a catholic cannot have a catholic ceremony if marrying a non catholic...
sometimes dual ceremonies are allowed, but they will not receive the blessing of the catholic church...
Good luck with explaining that to my Catholic father and Presbyterian mother.
sorry, joe, you are wrong. Just in 2011 my wife and I organized my sister-in-law marrying a Buddhist (ok, pretty much a Japanese athiest). The Church both in Japan and here in Poland gave their blessings, the marriage is valid and the wedding was in Church with the Church blessing and the complete ceremony.
You wrote:
“a catholic cannot have a catholic ceremony if marrying a non catholic...”
Actually I think they can. They just can’t have a Mass. They can still have the marriage ceremony.