4. Christian Ceremony

A Catholic wedding ceremony incorporates traditional Catholic elements and Scriptural readings. An ordained priest performs the ceremony reading passages from the Bible.

1. Entrance
The ceremony begins with a procession of the celebrant (priest), the wedding attendants, and the bride and groom.

2. Gathering
The priest greets the community and invokes God's blessings upon the couple, those gathered and the event.

3. Readings
The priest and or family members deliver readings from the Bible as selected by the couple.

4. The Vows
The Bride and Groom pledge their love and allegiance to one another.

5. Ring Exchange
The rings are blessed by the priest and exchanged by the Bride and Groom as a symbol of their new bond.

6. Sermon or Homily
The priest concludes the ceremony with a lecture on marriage and the union of the bride and groom.

7. The Concluding Rite
The final segment of the service includes a blessing of the community and the new couple, a dismissal, and a final recessional from the church. Guests are free to exit once the couple, the wedding party, and the priest have recessed.