The Church takes great care to insure that the prayer for this special moment is reverent, graceful, beautiful and open to the movement of God's Spirit among us. All ceremonies are celebrated as a community and should reflect our christian faith and worship. The celebrations of the sacraments are rooted in Scripture so that we may be nourished and strengthened by God's Word. These celebrations are incomplete unless they are filled with prayer in song, in gestures, and with the silence in which we hear and respond to the voice of God in our lives.
Structure of Catholic Marriage Liturgy
When both the bride and groom are Catholic, the appropriate context to exchange marriage vows is within the Mass. The Wedding Mass consists of five main sections:
There are instances when marriage vows are exchanged outside of Mass. When Marriage is celebrated outside of Mass, the ceremony consists of four main sections:
The ENTRANCE RITE ... The Rite of Marriage envisions a very different entrance procession than the one to which most of us are accustomed. At best, a liturgical procession includes the major participants of this liturgy. (The concept of "liturgical procession" will be discussed more fully at the Wedding Workshop.) The procession ends when all take their appropriate places.
LITURGY of the WORD.. Only readings from the Scriptures may be used during this sacred worship. The Lector should be capable and motivated by faith, and adequately prepared for the role. The Liturgy of the Word consists of the following elements:
The RITE of MARRIAGE...The Groom and the Bride must assume their position as ministers of the sacrament. They must be clearly seen and heard. The Rite of Marriage consists of the following elements:
At this point, there is the choice to continue and conclude the sacramental celebration with Mass or without Mass.
- Declaration of Intent
- Exchange of Vows
- Blessing and Exchange of Rings... The rings are a primary symbol of the commitment that the couple makes to each other. (The blessing and exchange of rings should be conducted with solemnity and care.)
- Prayer of the Couple (optional)
- General Intercessions (Prayers of the Faithful)...The couple, or someone they select, may prepare the intercessions. They should include prayers for the needs of the Church, public authorities and salvation of the world, those oppressed by need, the local community (with emphasis on this wedding), and those who are deceased.
THE GATHERING...
HOSPITALITY... Great care should be given to the greeting of guests and creating a mood of welcome and expectant joy. Every member of the wedding party (attendants, family members, and the couple themselves) shares the responsibility of contributing to a warm and comfortable atmosphere in the church. Attendants (both male and female) should be encouraged, above all others, to actively help guests feel "at home" and valued as participants in this sacramental celebration.
SEATING the GUESTS... Just as the Bride and Groom are united, so are their family and friends joined together by this wedding. The intermingling of guests (rather than "the Bride's side" or "the Groom's side") helps create that unity. [NOTE: The couple should decide seating before the rehearsal and inform the ushers at that time.]
PARTICIPATION... Often guests need help to realize that they are present as witnesses of the sacrament and participants in the prayer of the Church for the couple. The following suggestions will help to increase their involvement:
- The couple should do all they can to encourage the guests to be active participants.
- A wedding booklet or program can enable everyone to participate fully and assist those who are unfamiliar with Catholic liturgy. This worship aid is also a fine remembrance of the day. (Many samples may be seen at the Wedding Workshop.)
- A Cantor is helpful in announcing the hymns and leading the singing.
MUSIC...Music is integral to liturgy. Words which are sung express faith more powerfully, bring a sense of unity to the assembly, and impart a quality of joy and thanksgiving. A wedding is first of all a time of prayer, and music expresses and deepens the praise and worship of God. Therefore, the music and texts must be appropriate for the liturgical action. The Director of Music can assist each couple in making good choices which
are aesthetically, technically, and expressively good music;
have appropriate music and words for a service of worship;
enable the people gathered to express their faith in this celebration.
In most circumstances, the Director of Music is the primary resource for the planning and performance of the music for a wedding. It is advisable to contact her three to six months in advance of your wedding to confirm availability. Once confirmed, a meeting may take place after you attend the Wedding Workshop. The Music Director is also the contact for other vocal and instrumental soloists who provide music for our parish. Our Director of Music, Wanza Grantier, can be reached at 963-2584 or by sending an email.
A required workshop, provided by the St. Philip Office of Liturgy, will further develop the guidelines of this booklet, and will offer suggestions and assistance in the planning process for your liturgical celebration. It lays the groundwork for each couple's planning meetings with the Director of Music and with the Wedding Coordinator. The workshops take place quarterly. Please check with the office 968-6645 to obtain dates and times and to register. If you are living out-of-town and cannot attend a workshop, you may have someone attend for you (a parent, relative or friend) who can get the necessary information to you.
The task of the Parish Wedding Coordinator is to handle details of your wedding event; keeping you organized keeping us organized, and reducing the stress of a myriad of tasks (e.g. paperwork, scheduling, room arrangements, opening buildings.) The wedding coordinator will conduct the wedding workshops, meet with the couple at least six weeks before the wedding to prepare a Wedding Plan, conduct the rehearsal, and will be present the day of your wedding (before, during and after your wedding) to ensure that everything runs smoothly and is as stress free as possible for you. To further assure a coordinated sacramental celebration, the details are cross-referenced for the Presider, the musician(s), the bride and groom, and any other necessary individuals. You may set up a meeting with Parish Wedding Coordinator, Sherril Keese, at the Wedding Workshop or anytime after the workshop at 979-1712.
Members of our parish may celebrate their weddings at St. Philip Church.
Former members of the parish need to speak both to their present pastor and
to a priest at St. Philip Parish if they wish to solemnize their marriage
in this church. Couples are expected to contact the parish office well
in advance of the date on which they hope to celebrate their wedding.
Six months is the minimum requirement. However, individual circumstances,
marriage instruction, paperwork, and/or availability of the church building
and parish ministers may require more time than the minimum six months.
Our Saturday wedding hours are 11:00AM and 2:00PM. To allow for sufficient
time for the 4:30PM Mass on Saturday, the church parking lot needs to be cleared
out by 4:00PM. Weddings are not scheduled on Sundays. By way of exception,
weddings may be celebrated on a Friday evening or another week night.
NOTE: There are some times in the church year when the liturgical calendar
discourages or prohibits the celebration of weddings. For example, the season
of Lent is a time of penance in the church community and that spirit affects
all parish liturgies between Ash Wednesday and Easter.
We ask a church fee of $150.00 to cover our expenses. (If this is a hardship, we will work with you to reach a fair solution.) The fees for the organist/pianist, cantor, soloist(s) or instrumentalist(s) will be discussed when you meet with the Director of Music and the Wedding Coordinator when preparing your Wedding Plan. A gift for the Presider is left to the discretion of the couple. All stipends and fees will be collected at the wedding rehearsal.
The rehearsal will be conducted by the Parish Wedding Coordinator. The usual
time for the rehearsal is the evening before the wedding between 5:00 and
7:00 p.m. It is not the time to discuss and make decisions but to practice.
Materials to help you make all of those pertinent decisions in advance will
be given out at the Wedding Workshop.
The following format is suggested for the rehearsal:
BRIDE and GROOM... In the Roman Catholic tradition,
the Bride and Groom minister the sacrament of marriage to one another; a Priest
and at least two witnesses must also be present.
ASSEMBLY... It consists of the friends, and especially
the family, who have shared the faith and nurtured its development. They are
the people who continue to support and celebrate this covenant. The entire
assembly exercises a ministry of prayer, especially in the moments that require
a response to God's word or action (such as the psalm, the Gospel acclamation
and The Lords' Prayer.
WEDDING ATTENDANTS... They act as witnesses to the
sacred covenant and are accorded special dignity as they accompany the couple
in this celebration, but they should never distract from the central focus
or the liturgical action.
PRIEST... Ordinarily, one of the parish priests will
preside. Another ordained relative or friend may be invited to preside with
the permission of the Pastor. By mutual agreement, Pastors of other denominations
may take a part in the marriage rite.
MUSIC MINISTER... Because music is integral to the
celebration of liturgy, it is most important to engage the services of a musician
with professional and liturgical background. St. Philip's Director of Music
is the primary resource for the planning and performance of the music for
a wedding in this parish. It is advisable to contact the Director once the
date of the wedding has been established with the parish office. Generally,
the Director is also the contact for other vocal and instrumental soloists
who provide music in our parish. The parish does, however, permit other musicians
to provide the music. Most professional musicians with a church background
are familiar with music that enhances a truly Christian celebration. Any questions
that arise should be referred to the Director of Music by calling 963-2584
or
sending an email.
LECTORS... Those who serve as parish Lectors may serve
at a wedding. A couple also may invite family members or friends who are of
our own faith communion to serve as Lectors. But in all cases, they should
possess necessary skills for proclaiming God's Word effectively and reverently.
They must attend the wedding rehearsal so that they may practice in the church
using the sound system.
EXTRAORDINARY MINISTERS of HOLY COMMUNION... The service
of Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion for the bread and for the cup
may be necessary if the wedding is celebrated during Mass. Friends or family
members of the bride and groom who are commissioned Extraordinary Ministers
in their home parishes may be invited to serve at a wedding here. They should
attend the wedding rehearsal so that they are familiar with the worship space.
Those who serve as Extraordinary Ministers for this parish may be asked if
there are no friends or family members available.
SERVERS... Altar Servers from the parish may fill
this role if the couple wishes. Again, friends or family may assume this role
provided they attend the wedding rehearsal. (The Server's role at a wedding
Mass is not essential and is rarely used.)
HOSPITALITY MINISTERS... The groom's attendants usually
function as ushers and thus fulfill part of the Ministry of Hospitality. It
is a mature and gracious gesture for all members of the wedding party and
family to act in this capacity. Sometimes extra ushers are enlisted as well.
RING BEARERS and FLOWER GIRLS...They are not ministers, nor are their services required for the celebration of marriage. We ask couples who invite children for these roles to consider carefully the age of the children involved and whether their presence will add or detract form the joyful solemnity of the celebration. In planning your wedding, try to remember that young children may easily distract from its sacred purpose. If you do decide to have a very young ring bearer or flower girl in your wedding, an adult must be in the narthex (vestibule) during the procession in the event that they refuse to process down the aisle.
Because of the relationship of the sacred covenant and sacred space, in the
Diocese of Kalamazoo, a Catholic marriage must be celebrated in a church or
chapel.
LITURGICAL DÈCOR... Liturgical seasons determine
the church dècor. (See a description in your initial wedding packet
of what kinds of dècor may be expected during the various seasons.)
These adornments will not be changed for a wedding. Nor should wedding dècor
detract from the liturgical nature of the event.
CANDLES... The purpose of candles is to highlight
the places of liturgical action, to enhance the beauty of the church, and
to aid the spirit of the assembly's prayer. The church has two different sets
of tall candelabras available for weddings. Candles on pews (if used at all)
must by globed and securely fastened with protected clamps so as not to scratch
the pews.
FLOWERS... Floral arrangements may be used to enhance
the sacred setting as long as they do not diminish or interfere with the proper
focus of the sacred action.( See - Floral Environment for Weddings in
wedding packet.) Elaborate usage of flowers is discouraged. Plants or
flowers from special liturgical feasts (e.g., lilies at Easter time, or poinsettias
during Christmas season) may already be in the church. We welcome any such
arrangements you wish to leave in the church after the wedding. We also respect
your plans to take them to your reception. We ask that any petals dropped
by flower girls be silk, as the oils from real flower petals can be ground
into the carpet.
AISLE CLOTH (Runner)... The center aisle of the church
is carpeted, so runners are not only unnecessary, but often detrimental to
both photographic quality and the safety of your attendants. An aisle cloth
cannot be used at St. Philip Church.
RICE, BIRDSEED, CONFETTI, FLOWER PETALS, BALLOONS, etc...
These are not related to any Christian custom. To avoid any safety hazard,
and to minimize custodial work, these items are not permitted. Please inform
family and friends.