I agree with Tcat. Good advice. Just be honest and answer the family and you will good about yourself, standing up for truth.
When couples marry, the church has files that are kept, separate from what the couples get. The record is the comments of the priest if he feels that the marriage is ok, or if he feels otherwise. Those records could be obtained by either couple and I am not sure if it goes beyond that, like a best man?
When annulments are processed, there is a price to pay. In 1998, I knew of an annulments that cost $1,000. or no go, til paid.
And yes, a reason for annulment is in writing.
My mom, a widow, Roman Catholic, decided she wanted to marry a twice divorced protestant. Things were getting hot, so mom decided to see the priest how to get hooked. The New Order priest in 1987, told my mom, go to a minister and get your marriage blessed. (get a load of that!) So, this priest and my mom decided on getting it rigged! The NO priest said, and once that is done, you can not have the sacraments, while I get the annulments for him. He can join the church, and when the annulment is approved, then come to confession and all it done. My mom did this, had my aunt's minister marry not just my mom, but my brother and his lady friend, married in my aunt's house. Even the minister did not want to be seen doing this in his unitarian church. What a scandal! I was new order at the time and I was stupid and congratulated my mom and my aunt told me, you can believe that they are truly married. In 1996 my husband and I and family went traditional and it hit me like a ton of bricks that my mom and brother and his wife of New Order did such a thing. I realized that all considered were excommunicated in the eyes of God.
I told my mom my thoughts. Mom, what was the reason for annulment. She said, Larry, the man she married, did not know that divorce is wrong and he knows different. I replied, if that is the case and he knows better, than he would not be available for marriage, right? Mom was not happy with that reply. Then I asked, and you re-married when? She did not recall the date. I thought, hm, that is right, I told her, you have been celebrating your anniversary as the date when you married at Aunt Betty's house. So, why did you re-marry? Wasn't the first one good enough? Then she looked at me and said it was her business. So, I told our children that this man Larry is not your step dad in the eyes of God. I refuse to call him dad, and just Larry. My mom and larry know how we feel and so does my brother and the rest of the family. They got very mad with me when there was the 20th anniversary. I got the invite and I told my sister we will not be mailing any card(we live many miles apart) she said, well, we have a money tree. I said, we will give no acknowledgement, for the marriage was rigged. Wow! So, I still hear from my sister, but the others don't email or call. ANd that was 9 silblings in my family. Thank God for the distance, but as a traditional catholic, I have a heavy burden to pray for them.
My one sister was married for 12 years, before she found out that her husband was a ɧoɱosɛҳųαƖ, and after 2 sons were born. She was able to prove annulment by the testimonies of my sisters in-laws. They said they knew that he was strange before they married and he married on a lie, a lie that he kept secret and if my sister would have known the truth, would she have married him, and the answer was no. That is a true annulment. Very sad! Her priest gave no consolation. NO priest said, "oh well. and that was it. Very sad.