Catholic Priest for Outdoor Weddings

healynn

We live in Michigan and are getting married next May. My fiance and I are both Catholic and want to have an outdoor ceremony. We have talked to may Priests and no one will agree to do an outdoor ceremony. Has anyone ever found a Catholic Priest to do outdoor weddings in Michigan? Any feedback would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!

AdeleDazeem

You may be able to find a retired priest to marry you outside, but it won't be in a Cathlolic mass nor be recognized by the Catholic church.

If you want the Catholic wedding with an ordained priest, you have to marry in a Catholic church.

joklein7

This may or may not be true, but the coordinator at my venue said Catholic priests who left the priesthood to get married will perform Catholic ceremonies outside of the church. Even so, I'm sure it would not be recognized in the Catholic church.

TheSlowskys

In Response to Re:Catholic Priest for Outdoor Weddings:[QUOTE]This may or may not be true, but the coordinator at my venue said Catholic priests who left the priesthood to get married will perform Catholic ceremonies outside of the church. Even so, I'm sure it would not be recognized in the Catholic church. Posted by joklein7[/QUOTE]


Right. You may find a retired priest to perform the ceremony but it wouldn't be recognized by the church. I think the only way to get an exception is if someone is extremely ill or something. It's not given just because you want to get married outside. I believe there are a few posts on catholic brides about this.

ootmother2

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_ceremony-ideas_catholic-priest-for-outdoor-weddings?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:10Discussion:19a35b8e-94c3-4c54-95cf-9f597f052788Post:c54d6b4a-db7b-4e87-9cf4-3c10b7ba6e84">Re: Catholic Priest for Outdoor Weddings</a>:
[QUOTE]This may or may not be true, but the coordinator at my venue said Catholic priests who left the priesthood to get married will perform Catholic ceremonies outside of the church. Even so, I'm sure it would not be recognized in the Catholic church.
Posted by joklein7[/QUOTE]

Otherwise known as "Rent a Priest".

They will perform the ceremony but it's not binding in the Catholic Church

hoffse

Catholic teachings require you to marry in the church if you want your marriage recognized by the church.  That's why the priests won't do it.

If having your marriage recognized by the church is more important than your ceremony look, I would change your plans.

HobokensFury

Ditto PP you will not find one because it's against Vatican law.

[Deleted User]

I am very puzzled by these responses....
I have attended mass, at a park, on a boat, in a gym, at a festival.  It was an official Catholic full mass, celebrated by my parish priest.

OP keep looking and keep asking

HobokensFury

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_ceremony-ideas_catholic-priest-for-outdoor-weddings?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:10Discussion:19a35b8e-94c3-4c54-95cf-9f597f052788Post:426e05b3-ead8-422e-9365-604216af6082">Re: Catholic Priest for Outdoor Weddings</a>:
[QUOTE]I am very puzzled by these responses.... I have attended mass, at a park, on a boat, in a gym, at a festival.  It was an official Catholic full mass, celebrated by my parish priest. OP keep looking and keep asking
Posted by IamTheMommaOfTheBride[/QUOTE]



Mass is not a sacrament. the sacrament of marriage can only be performed inside a church in order to be recognized by the church.

AdeleDazeem

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_ceremony-ideas_catholic-priest-for-outdoor-weddings?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:10Discussion:19a35b8e-94c3-4c54-95cf-9f597f052788Post:426e05b3-ead8-422e-9365-604216af6082">Re: Catholic Priest for Outdoor Weddings</a>:
[QUOTE]I am very puzzled by these responses.... I have attended mass, at a park, on a boat, in a gym, at a festival.  It was an official Catholic full mass, celebrated by my parish priest. OP keep looking and keep asking
Posted by IamTheMommaOfTheBride[/QUOTE]

It  may have been a Catholic service, but it was not a Catholic mass.  What you witnessed was not an official Catholic full mass where the bride and groom were married in a ceremony that would be recognized by the Catholic Church.

pretzelgrrl

Try to find churches that also have an outside like a gazebo etc...there is a possibility that the priest of the church can do the ceremony there.

ootmother2

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_ceremony-ideas_catholic-priest-for-outdoor-weddings?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:10Discussion:19a35b8e-94c3-4c54-95cf-9f597f052788Post:426e05b3-ead8-422e-9365-604216af6082">Re: Catholic Priest for Outdoor Weddings</a>:
[QUOTE]I am very puzzled by these responses.... I have attended mass, at a park, on a boat, in a gym, at a festival.  It was an official Catholic full mass, celebrated by my parish priest. OP keep looking and keep asking
Posted by IamTheMommaOfTheBride[/QUOTE]

You may have attended a full mass outdoors as I have but not a wedding.  They must be in a church.  Usually a Catholic Church but sometimes exceptions are made for a priest to perform the marriage with another officiant (rabbi, minister)

ootmother2

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_ceremony-ideas_catholic-priest-for-outdoor-weddings?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:10Discussion:19a35b8e-94c3-4c54-95cf-9f597f052788Post:a6f971df-ab86-4856-9d8a-a7510a5e448f">Re: Catholic Priest for Outdoor Weddings</a>:
[QUOTE]Try to find churches that also have an outside like a gazebo etc...there is a possibility that the priest of the church can do the ceremony there.
Posted by pretzelgrrl[/QUOTE]

Not going to happen

TheSlowskys

In Response to Re:Catholic Priest for Outdoor Weddings:[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Catholic Priest for Outdoor Weddings:Try to find churches that also have an outside like a gazebo etc...there is a possibility that the priest of the church can do the ceremony there.Posted by pretzelgrrlNot going to happen Posted by ootmother2[/QUOTE]

Ya, never heard of this. Although I once went to an open air church in the Caribbean...completely different though.

HobokensFury

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_ceremony-ideas_catholic-priest-for-outdoor-weddings?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:10Discussion:19a35b8e-94c3-4c54-95cf-9f597f052788Post:76597b42-fc45-487b-a60a-136eba2ad344">Re: Catholic Priest for Outdoor Weddings</a>:
[QUOTE]You might be able to find a priest who will come and say a blessing, which is what one of my cousins did, but they will not say a mass or consecrate the Eucharist outside of a church.  What you can do is have the wedding ceremony with the priest saying a blessing and then just do a quickie church wedding later just to make everything official. 
Posted by HoorayForSoup[/QUOTE]



Covalidations are really hard to get. They are for those new to the church or returning. You can't get on just because you wanted an outdoor ceremony.

Coghoot12

OP:
Look into the Cross in the Woods church. It's in the UP but probable the closest thing you will find in Michigan that is a Catholic Church outdoors.

I've been to mass there and it is outside although I'm not sure if they do weddings outside or in the indoor chapel. 

http://www.crossinthewoods.com/

dancingthrulife

Just to chime in: you CAN have your marriage recognized by the Catholic church without getting married inside a Catholic church. My fiance and I had to request a dispensation from canonical form to marry in my (Protestant) church, but those dispensations are not uncommon and we had no problem obtaining one.

ajlamagra

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_ceremony-ideas_catholic-priest-for-outdoor-weddings?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:10Discussion:19a35b8e-94c3-4c54-95cf-9f597f052788Post:482cac91-2f80-43d0-a25b-ec8f014fe70a">Catholic Priest for Outdoor Weddings</a>:
[QUOTE]We live in Michigan and are getting married next May. My fiance and I are both Catholic and want to have an outdoor ceremony. We have talked to may Priests and no one will agree to do an outdoor ceremony. Has anyone ever found a Catholic Priest to do outdoor weddings in Michigan? Any feedback would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!
Posted by healynn[/QUOTE]

<div>It's true, Catholic Priest will only marry you outside the church. However, you do have options... some Catholics get married in a small, private (you need a witness) ceremony in the church in just a normal dress and a suit and then have the Priest "marry" them outdoors at a traditional ceremony at a later date (usually keeping the small ceremony a secret - but practicing Catholics will have some inclinition). But have you seriously consideredwhy you are having a Catholic ceremony if you are so set on getting married outside? I don't mean that in a rude way, but marriage is a sacrament that should be performed in the church. If you both don't feel that way, then possibly a Catholic wedding is not the right choice for you!</div>