The majority of marriages during the medieval period where carried out in public and with a priest. Prior to the public marriage the betrothal took place in private. This was followed by the publications of the banns.

Most formal ceremonies took place immediately outside the church - not actually inside it. It was in the porch that the bride was given to the groom and was were he gave her a ring as a token of his readiness to fulfil the terms of the marriage contract.

The priest was a participant, but it was the couple themselves who celebrated the marriage 'sacrament'. This 'marriage proper' was then followed by a nuptial mass inside the church. Then the eating and drinking at another venue.