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Question: Why are Catholics required to get married in a church, and not outside or at a different venue?



Answer: Because the sacrament of marriage is a sacred covenant between the husband and wife, the celebration of the sacrament of matrimony is much more than simply a social or family event. So, the rule that the sacrament be celebrated in a church is a way to help reinforce the deeper meaning of Christian marriage. To help make this clearer, the Church’s tradition also normally includes the celebration of the Mass when the marriage is being celebrated between two Catholics, and so a church or chapel is the ideal setting. For special reasons — which vary from diocese to diocese — the local bishop can give permission for the marriage to be celebrated in another suitable place.