The Roman Catholic Wedding Ceremony:

Some Catholic churches expect the bride and the groom to greet guests as they arrive for a Roman Catholic wedding ceremony. If the couple does decide to meet arriving guests, the priest will retrieve the couple from the church entrance and lead them to the altar with their attendants.

Otherwise, the participants may walk down the aisle while the groom waits at the altar. The bride can be escorted down the aisle by both her parents, her father alone, or any other relative she has selected for this honor.

Traditionally, her escort would be her father or other male relative; and she holds his right arm as they proceed. Upon reaching the groom, her father would pass her hand to the groom's. Her father would be seated in the first pew with his wife. Obviously, there are many variations these days as brides are escorted by mothers, stepparents, or others.

The priest with begin with a greeting and a prayer. In a Roman Catholic wedding, the bridal party customarily sits, stands, or kneels throughout the service. The bridal party is located within the first several pews closest to the altar.

In a Roman Catholic wedding, there will be readings from both the Old Testament and the New Testament of the Bible. Other components of the Nuptial Mass include a psalm, the alleluia, and a reading from the Gospel. The priest will discuss marriage during the sermon and speak personally about the couple if he knows them well.

The exchange of vows precedes the exchange of rings. In a Roman Catholic wedding, it is customary for the best man to hold the rings and then pass them to the priest. The priest blesses the ring before handing it to the groom. The groom will place the ring on the bride's finger. For a ceremony with two rings, the process is repeated for the groom.

The exchange of rings is followed by the Prayer of the Faithful, the Liturgy of the Eucharist, the nuptial blessing, and dismissal.