THE MARRIAGE CEREMONY OF THE CATHOLICS
Pre-Marriage
Bridal shower
The bridal shower is an
informal hen party hosted by the bride's female friends. It is a festive
occasion and games are played at this all-girls party. The friends shower gifts
upon the bride.
The bride
hosts a luncheon party for her all her bridesmaids. She serves a pink cake with
a thimble hidden inside. According to tradition, the girl who gets the slice of
cake with the thimble in it will be the next to marry.
Bachelor's
Party
This is a stag party hosted by the groom for his Best Man
(closest aide during the wedding) and friends on the eve of his wedding. Usually
this is a wild party, and the groom is expected to enjoy his last night as a
bachelor.
It is customary to raise a toast before the drinking begins in
earnest. Sometimes, enthusiastic friends break their glass after the toast is
raised. This is part of the tradition to ensure that the glasses are not used
for a less worthy purpose.
Welcoming the bride
On the day of the wedding, the groom sends a car to pick up
the girl and waits for her outside the church. When the bride arrives, the Best
Man welcomes her with a kiss on either cheek and hands her a posy of
flowers.
The Wedding Mass
The couple walks down the aisle with the wedding procession in tow. The priest
begins the ceremony.  He welcomes them
into the Church and offers them his good wishes. The wedding mass begins with
hymns and selected readings from the Bible. The priest then delivers the homily,
with an emphasis on the sanctity of marriage.
Then the
priest asks the bride and groom if they have come of their own free will to give
themselves to the other in marriage. They must also answer in the affirmative
when asked if they will honor and love each other as husband and wife for the
rest of their lives, if they will accept children from God lovingly and bring
them up according to the law of Christ and His church.
The priest guides
the couple through this rite. He tells them to join their right hands and
declare their consent before God and His Church. Having done this, the couple
takes their wedding vows. They promise, individually, to be true to the other in
good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. They promise to love, respect
and honor each other all days of their lives. The priest blesses the couple,
joining them together in marriage.
Exchange of Rings
The priest blesses the wedding
rings before the bride and groom exchange them with a promise of unconditional love
and fidelity.
Offertory Procession
The couple brings offerings
like The Bible, a miniature house, candles and flowers. Each offering has significance.
For example, the flowers represent the beauty and fragrance of God's creation,
and the priest asks God to bless the couple so that they spread this beauty and fragrance
wherever they go.
The priest and the couple sign the Church register that serves
as a valid legal document of marriage. A copy of this document is sent to the
Registrar of Marriages.
The marriage
procession, led by the bride and the groom, walks down the aisle and steps out
of the church. The organist plays the tune of the recessional hymn as they walk.
Post Wedding
The Reception
 The newly-weds enter the venue and are welcomed by all with a shower of
confetti. They cut the wedding cake and feed each a bite of the first slice. The
Toastmaster proposes a toast in honor of the newly-weds.
Dance and
dinner over, the couple leaves the reception. At this juncture the bride must
throw her posy of flowers behind her. The girl who catches it will be the next
to marry, according to popular belief.
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