Wedding Blessing In Italy

You have chosen to get married and carry on the tradition by celebrating your union before God in Italy? Congratulations! There is a crucial moment during christian weddings: the wedding blessing. Let’s talk about it now…

Many couples, practicing or not, wish to get married at the church as the religious wedding brings a spiritual and sacred dimension to their union. For Catholic and Orthodox religions, marriage is one of the seven sacraments of the Church. It represents the sacrament of the bonding and solemn union of both spouses. You also ask for the Lord’s blessing and protection when you getting married before him. 

Are you dreaming of receiving the wedding blessing in Italy? Our team of wedding planners guides you through the whole process to get it!

What is a nuptial blessing? 

A nuptial blessing is a solemn moment when the priest or vicar blesses the spouses. Considered as an act of praise towards God, the blessing makes the newlyweds take the measure of the responsibilities implied by marriage. Loyalty, mutual respect, daily grace action, etc. 

During this ritual, the officiant places his hands above the spouses and invites the assembly to pray. By this prayer, he asks God to protect the couple and their family; to fortify their loyal love and welcome their future children. 

When preparing your wedding, choose the way that suits you among the six options offered by the Church to receive the blessing. Be careful! Depending on the mass, benedictions differ. If the wedding is celebrated during the mass, the marriage benedictions n°1 or 4 are read after the Our Father. They show the link between the wedding sacrament and the Eucharist. Meanwhile, if the wedding is not celebrated during the mass, the benediction n°2, 3, 5 or 6 will be read after the mutual consent.

How does the wedding blessing unfold? 

A Catholic wedding at the church can take two directions: the simple blessing without Eucharist, or the mass with Eucharist. Put in a different way, the option with Eucharist is longer due to Christ’s communion. The simple blessing ceremony only gives the sacrament. It lasts around 30 minutes and begins with a greeting introduction, usually read by the spouses or the priest. Three readings follow the greeting: the first reading, the psalm, and the Gospel. Then, the wedding is formalized by the mutual consent and the “I do” of the spouses. The blessing of the wedding rings by the priest seals their union before God. Finally, the spouses explain their choice of getting married with a prayer. 

The religious ceremony continues with the Church’s prayer made through the Our Father, the nuptial benediction and the universal prayer written and read by the spouses with the help of the priest. The ceremony ends with the final blessing, the collection, and the signature of the registers by the spouses and their wedding witnesses and the closing singing. Whether you choose a simple blessing or a mass, the marriage sacrament has the same status. 

How to receive the wedding blessing in Italy? 

It is possible to receive the wedding blessing for your wedding in Italy. Start with asking the priest of the church if you can celebrate the ceremony in your language. If not, inquire about the options of having an interpreter or making the priest of your parish come. During your ceremony at the church, two moments are crucial: the renewal of the baptism promise, and the nuptial blessing with the exchange of mutual consent, wedding rings and promises. 

Don’t forget: if you celebrate a religious ceremony, you must do it in a religious building as outdoor ceremonies are not recognized by the Church. They are usually dedicated to symbolic weddings. At the end of the celebration, the tradition is that the guests throw sugared almonds at the feet of the newlyweds. 

Receiving the wedding blessing is an important step in your wedding and represents the beginning of a life together.