Catholic Wedding Services in Italy

If you are planning a Catholic Wedding Service, Italy is the perfect destination for your wedding. No matter if it’s Rome, Venice, Florence, Tuscany, Chianti, Amalfi or Sicily, Italy weddings are rich with Catholic religious history and tradition Italy offers a large number of church locations to choose from. You will need to select a church for your Catholic Wedding Service in Italy because Catholic services are not permitted outside the walls of the church.

There are two basic types of service with a Roman Catholic wedding: a ceremony without a mass; or a wedding ceremony incorporated into the mass. The first option, about twenty minutes in length, is quite straightforward, with readings and hymns; similar to the Protestant service. The second option with a mass may take just over an hour.

 As Catholics enter the church, they bless themselves by dipping the fingertips of their right hand into a font containing holy water, and then they make the sign of the cross, touching their forehead, heart, left shoulder, and right shoulder. Other guests, who are not required to do this, may simply proceed into the church or be guided to their seats by the ushers. Some Catholics, on arrival at the pew, make the sign of the cross while genuflecting (bending the knee as a sign of reverence). Some may go directly to their seats and sit down while others may kneel and pray before sitting.

After entry into the church, a greeting is usually issued by the priest, first to the bride and groom and then to their guests. This is followed by an opening prayer. 

 There are readings and prayers. Standing is required at times. Sometimes, there may be kneeling, but non-Catholic guests can just sit quietly while others kneel. When the congregation is invited to participate in the recitations out loud of the Lord's Prayer, Roman Catholics omit the Protestant version's final few lines, "For Thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, forever and ever."

The Liturgy of the Word includes readings from the Old and New Testaments, a responsorial psalm, the "Alleluia" before the Gospel, and a Gospel reading. The selections may be read by the priest or by honored members of the family or wedding party. 

The homily, or sermon, elaborates on the marriage theme. If the priest knows the couple well, he may interlace his homily with personal references. 

The exchange of rings follows the exchange of vows. The best man, who usually has both rings, gives the bride's ring to the priest, who blesses it and gives it to the bridegroom, who then places it on the bride's finger. In the double ring ceremony, after the bride receives her ring, the blessing and presentation will be repeated for the bridegroom's ring. Some brides honor the role of the Virgin Mary as Christ's Mother by presenting flowers at a side altar dedicated to Mary.

The Prayer of the Faithful follows which may also include personal prayer by the couple. During a mass, the Liturgy of the Eucharist is said at this time. Those who are chosen to bring gifts of wine and bread to the altar carry out their role at this point and the liturgy begins. 

The priest then offers the Nuptial Blessing. Just before Communion is served, there will be the "sign of peace". The priest will say, "Let us offer each other a sign of peace," which is an indication for everyone to turn to their neighbors, shake their hands, and say, "Peace be with you," or some other friendly greeting. Sometimes, relatives or very close friends will hug and a mother may kiss her child at this point.

Communion in the Roman Catholic Church is technically reserved for baptized Catholics only. The priest will indicate what the local custom is. Communion, the commemorations of Christ's last supper, is the ceremony in which bread and wine are consecrated and taken as the body and blood of Christ. To take communion, people walk down the center aisle to take the bread, usually a thin wafer, and sometimes a sip of wine, then come back up the sides to their seats.

After communion, the signing of the register takes place. After that is completed, the priest introduces the newly married couple. At this point, people may applaud, depending on local custom. The conclusion of a wedding without mass is the Lord's Prayer and a blessing. At a mass, the service ends with a blessing and dismissal. 

If you have been divorced, you will not be allowed to marry again in a Catholic Church. The ceremony could be done only if you can acquire an annulment for your previous marriage and have it recognized by the Church. If that cannot be done, you may still have a “Mixed Ceremony” or “Blessing Ceremony” provided in a Catholic Church. In this type of ceremony, only one of the bride or groom needs to provide proof of baptism and confirmation and does not combine the civil aspect of the wedding. That means that you will need to have a civil ceremony completed prior to the blessing ceremony.

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