Why Have a Church Wedding?

While the world often treats marriage as a symbol of love and commitment, the Church proclaims it as something far greater: a Sacrament—a visible sign of God’s ongoing love for us.

In a world that often asks, “What’s in it for me?”, Catholic marriage calls us to give all that we have—ordering our lives toward the raising up of saints, proclaiming the love of God through our witness, and loving our spouse with the very love of God Himself. It is fitting that such a sacred covenant be witnessed in a sacred place. The Church asks Catholics to celebrate marriage before the altar, within her walls, to remind all gathered that what God has joined together, no one should separate.

A marriage begun before the altar begins before God Himself. It is rooted in grace, sealed in faith, and open to the life that flows from His love.

“It is therefore fitting that the spouses should seal their consent to give themselves to each other through the offering of their own lives by uniting it to the offering of Christ for His Church.” — Catechism, 1621