Now, Lord, you know that I take this wife of mine
not because of lust,
but for a noble purpose.
Call down your mercy on me and on her,
and allow us to live together to a happy old age.
-Tobit 8:7
The wedding is the culmination of months of preparation during which a couple has explored their relationship in more depth and prayed for God's grace to make a lifetime commitment to each another. The marriage of two Catholics normally takes place during Mass, because of the connection of all the sacraments to the Paschal Mystery - the life, death, and resurrection - of Christ.
Some weddings are lavish and expensive. They need not be. The important thing is the merging of two people and two families into one.
The couple takes an active role in planning the marriage liturgy. This usually takes place on the final visit with the priest. Certain elements are stressed, especially the liturgy of the Work, which tells the story of marriage in the history of salvation and of the couple's responsibility to welcome and care for children. The couple has the opportunity to choose the reading for Mass. Other key elements of the ceremony are the declaration of consent, the blessing and exchange of rings, the nuptial blessing given by the priest, and the reception of communion by the bride and groom and all the gathered community.
The declaration of consent occurs after the liturgy of the Word. The priest invites the couple to declare their consent for one another either through answering questions posed by the priest or by making statements such as "I, name, take you, name, to be my wife/husband."
After receiving the consent of the couple, the priest may bless the couple's rings. The groom then places his wife's ring on her finger and says: "Name, take this ring as a sing of my love and fidelity. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit." The bride then does and says the same.
A nuptial or wedding blessing takes place after the Our Father. During the prayer, the priest extends his hands and blesses the bride and groom.
The couple is the first to receive communion. It is appropriate for the couple, who have just been joined as one, to drink the blood of Christ from a common cup.
As with any Mass, a Catholic wedding ends with a blessing. The priest may then introduce the husband and wife as "Mr. and Mrs." before they kiss and lead the recessional.