A wedding catholic is not very different from most of the weddings. Some catholic weddings will combine both the wedding ceremony and a mass, but this is not always the case. Generally, a catholic wedding consists of just the wedding ceremony. A wedding ceremony catholic will consist of the exchanging of vows and rings, and a procession, like most weddings.
The catholic wedding ceremony takes place in a church. If a mass is performed in conjunction with the wedding, and you are a non-catholic, remember that you are not obligated to participate in the mass, nor are you allowed to take communion when the priest offers it to the congregation. The catholic mass is divided into two parts, the Liturgy and the Eucharist.
The Liturgy is the first part of the mass and consists of several readings from the scriptures, prayers, and blessings. These are done by the priest, as well as members of the church. Readings specific to marriage, such as the role of the husband and wife, are most likely to be read. The second part of the mass, the Eucharist, is the time when the priest will bless the wine and wafer and offer communion to the wedding party.
During the catholic mass, there is much kneeling, rising, standing and sitting. The bride and groom will participate in the mass and approach the altar for the wedding ceremony. The priest will bless both the couple and the congregation during both the mass and the ceremony.
One difference in a wedding catholic is that the bride may pay special tribute to the Virgin Mary. This is done by laying a bouquet of roses at the feet of the Virgin Mary. Belief in the Virgin Mary is what sets catholics apart from other christians and worshipping the Holy Mother is a very important part of the ceremony and mass. The catholic mass will consist of prayers to the Virgin Mary, and she is most likely to be cited in the ceremony itself.
Music at a wedding catholic is generally very somber. During the mass, hymns are sung in which the congregation is expected to participate. This is particularly the case at the beginning and end of the mass. Catholic wedding music will include classical hymns by composers such as Bach, Handel, and Mozart. A choir may sing during either the wedding ceremony catholic or mass. Catholic wedding music may also include modern compositions.
After the wedding catholic, the wedding party is generally invited to a reception, where food and drinks are served. The wedding reception may also consist of dancing and generally follows modern traditions.
If you have found yourself invited to a wedding catholic and are concerned about the religion aspect of the ceremony, remember that you have been invited as a friend and that you should respect the religion of your hosts. Even though you are not obligated to participate in the mass, it is still polite to your hosts to participate in the prayers and hymns. Remember, though, that only those catholics who have received the sacrament of the First Communion may participate in the ceremony of the Eucharist.