Stone & Incense Search
Start hereCurious, or no faithEvangelical, Pentecostal or ProtestantFrom another faithSomeone I love is CatholicBecoming CatholicI was Catholic once Today in the ChurchLibraryHard questionsVoices of the revivalTake the next stepAboutSources & methodSupport the site
Someone I love is CatholicStep 5 of 6

Weddings, baptisms and funerals

What to expect, where to sit, and what to say.

Start here

Watch this first

What Happens at a Catholic Wedding? (Aquinas 101) · The Thomistic Institute (Dominican friars)

Give it 7 minutes, then come back and we’ll walk through it together.

Video: What Happens at a Catholic Wedding? (Aquinas 101), The Thomistic Institute, published Oct 13, 2025. Checked 10 October 2026. Loads from YouTube (privacy-enhanced mode) only when you press play. Watch on YouTube

At a Catholic wedding the couple marry each other in the presence of the Church.12 Catholics baptize babies as a pure gift of grace and bury their dead in hope of the resurrection.34

Watch first Or start reading1 min read
The Virgin in Prayer, by Sassoferrato: Mary in a blue mantle, hands joined in prayer.

Sassoferrato, The Virgin in Prayer, 1640–1650. National Gallery, London. Public domain, source.

Journeys / Someone I love is Catholic / Step 5 of 6

On this page

Quick answers to related questions

Keep reading

All 6 steps in Someone I love is Catholic You’re on step 5
  1. 1. What they believe, in five minutes
  2. 2. Going to Mass with them
  3. 3. Words you’ll hear
  4. 4. Why they care about Sunday, confession and Fridays
  5. 5. Weddings, baptisms and funerals
  6. 6. Talking about it together

A church, a big day

At a Catholic wedding, the couple marry each other, and the priest receives their consent for the Church.1

That’s why the vows are the center, not the cake.

Every one of these days says the same thing: God is in this.

01Weddings

If you’re marrying a Catholic

Church teaching

Marrying a Catholic, or already married to one? Short, sourced answers: What is an annulment? · Can Catholics get divorced? · Can Catholics marry non-Catholics? · What about our wedding?

The Church asks Catholics to marry in the presence of the Church, usually before a priest or deacon, and offers preparation for couples.25

Marriage between a Catholic and a non-Catholic is possible, with care and permission. Talk to the parish early.67

One thing to know up front: the Catholic partner promises to do all they can to have the children baptized and raised Catholic. You make no promise yourself; you’re simply told about theirs, so it’s out in the open.8 Talk about it together before the wedding.

And when a baby comes?

02Baptisms

If they want to baptize the baby

Church teaching

Catholics baptize infants because Baptism is pure gift, grace no one earns, including a baby.3

Godparents should be firm believers who help the child grow in faith.9 If you’re not Catholic, you can still be there and be honored.

And at the end?

03Funerals

When someone dies

Church teaching

A Catholic funeral commends the person to God and expresses hope in the resurrection.410

Catholics pray for the dead, which is why you may hear about a Mass offered for them later.11

Where to sit? Anywhere. What to say? “I’m so sorry” is perfect.

Next: talking about all of it together.

Your move

Try this, this week

  1. Ask the couple or family what part matters most to them.
  2. If you’re engaged to a Catholic, call the parish six months or more ahead.
  3. Read Mark 10:6-9.

You’ll need

  • The date of the big day.
  • The parish office number, if you’re planning a wedding.

Remember Every one of these days says: God is in this.

If this is hard

If you disagree with the Church about marriage or baptism, it’s okay to say so gently, and still show up. Showing up says a lot.

How to talk to a priest

Only one thing to do

Your one next step

If a wedding or baptism is coming, call the parish office together and ask what happens next.

Find a parish near you

Step 5 of 6 · Someone I love is Catholic

Next: how to talk about it together.

Step 6: Talking about it together
Back to all steps

Take it with you

Printable one-page cardDownload card (A4 PDF)Download card (US Letter PDF)

Short link: stoneandincense.com/go/sl5

Your real next step

This page can’t give you the sacraments. A parish can.

We’re just pointing. People walk with you. Find a Catholic parish near you, go to a Mass, or just ask a priest for ten minutes. You don’t need to have it figured out.

Take the next step What to say when you call

Notes

How we know · 11 sources for this page
  1. Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 1623. vatican.va
  2. Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 1631. vatican.va
  3. Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 1250. vatican.va
  4. Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 1680. vatican.va
  5. Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 1632. vatican.va
  6. Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 1633. vatican.va
  7. Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 1635. vatican.va
  8. Code of Canon Law, can. 1125. vatican.va, English translation. vatican.va
  9. Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 1255. vatican.va
  10. Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 1684. vatican.va
  11. Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 1032. vatican.va

Excerpts from the English translation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church for use in the United States of America Copyright © 1994, United States Catholic Conference, Inc. – Libreria Editrice Vaticana. Used with Permission. English translation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church: Modifications from the Editio Typica copyright © 1997, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops – Libreria Editrice Vaticana. Scripture: World English Bible, Catholic edition (public domain), modern verse numbers; Douay-Rheims numbers in brackets where they differ. Early Christian writers: Ante-Nicene Fathers (1885, public domain). Video: “What Happens at a Catholic Wedding? (Aquinas 101),” The Thomistic Institute, supporting material, not a teaching source.

Scenes marked “Imagine” are an invitation to picture the moment, not a historical record. Stone & Incense restates Church teaching in plain words; our wording is not an official Church text. Report an errorCorrections.