Catholic Matrimonial Traditions You Need to Know

Marriage ceremonies are not limited to wed two people together for a lifetime. But it is also an occasion to celebrate one’s culture, tradition, and uniqueness. Likewise, Catholic matrimonial traditions depict their own richness in the most elaborate way. Wondering how? Well, keep reading to find out!

Unlike, most marriages in India, some Catholic weddings can be done with or without mass. Although, couples prefer more people to seek more blessings and happiness. Rest, there is no difference. Catholic matrimonial weddings are extremely traditional affairs surrounded with all the positivity and rich culture. But any person attending the Catholic matrimonial ceremonies for the first time might find it overwhelming and different. So, if you are going to any catholic wedding for the first time, prior knowledge about their rituals and traditions will sure help! The below-given paragraphs are the guide on the same, read below to know!

Engagement

Engagement is the famous ring ceremony observed in most weddings worldwide. Here the girl and the boy exchange rings which are blessed by the parish priest. However, unlike in other cultures, the couple might not marry immediately in a day or two after the ring ceremony. They are given six months of period to decide and wed anytime within that six months of engagement.

Attending A Preparatory Course

Attending A Preparatory Course enables the bride and the groom to choose between one-day or three-day course of the marriage. Later, they are also required to fill out the form about their lives and all their personal details, also, they have to take the oath that they are not hiding any information which the other party or the priest should know.

Bridal Shower

Bridal shower is the last party for the bride before she gets marries. It is usually organized by the female members in bride’s family or her friends. The bride also offers a few gifts and accessories to her bridesmaid as a token of gratefulness. Also, a pink cake with thimben hidden inside to served to the bridesmaid in the shower. It said the bridesmaid who receives the cake piece with thimben is the next to get married.

The Bachelor Party

The bachelor party is the last party before the wedding for the groom. This party is organized by the friends and close male relatives of the groom to let him enjoy his bachelor life for the last time. A complete arrangement of drinks and food is looked after by the groom’s friends. Some people also call a stripper to let the boy enjoy for the last time before marriage.

Arrival at the Church

The groom is already present in the church on the wedding day and waits for his bride. Later, when the bride arrive accompanied by her father, the bestman from the groom’s side greets her with a hand kiss and a flower bouquet. Then the priest takes both bride and the groom to the church along with the choirs singing around for the rest of Chatholic matrimonial formalities.

The Wedding Mass

The priest welcomes the new couple into the church with good wishes and blessings. The marriage ceremony begins with the couples and their relatives saying a few things from the Bible followed by a lecture from the priest regarding the importance and sanctity of marriage.

The Nuptials

The Nuptial is the most crucial Chatholic matrimony ceremony. During Nuptials the priest ask the couples if they are doing this marriage fully out of theri consent or not and if they are ready to take each other as their husband and wife. Mostly, two witnesses are also present in the Nupials. The priest then announce them husband and wife and god lovingly bless this newly married couple.

The Solemn Promise

The bride and the groom are asked to join their right hands (symbolic of a union). Then they individually declare their intention to take each other as man and wife with the famous lines “I, x (name), take you, y (name), to be my lawfully wedded wife.

So, these are the crucial catholic matrimony rituals. However, it slightly depends according to the couple’s locations and sub-caste but primarily remains the same as defined above.