No need to send christian marriage extract to district registrar if you perform your marriage at chennai santhome church. Only this church have been authorised to send marriage extract to Inspector General of Registration.

Also you can clear doubts about Catholic wedding.

Catholic Wedding Q & A What are the rules and requirements for a valid Catholic wedding?

There are three basic requirements for a valid Catholic wedding:

The couple must be capable of being married—that is, they must be a woman and a man who are free of any impediment that would prevent marriage.The couple must give their consent to be married — that is, by an act of their will they irrevocably give and accept one another in order to establish marriage (Canon 1057They must follow the canonical form for marriage—that is, they must be married according to the laws of the Church so that the Church and the wider community will be certain about the validity of their marriage.

Let’s break down each of these points.

Impediments to marriage

First, both people must be capable of being married and free of any impediment (obstacle) that would prevent marriage. Some impediments to marriage include:

Age: Both persons need to be old enough to contract marriage according to the local civil laws. (The Church has a minimum age requirement as well; see Canon 1083Previous marriage: You cannot marry someone else if you are already married. This most common impediment to marriage is discussed more below.Relatives: You cannot marry someone who is already your relative (Canons 1091-1094Reason: Anyone who is incapable of understanding what marriage is and the responsibilities that come with it (because of mental impairment, for instance) cannot enter marriage (Canon 1095Fear: No one can be forced into marriage, either directly or because of some “grave fear” (Canon 1103

This is not an exhaustive list. It is ultimately up to your pastor to determine whether there are any impediments to your marriage.

Previous marriage is probably the most common impediment to marriage. The Church follows Christ’s teaching that marriage is a covenant that cannot be dissolved, so it does not recognize divorce as “dissolving” the previous marriage. However, the Church has a legal process for determining whether the previous marriage was valid—that is, that the couple freely gave themselves to one another in a way that brought about a valid marriage between them. If the Church determines that the previous marriage was not valid, it is said to be annulled. An annulment removes the impediment to marriage.

Freely given consent

In order to enter a valid marriage, each person must freely choose to give his or her entire self to the other, and to accept the gift of the other, irrevocably (forever). Church law presumes that the words and actions of the couple during the wedding accurately reflect their intention to do this. Immediately before the couple consent to enter into marriage (by reciting the marriage vows), the assisting priest or deacon asks the couple three questions:

Have you come here freely and without reservation to give yourselves to each other in marriage?Will you love and honor each other as husband and wife for the rest of your lives?Will you accept children lovingly from God, and bring them up according to the law of Christ and his Church? (Rite of Marriage #

If there are serious doubts about the ability of one or both persons to give their free consent to marriage “without reservation,” the pastor may ask the couple to spend additional time addressing the issue; the wedding may even be delayed “for a time” until the issue is resolved (Canon 1077).

For example, cohabitation (living together) is an issue that usually receives extra attention during the marriage preparation process. “If there is not sufficient awareness on the couple’s part of the essential elements of Catholic teaching on the sanctity of marriage and sexual relations and of the commitment, fidelity, and permanence needed in marriage, then the marriage should be postponed until such awareness has developed” (Preparing for Marriage, Diocese of Rapid City; quoted in Marriage Preparation and Cohabiting Couples). A mature awareness of the nature of sacramental marriage contributes to a couple’s ability to freely consent to marriage. However, the sacrament of Marriage cannot be denied solely because a couple is living together. In fact, the Church has urged that pastors approach cohabiting couples with respect, charity, and patience.

The question about accepting children (which may be omitted for couples beyond the child-bearing years) may not seem to have anything to do with freely given consent. But the Church teaches that marriage is naturally ordered not only to “the good of the spouses,” but also the “procreation and education of offspring” (Canon 1055). In other words, since having children is part of the natural purpose of marriage, it is impossible to give yourself to the other “without reservation” if children are excluded.

In order to ensure that couples fully understand what it means to give oneself in marriage, the Church requires a period of preparation before marriage. Usually, the marriage cannot take place until this happens.

The form of the marriage

The Church has certain rules about how the marriage takes place (Code of Canon Law #1108-1123). These rules are meant to ensure with certainty that a valid marriage actually took place. Basically, a valid marriage must be witnessed by an authorized representative of the Church (usually a priest or deacon) and two other witnesses. It also must follow the Rite of Marriage, the book containing the words and actions that make up the wedding liturgy. Under special circumstances, your pastor can ask your bishop to dispense with the requirement to celebrate the wedding according to the Rite of Marriage. This is most commonly the case when Catholics marry someone who is not Catholic and choose a wedding ceremony from the religious practice of the person who is not Catholic.

Other Catholic wedding requirements

The requirements listed above are only a partial rundown of the laws governing marriage in the Catholic Church; additional rules deal with special circumstances and administrative details. However, each diocese (the region administered by a bishop) also has its own rules regarding marriage. Moreover, individual parishes may have policies regarding marriage preparation and the wedding ceremony. You will need to check with your pastor for details about any of these additional requirements

 

The christian also giving first preference for wedding ceremony in South India. They must give importance to marriage registration also.
You can understand about grand christian weddings ceremony happening in South India.

Weddings! The very sound of the word ‘wedding’ gives us a joyous bump! What is it about weddings that enthralls and fascinates everyone? Nothing on earth is so merrily celebrated as this union of man and woman in a ceremony called wedding. Through out the  world, weddings and their relevant ceremonies differ, as every culture has their own bunch of traditions and customs , based on their ethic origin.

Likewise, the christian weddings in South India is a happy blend of Indian and Western customs. The Indian Christians, while still clinging on to their Indian culture have incorporated some western customs as well! This cheerful intermingle of Indo-Western customs reflect on the Indian Christian wedding ceremonies too! But then, Indian Christians are not to be mistaken for Anglo-Indians whose parentages are a mixture of both Indians and British and they just follow only the western culture and traditions.

Well, coming back to weddings, as in other Indian ethnicity, the Indian Christians too opt for the traditional arranged marriages , though that trend is slowly changing , with the present generation choosing their own life.

The Bride

The Indian Christian bride wears a white or off white saree with or without veil. The brides maids (again in sarees) and the flower girls dresses match the color decor of the wedding! However ,in recent times many brides are choosing to wear gowns and veils for the church service and then change over to the traditional silk sarees for the wedding reception.

On the Big Day ,a few hours before the church service, the groom’s sisters and cousins carry decorated trays containing the wedding saree, the veil, a bible , traditional coconuts, dried fruits like almonds, pista , cashew nuts and Indian sweets to the brides residence and place them in front of the bride. The church pastor who is also present there, blesses the saree and hands it over to the bride. The groom’s group then, leave for the church where he awaits the bride at the church

The Church Service

The wedding service is conducted just like all the christian church weddings in the western countries but the only difference is that, instead of the ring the groom places the ‘Thali’ or ‘Mangalsutra’ around the neck of the bride amidst the peals of the church bell.(The ‘Thali’ is a gold chain with a gold pendant in which the symbol of the cross is embedded. A woman wearing a Thali is a sign that she is a married woman.Rings are also sometimes exchanged in church,but ususally rings are exchanged only during the engagement ceremony).Now,the groom pledges the wedding vows holding the gold cross pendant! Another deviation from the western custom, is that the groom does NOT kiss the bride in church as kissing in public is sort of taboo in India!Finally, the church pastor pronounces them as man and wife!

After the wedding ceremonial service , the bridal couple walk down the aisle  while the Church Organ plays the ‘Wedding March’ and the congregation shower rice and flower petals on the couple!

Next, there is the usual wedding reception with the usual cutting of the wedding cake, proposing the toast to the bridal couple and no dance.Since the Indian christian weddings are a social event with a huge crowd, dancing and singing are reserved only for the close family members when all the guests leave. After forcing the couple to have a glass of milk and banana ( a custom for prosperity and fertility) the couple leave for their honeymoon! That’s about all regarding the rituals of the Indian Christian wedding in South India!

 

Deep note on Protestant wedding ceremony:
Each Protestant denomination may have its own standard ceremony. Some denominations are more liberal than others in their interpretation of the service and are more open to the inclusion of non-traditional elements.

The ceremony sample presented here is adapted from The Book of Common Prayer, which traces its origins to the Church of England in the 16th century. It is merely one possible version of the Protestant marriage service.

The Introductory Prayer

The celebrant faces the couple and the congregation, the bride on his/her right and the groom on the left, and addresses all gathered:

Dearly beloved, we have come together in the presence of God to witness and bless the joining together of this man and this woman in Holy Matrimony. The bond and covenant of marriage was established by God in creation, and our Lord Jesus Christ adorned this manner of life by His presence and first miracle at the wedding in Cana of Galilee. It signifies to us the mystery of the union between Christ and His Church, and Holy Scripture commends it to be honored among all people.

The union of husband and wife is intended by God for their mutual joy; for the help and comfort given each other in prosperity and adversity; and, when it is God’s will, for the procreation of children and their nurture in the knowledge and love of the Lord. Therefore marriage is not to be entered into unadvisedly or lightly, but reverently, deliberately, and in accordance with the purposes for which it was instituted by God.

The Interrogotion

Into this union (bride’s name) and (groom’s name) now come to be joined. If any of you can show just cause why they may not be lawfully wed, speak now, or else forever hold your peace.

Then the celebrant says to the bride and groom:

I charge you both, here in the presence of God and the witness of this company, that if either of you know any reason why you may not be married lawfully and in accordance with God’s Word, do now confess it.

The celebrant says to the bride:

(Bride’s name), will you have this man to be your husband; to live together with him in the covenant of marriage? Will you love him, comfort him, honor and keep him, in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all others, be faithful unto him as long as you both shall live?

The bride answers:

I will.

The celebrant says to the groom:

(Groom’s name), will you have this woman to be your wife; to live together with her in the covenant of marriage? Will you love her, comfort her, honor and keep her, in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all others, be faithful unto her as long as you both shall live?

The groom answers:

I will.

The celebrant addresses the congregation, saying:

Will all of you witnessing these promises do all in your power to uphold these two persons in their marriage?

The congregation responds:

We will.

The Presentation

The celebrant:

Who gives this woman to be married to this man?

The bride’s father:

She gives herself, with the blessing of her mother and father.

(A hymn, song, or reading may follow.)

The Vows

The groom faces the bride and takes her right hand in his, then says:

In the name of God, I, (groom’s name), take you, (bride’s name), to be my wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until we are parted by death. This is my solemn vow.

They drop hands. The bride then takes his right hand in hers, then says:

In the name of God, I, (bride’s name), take you, (groom’s name), to be my husband, to have and to hold form this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until we are parted by death. This is my solemn vow.

They drop hands.

The Blessing and Exchange of Rings

The celebrant asks God’s blessing on the ring or rings:

Bless, O Lord, these rings as a symbol of the vows by which this man and this woman have bound themselves to each other; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

All:

Amen.

The groom places the ring on the left ring-finger of the bride’s hand, saying:

I give you this ring as a symbol of my love, and with all that I am, and all that I have, I honor you, in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

The bride places the ring on the left ring-finger of the groom’s hand, saying:

I give you this ring as a symbol of my love, and with all that I am, and all that I have, I honor you, in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Then the celebrant joins the bride’s right hand and the groom’s right hand, saying:

Now that (bride’s name) and (groom’s name) have given themselves to each other by solemn vows, with the joining of hands and the giving and receiving of rings, I pronounce that they are husband and wife, in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Those whom God has joined together, let no one put asunder.

All:

Amen.

Concluding Prayers

The celebrant directs the congregation to stand, saying:

Let us stand and pray together the words our Savior taught us.

All stand and recite the Lord’s Prayer:

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

The celebrant then directs the congregation to sit, the couple to kneel, and the service continues with prayers or song.

The celebrant blesses the kneeling couple, saying:

God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit, bless, preserve and keep you; the Lord mercifully with his favor look upon you, and fill you with all spiritual benediction and grace; that you may faithfully live together in this life, and in the age to come have life everlasting. Amen.

The celebrant addresses all gathered:

The peace of the Lord be with you always.

All:

And also with you.

The bride and groom stand and face each other. The celebrant speaks:

(Bride’s name) and (groom’s name), having witnessed your vows of love to one another, it is my joy to present you to all gathered here as husband and wife. (To the groom.) You may kiss the bride.

IntroductionUnder the Indian Christian Marriage Act, 1872, Christian marriages in India are performed by a Minister or Priest in a church. After the marriage is performed the minister or priest enlists the marriage and issues a marriage certificate, thereby endorsing the marriage. A marriage, performed earlier by a Priest or Minister of the Church, can likewise be enrolled, in the register by the   registrar of marriages. In order to get a marriage registered, it is incumbent on each party to the marriage to make an application to the concerned authority located within its place of residence.1.Essential RequirementsIn order to constitute a valid marriage under the act, it is a requirement that either one or both parties are Christians. Unless one of the parties to the marriage is governed by its own personal law which forbids such a marriage on the grounds of prohibited degrees of relationship, thereby rendering the marriage as void and redundant under the act. To constitute a legitimate marriage under the act the following factors have to be complied with:-The bridegroom must not be under twenty-one years and the  bride must not be under eighteen years of age respectively;Consent must be free and voluntary and not obtained by misrepresentation of facts, compulsion or undue influence;Neither party should have a spouse living at the time of marriage;Marriage must be performed in the presence of at least two reliable witnesses, by a person licensed to grant a certificate to the marriage.2.Conditions for Performance of a Marriage by a Marriage Registrar

The following conditions have to be complied with for the performance of the marriage by the Marriage Registrar appointed under the Act. They are as follows:

(a)    Notice of Intended Marriage: A written application or notice is made by either party to the marriage residing in the same area to the Marriage Registrar to notify the concerned authority of their intention to get married. Incase both the parties reside in different areas, each party would have to make a separate notice in writing to the Marriage Registrar located within their areas of residence. The written application or notice is recorded in the ‘marriage notebook’ and is pasted in a clear noticeable area in the office.

(b)    A Pledge Before Registrar: Before the certificate of notice has been issued, either one party to the marriage should make a personal appearance before the Marriage Registrar, pledging that:

there is no obstacle ,natural inclination or other legitimate impediment to the Marriage;the place of residence is within the locale of the marriage registrar;where one of the parties is a minor, the  consent of one of the persons mentioned below  is of paramount importance in order to perform the marriage :Father of the minor, if alive and not deceased, then,The Guardian of the minor or if no guardian, then,Consent of the mother is required unless, no person authorized to give such consent resides in India.Issuance of the Certificate of Notice after the Pledge has been taken: Once the pledge has been taken before the registrar by either one of the parties to the marriage and a time limit of four days have lapsed after the notice of intended marriage has been received, the Registrar has the power to issue the Certificate of Notice. The information contained in the Certificate of Notice pertains to the location of the Church or Chapel, where the marriage rituals are expected to be performed. The certificate won’t be issued if it is stopped by anyone demonstrating grounds why the testament ought not to be issued. The certificate issued makes it mandatory to perform the marriage within two months from the date of issuance of it failing which, the certificate becomes redundant and a fresh certificate would have to be issued.3.Persons authorized to perform the marriage under the actUnder Section 5 of the Act, the following persons are competent to perform the marriage:persons appointed by the Episcopal,  provided that such marriages are performed as per the customs and rituals, regulations governed by the Church of which he is a Minister;by any Clergyman of the Church of Scotland, provided that such  marriages are performed according to the customs, rules and regulations governed by the Church of Scotland;by any Minister of Religion licensed under this Act to solemnize marriages;By any person who is appointed by or in the presence of the Marriage registrar under the Act;any person licensed under this Act to grant certificates of marriage between  Indian ChristiansIf a marriage is performed by a person who is not authorized under the act to perform it, such a marriage would be termed void.4.Performance of the Marriage under the Act. A Christian Marriage is performed between the parties to the marriage according to the rituals considered essential and proper as per Minister or Priest performing the marriage. The marriage rituals require the mandatory presence of two witnesses apart from the minister or the priest performing the marriage. If a marriage has not been performed within two months after the issuance of the certificate of notice, such a marriage cannot be performed after the lapse of the two month period, and a fresh certificate of notice would have to be applied for in order to solemnize the marriage.5.Time and Place for the Performance of the MarriageThe Act, clearly stipulates the ‘time’ and the ‘place for the performance of marriage. Time for performing of marriage rituals has been fixed to six in the morning and seven in the evening and the place where the marriage is to be performed is the Church. The Clergy of the Church, under a special issued are given flexibility in the time and place for performance of the marriage.6.Registration of Marriage:An application for registration of marriage is made by the parties to the concerned authority in whose Jurisdiction either party has been residing. Marriage is registered in the Marriage Register, by the Registrar who was present and performed the marriage of the couple. The acknowledgement slip of the registration is signed by both the parties to the marriage along with their witnesses and is attached to the register as a proof that the marriage was registered. These acknowledgement slips are sent out at the end of the month to the Registrar General of Births, Deaths and Marriages. Indian Christian marriages can also be endorsed under a special provision without a prior notice
7.Documents Required for Registration of Marriage under the Act:Complete application form;
Passport Size photographs
The Marriage Certificate issued by the Minister or the Priest who performed the wedding,
SIX photographs of the wedding rituals along with the wedding invite;
Residence and age proof of either party to the marriage
An affidavit certifying the mental and marital status of both parties.

 

The operation of this Act (Christian Law of Marriage in India) is not confined to a marriage to which both the parties are Christians. A marriage to which one party alone is a Christian is also regulated by the provisions of this Act. In other words, this Act does not stand in the way of a Christian marrying a non-Christian, but such a marriage will have to be solemnised under the provisions of this Act. For a valid marriage under the Christian Marriage Act, two requirements should be satisfied, viz., (a) the marriage should be solemnised under the Act and (b) it should not offend the personal law of any of the parties to it. Therefore in a marriage where one party to it is a Christian or both parties to it are Christians, it should be solemnised under this Act and if not so solemnised, it would be void. In short, in a marriage under this Act, if one party thereto alone is a Christian, such a marriage becomes valid only if the personal law of the non-Christian Party treats such marriage as valid. Where the wife is a Christian woman and the husband is a Hindu, there is no prohibition under Hindu law for such a marriage. [This law is to be read with the Special Marriage Act in India.]….But where one of the parties to a marriage in India is a Christian and the other party is a non-Christian the best course to adopt is to solemnise the marriage under the Special Marriage Act, 1954. Or in the alternative, if a marriage has been solemnised between a Christian and a non-Christian under the provisions of the Indian Christian Marriage Act, it can be registered again under the provisions of section 15 of the Special Marriage Act of 1954 by way of caution.

“While the secular marriage is a contract between the bride and the groom, the Orthodox marriage is a sacrament. It is the great mystery of two becoming one in Christ; and a sacrament is meant for the Church members only. …A Christian marriage is possible only between two believers. In case a marriage of such kind (between a Christian and a non-Christian) is to be solemnised in the Church, the non-Christian partner has to first believe in Christ and be baptized.” [Malankara Orthodox Church]

[“4. Inter-religious and inter-caste marriages
More and more inter-religious and inter-caste marriages can be seen happening in church. Such couples have to be given help for church related integration and should not be isolated from the church fold. Isolated couples will not come to church and will prefer to stay away or go somewhere else. Sermons in church should also reflect a respect for other religions while we talk about our own. This will give a more accommodative picture about the church and will lead to having a diverse but strong membership within the church.”

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