My sister has faced many obstacles during her wedding planning process, but one has made it come to a complete halt.

We’re all Roman Catholic but my sister’s fiancé isn’t. Like many couples these days, they want to have their wedding ceremony outdoors, but no Catholic priest will conduct the ceremony unless it’s inside the church.

They found a former Catholic priest that will conduct the ceremony outside of the church, but they would still have to get married inside the church. Another option would be to have a Protestant minister to conduct the outdoor ceremony, and then have a small ceremony, just for family, in a Catholic church so it will be recognized by the Church.

Even if they decided to have a church ceremony and just their reception outdoors, but in another city, they must find a nearby Catholic church that would allow them to marry in that church. Many churches have very strong restrictions – some require you to be a parishioner, some require you to bring your own priest, and some even restrict you to “their” florist.

Has anyone encountered this same problem and how did you handle it?