17. 06. 2025 Wedding in a church
Virtually anyone can be married in a church. However, there are rules to this. Choosing the right church is essential, depending on what type of marriage you are getting married in. So today, we're going to look at what the conditions are for having your wedding ceremony in a church and why this venue may be the perfect choice for your big day.
Church vs. civil marriage
A church marriage is a spiritual ceremony that takes place in a consecrated church or chapel and in which a priest is the officiant. This type of marriage is only possible if at least one of the couple is baptized in the Catholic Church.
A civil marriage, on the other hand, is conducted by a registrar and can take place in a variety of venues. You can have an ordinary wedding in an office, an outdoor wedding in a garden, a private wedding on a farm, or a fairy-tale wedding in a castle. But not a wedding in a consecrated church. If your wish is to be married in a church even though you are a non-believer, don't marry. There is still one option.
Conditions for a church wedding
Only betrothed couples, at least one of whom has undergone a baptismal ceremony, can be married in a consecrated church or chapel. If this is the case for you, we can recommend two beautiful locations for your church marriage. These are the consecrated Chapel of St. Anne at Hrádek Castle near Nechanice and the consecrated Chapel of the Annunciation of Our Lady of the Seven Sorrows at Karlova Koruna Castle in Chlumec nad Cidlinou.
You are not baptized, but still long for a wedding in a church or chapel? The solution is consecrated churches and chapels where civil marriages can be performed. We can recommend, for example, the chapel of the Kačina Chateau, which offers a truly unique atmosphere.
Consecrated vs. unconsecrated church or chapel or how to tell the difference
A consecrated church or consecrated chapel is a place that belongs to the church and is still used for worship and other religious purposes. On the other hand, unconsecrated churches and unconsecrated chapels are no longer used for worship and do not belong to the church. They are often owned by cities or other private owners. They usually function as cultural or community centers, galleries, museums, or just as places for civil weddings in a church.
Why have a church wedding?
A church wedding brings not only a spiritual dimension, but also an unforgettable atmosphere. The main benefits of church and civil weddings in a church include:
- romantic atmosphere
- an ideal place for lovers of history and architecture
- less busy, it may be easier to find a date
- due to lower demand, renting tends to be cheaper
- beautiful place for photos
- breathtaking acoustics for live music
What to think about when preparing for a church wedding
If you decide to say your "I do" in a church, there are other practical things to sort out. As with any other wedding, you need to prepare the decorations for the church for the wedding, get the wedding invitations printed and come up with a wedding menu. This also involves choosing a location for the wedding reception and the wedding party afterwards. Ideally, the location should be close to the church or even right on the grounds.
In this respect, all three of the wedding venues mentioned - Kačina Castle, Hrádek u Nechanic Castle and Karlova Koruna Castle - are ideal. In addition to the chapel where you can get married, they also offer other venues that are perfect for the wedding reception and the afterparty. You can avoid the lengthy and demanding transfer of guests and manage everything in one place. And if the weather does not favour you, you can elegantly cope with party tents. At Kačina Castle and Hrádek u Nechanic Castle, you can organise your wedding reception directly in the castle park. At Karlova Koruna Castle, you can use the Kinsky Riding School, Marble Hall or the Orangery.
Wherever you decide to have your wedding ceremony, you need to plan everything thoroughly. To help you with this, we have written a complete wedding planning schedule for you. Thanks to it, you will not forget anything. If necessary, you can also contact us. We will be happy to help you and prepare everything exactly according to your wishes.
Preparing for a church marriage
For church marriages, in addition to the normal preparations, there is a mandatory " pre-marriage preparation", which is the preparation of the betrothed, which includes meetings and discussions with the officiating priest. Another part of the preparations is the administration. The betrothed must present baptismal certificates, a certificate of unmarried status and, if a civil marriage has already taken place, an official confirmation of it. If one of the betrothed is not baptized, a special dispensation, which is permission from the bishop to marry, may be needed.
The choice of the liturgical elements of the ceremony - the choice of Bible readings, prayers, hymns and psalms - is also essential. As with civil marriages, there is no shortage of floral wedding decorations for the church, musical accompaniment and festive dress. However, many parishes have their own rules about flowers, photography or the positioning of guests in the church, so it is advisable to enquire about everything in advance.
Price of a church wedding
The church ceremony itself is free of charge - usually only a voluntary contribution is made by the parish, called "per church", which is around £1,000-2,000.
In the case of a civil ceremony in a consecrated chapel, rent must be factored in, but even here the prices are usually reasonable. They are certainly lower than the increasingly popular farmhouse weddings or weddings in designer barns.
Complete organization including catering for a wedding by professionals or a turnkey wedding
Planning a wedding can be challenging, but with the help of a professional team, you can do it with ease. Give us a call. We'll be happy to handle your complete wedding catering from A to Z.
You can count on us to provide the following essentials:
- choosing the venue for the wedding ceremony and reception
- food preparation for the wedding - wedding buffet and multi-course wedding menu
- wedding decoration of the church, tables and the entire reception venue
- assistance with the selection of the wedding dress, suit and wedding rings
- ordering hairdressing and beauty services
- designing wedding invitations
- accommodation for the wedding party and their delivery
- ordering wedding bouquets and bridesmaids' bouquets
- booking a wedding photographer and videographer
- professional service
- preparation of the wedding program - wedding games and wedding traditions and customs
- selection of music for the wedding in the church
- complete coordination of the entire wedding day
- final cleaning
Thanks to our years of experience and proven contacts, we will handle everything you need to truly enjoy your day for you. Inquire with Chateau Catering today and start looking forward to the perfect wedding day!
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