Catholic Wedding at WDW?

[*mama2aislinn*]

Is a Catholic wedding an option for an intimate wedding?

 

[hmgolden]

You can have a catholic style ceremony, but the church will not recognize the marriage. According to Canon Law, Catholic weddings must take place in a church (unless you are a Kennedy, and then you can get married on a Yacht). Many couples have had their marriages blessed (the church calls this a convalidation ceremony) after their wedding, and some have gotten married in their church prior to their Disney 'wedding'. This topic gets discussed from time to time on the boards, if you do a search of the older posts, you should be able to find some of the other threads.

 

[pklein09]

This is only what I've heard through the grapevine....so please take it with a grain of salt....

I'm Catholic and married a Jewish man in NJ. We were married in the catering hall with a priest and rabbi officiating. I needed a dispensation of form (to marry a non-Catholic) and a dispensation of place (to marry outside the church). This had to be granted through the diocese. You need to apply for these in the diocese where the ceremony is taking place. From what I remember hearing, the diocese in Orlando won't grant a dispensation of place for Disney. They feel very strongly that you should be married in a church, not at WDW.

Hope this helps.

 

[bscs]

As a proud Catholic a agree that a Catholic marriage should be done in a church. But as a big disney fan I understand you wanting to get married at WDW. I would suggest get married in a Catholic church (it can be a small ceramony no need to go all out with tux and big gown ) Then go to WDW and have another ceramony for the fun of it with all the fancy pictures , then Honeymoon time! No matter what the main thing is that your marriage be blessed in a Catholic church and that you realize that marriage does not take two it takes three: wife, husband, and God!

 

[Kismetdreams]

I know of several couples who have gone thru all of the requirements and spoken with thier priests at ther home parishes and gotten a green light to come home from WDW and have thier marriages convalidated. This is also an option. Speak to your pastor and see your parish says.

 

[Ziggie]

~ From Disney's wedding site ~

Can I have a Catholic ceremony and be married by a priest?

Although Disney's Wedding Pavilion is non-denominational, the official Orlando Catholic Diocese position is that no wedding ceremonies will be recognized outside the Catholic Church. We encourage you to speak with your personal clergy about your situation.

 

[jlovesee]

I've posted on this before. My husband and I where married in Disney in January 2002, I'm Catholic he is not. I am a practicing Catholic and it did not go over well with my family but I would do it again in a heartbeat. I firmly believe that God can be anywhere, as long as that is the spirit of the moment, and one brick church is no different then Orlando, FL.

We got married at Disney on January 26, 2002, and then a year later had it blessed by our church. It was no big deal, and again I would do again without a second thought.

Jennifer

 

[Greg K.]

My wife and I had our vows renewed in 1996 at Disney, for our 10th anniversary.

We were stunned to learn that the Orlando Diocese would not let a priest take part, even for just a simple vow renewal. We ended up using a wonderful Protestant minister, recommended by Disney, with just me, and my wife, and the wedding planner at the Yacht Club gazebo. It was lovely.

FWIW: I'm now studying to become a Permanent Deacon in the Catholic Church. I can sort of understand the church's view: marriage is a sacrament, to be entered into soberly and prayerfully. Somehow, dancing mice in tuxedoes don't fit the bill.

But some parishes and clergy do provide a little flexibility in this regard. Co-validation is a definite option. Look into it, discuss options with your parish priest or chancery. And good luck!

 

[FranP]

DD29 got married in church here in NJ and then did it again at the Wedding Pavilion - the only difference being that in WDW it becomes a vow renewal, not a wedding ceremony, with no new Florida license but a copy of the NJ one being required to show to the Disney people. One of the non-denominational, Christian ministers recommended by WDW performed the ceremony, which he himself called a ceremony based on Scripture and Hallmark, and he let them write their own vows. All in all, a perfect ceremony.