weddings

On the morning of July 6, a bride and groom prepared for their traditional Catholic wedding. The photographer and videographer were on hand to document an historic union of two Catholic families. The groom may even have had custom wedding booklets with the ceremonies in Latin and English, to assist the many guests who had never been to such old ceremonies. The year was 1905, and the couple was John Crichton-Stuart and Augusta Mary Monica Bellingham.

Was a wedding blessing in 1960’s American ritual books really based on a 7th century Mozarabic blessing?

One of the most hotly debated issues in planning a wedding is whether or not to invite children. Some people feel that having children at a wedding can be an intrusion or a distraction for guests intent on participating in and honoring a very grown-up ritual. Others can’t imagine a wedding celebration without children. One undeniable factor is the additional financial burden inviting a number of kids can incur. - Emily Post’s Wedding Etiquette, 2001

The happy day, by Joaquin Sorolla, 1892 The wedding march, Theodore Robinson, 1892 Civil wedding, by Albrecht Anker, 1887 The Departure of the Newlyweds, by Jehan Georges Vibert, 1873 The Spanish Wedding, by Marià Fortuny, c. 1870 Abruzzo wedding, by Pasquale Celommi, 19th century Before the wedding, by Bengt Nordenberg, 1870 The newlyweds, by Silvestro Lega, 1869 Abschied der Braut von den Eltern, or Farewell to the bride by the parents, by Ferdinand Georg Waldmuller, 1863 Abschied der Braut or The Farewell of the Bride from Her Parents Home, by Ferdinand Georg Waldmuller, 1860 Coming home after the wedding, the bride parting from her playmates, by Ferdinand Georg Waldmuller Entrance of the newlyweds, by Ferdinand Georg Waldmuller, 1859 Sailor’s wedding, by Richard Caton Woodville Sr.

Catholic with a small c, my catechism taught me, means universal. Our Faith’s long history, unique claim to the Truth, and geographic spread make it an ideal and never-ending source of visual projects…The increased availability of Latin Masses is undeniable; what is similarly consoling is the rise in other traditional sacraments, such as weddings. While it is impossible to do any comprehensive project on traditional weddings (for one thing, there is no central place where globally churches report sacramental data), social media makes it easier and easier to notice trends.

On March 25, the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith issued Quo Magis, which, among other things, added an optional preface (de Nuptiis) to the traditional wedding Mass (Missa pro Sponso et Sponsa).

The Rite of Marriage was codified in the 1614–15 Rituale Romanum by the Council of Trent. The 1962 Rite of Marriage is identical to the one found in the 1615 Rituale and is spartan.