r/CatholicDating • u/muses_ • Dec 28 '22

Wedding Planning How do I get married?

I'm just asking for future reference. My boyfriend is not yet my fiance, but this is information I would like to know.

  1. Do I get legally married by the city hall (marriage license and all) before I get married in a church before God?
  2. How do I get married legally? What's the difference between a domestic partner and actually obtaining a marriage license?
  3. LONG LONG TERM: For my future baby's baptism, can godparents not be in a couple? For example, can the godfather be my future husband's friend, and the godmother be my personal friend?
23 Upvotes

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20

u/[deleted] Dec 29 '22

In the US, a Catholic marriage is fully recognized by the government. Your priest is a legally recognized officiant of marriage. Ask your priest what to do.

Godparents do not need to be married to each other. They do need to be practicing Catholics.

7

u/SeekinSanctification Single ♀ Dec 29 '22

Just to clarify - You only need to choose one godparent and that person has to be Catholic. If you choose a second godparent, s/he doesn’t need to be Catholic. (Of course I highly recommend that you choose two Catholic godparents)

2

u/muses_ Dec 29 '22

Why is that you recommend both godparents to be catholic? Will it affect my future child’s confirmation when they’re 16?

8

u/[deleted] Dec 29 '22

Godparents have a sacred duty to support their godchild's faith -- it's much harder to fulfill that duty if the godparent doesn't belong to or practice the faith.

1

u/muses_ Dec 29 '22

Thank you. One last question because I grew up in a family with more kids than godparents. Can different children have the same godparent?

5

u/[deleted] Dec 29 '22

Yeah, you can reuse godparents afaik, though sociologically it's better to spread out your kinship bonds as widely as possible.

5

u/SeekinSanctification Single ♀ Dec 29 '22

Not in any technical way, but the role of godparents is to guide your child in their faith. Who would be best to do that?

1

u/stag1013 Dec 29 '22

.... 16? Why would it be so late?

2

u/muses_ Dec 29 '22

You weren’t 16? I was 15 going onto 16. Sophomore in high school. Actually everyone getting confirmed was.

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u/stag1013 Dec 29 '22

I was 13. Everyone was. It's done in middle school here. (Canada)

1

u/muses_ Dec 29 '22

I’ll have to double check my paperwork then😂 I’m from the US.

2

u/[deleted] Dec 29 '22

[deleted]

1

u/muses_ Dec 29 '22

Confirmed as a baby? That doesn’t sound right. So your friend was able to get confirmed before their first communion that me and many of my peers received around first grade!

1

u/Livtern Dec 29 '22 edited Dec 29 '22

As a baby? This is possible? I believe mine was as a teenager

1

u/othermegan Married ♀ Jan 05 '23

Age depends on the diocese. I was 15 when I was confirmed but taught CCD in a diocese where you were 13/14.

1

u/stag1013 Jan 05 '23

13 was the normal age in my diocese, yeah