Question:
Answer:
The canonical form for celebrating a valid marriage in the Catholic Church requires the presence of the local bishop, priest, or deacon (Code of Canon Law, can. 1108). An exception or dispensation can be made for a designated lay person to assist at a marriage where there are no priests or deacons (can. 1112), but that is very rare. So you father will most likely not be given permission to assist at your wedding.
In addition, the marriage of two Catholics is normally to take place in a Catholic church (can. 1118) to convey the solemnity of the commitment and also allow the faithful to celebrate with the couple in a sacred setting. Exceptions are rare, and they usually occur when one prospective spouse is not Catholic. Even then, if the other person is Christian, the setting would be a non-Catholic church. If the person is not Christian, a dispensation is more likely, e.g., if the non-Christian spouse’s parents don’t want to enter a Catholic church.
I experienced this once when a bride was a convert from Judaism, and her Jewish parents didn’t want the wedding in a Catholic church. So the local bishop permitted the wedding ceremony to take place in the lovely atrium of the hotel at which the reception was held.
But don’t be discouraged by this news. You could still have your wedding reception in an outdoor setting, and you’ll have beautiful memories of the church where you exchange your wedding vows. God bless you and your fiancé in preparing for your wedding and matrimonial life together.