Can a Catholic Wedding be outdoors? Do you have to have a mass?

Gamadee

I was raised catholic and my fiancé recently converted. Needless to say were not the best practicing Catholics. the church we were planning on getting married in is in his home town in Indiana but we recently found out that it is being torn down and reconstructed during the time of our wedding. Ironically, My fiancé and I really would like to be married outside but my very catholic mother isn't too keen on the idea. She said we HAVE to be married in a church regardless if a priest marries us. Is this true?
Also, including myself and my fiancé only about 10 of our estimated 120 guests are practicing Catholics. We really didn't want to put them through a long ceremony and I'm wondering if it's necessary to have a long drawn out event?
Any help would be great!

SaraAndrew2010

A wedding between two Catholic almost always takes place inside a Catholic church.  Technically exception can be made, but just liking the idea of an outdoor wedding is generally not considered an acceptable reason.  

As for the length of the ceremony, you have the option of having a nuptial mass or having the wedding ceremony outside of mass.  Not having the mass will probably cut about 10-15 minutes off the ceremony time.  However, generally a wedding between two Catholic is performed within the mass. 

mica178

If you want to have a marriage valid in the eyes of the Catholic church, chances are you'll need to get married in a church.  Exemptions to get married in outdoors locations are very few.  If you know of a Catholic church with an outdoor altar, you might be able to swing it, but that's about it.

As Sara said, you don't have to have a full Nuptial Mass if you don't want.  You can have the shorter Ceremony Outside of Mass.  

However, if you really aren't practicing Catholics, why are you getting married in the church?  I wouldn't do it just for your mother.  I would do it because you feel that it's the right thing to do for your soul, because you believe in the Sacrament of Marriage.  

RaeRae1126

I agree with Mica...you should choose to be married in the Church because believe in that sacrament, not just because of your mom. That said, I know a few girls who found a catholic church with an outdoor chapel, and that could be an option for you. Or an outdoor reception could satisfy your desire for an outdoor ceromony. But usually, when your are both Catholic, the priest strongly recommends your ceremony to be within mass. Its not so much about your guests. Over half of my guests are not Catholic but thats ok... its about you and your fiance and your beliefs together. Hope that helps.

[Deleted User]

Ditto the others.

But you and your FI need to ask yourselves what you want, regardless of who is paying for it. If you don't want to be married in the church, then don't do it. Your Mom needs to respect you and your FI's wishes.

CaylaSummer

My parish told me that they do not marry anyone outside the walls of the church. Mind you I'm in Canada but I don't think that matters though. I have never heard anyone having a catholic priest marry them outside the church.

I think that if you do not intend to return to your church or raise your kids as catholic, I don't think you should get married in the church. This is just my opinion. I myself was not practicing at the time my FI and I got engaged but I returned to the faith because first it is a requirement to attend church on sundays but more importantly I realized that it's one area in my life that I have neglected and I should have been going to church all this time. So like I said if you have no intention of practicing after you get married then I do not see a point of getting married in the church.  

CoCo'sMommy

Im not sure if it varies by region, but in our area you can not be married outside of the church at all. In my little handbook they gave me  it says that marriage is a sacrement and therefore must be celebrated inside the church(it also says no outdoors or other locations) My guess is if they are rebuilding the church they will probably be joining up with another church so as not to disrupt the flow of mass each week. The church where I am getting married is actually partnered with a "sister church" Instead of having two masses at both churches, one church has the early mass and the other the noon mass. I would ask you priest where they plan on having mass while the church is being redone.