: Formal preparation
1. Time for Pre-Cana! Named after the famous wedding scene where Jesus becomes the envy of every bar owner on Earth by changing water into wine, this is the retreat that can go either a day or an entire weekend for engaged couples. (Engaged Encounter Weekend, or Day for the Engaged)
2. Evenings for the Engaged or Sponsor Couples Program, where the engaged couple meets with a volunteer couple who counsels the young'uns on what marriage is like and how to survive without killing each other. Oh yeah, and the good stuff too. =o)

Phase 4: Completing preparation
1. More meetings with the priest discussing what we've learned through all these programs. Priest gives formal approval in writing for the wedding.
2. The Catholic ones have to go to Confession and sign a statement saying they are still Catholic and intend to baptise and raise any ensuing kids as Catholics.
3. Start booking locations, services, and all the stuff you need a wedding planner book for.

Phase 5: Actually go through with it.
1. Self explanitory

So, a bit involved, no? Let the fun begin.