Wedding Policy Guidelines

Congratulations on your upcoming marriage. We are pleased to assist you in preparing for this important occasion. Marriage is a sacrament, between two baptized persons, and an indissoluble union. The clergy member who administers the preparation will help the engaged couple to enter whole-heartedly into this sacrament through a free choice of the will.  While the couple will be working on the preparations for the day of the wedding, the clergy member will assist the couple in entering into an intimate union of life and love for the lifetime of the couple.

Your clergy member will help you discern the correct Rite of Marriage for your union:

Marriage During Mass – this Rite is used for the union between two baptized and practicing Catholics, where the marriage is a sacramental bond.  Both the bride and groom will receive communion during Mass, as well as the Catholic faithful in attendance.

Marriage Outside of Mass – this Rite is normally used when the union takes place between a Catholic and a baptized non-Catholic.  The marriage between two baptized persons is a sacrament.  This is otherwise known as a Simple Ceremony.

Marriage Between a Catholic and a Non-Baptized Person – this Rite is used when one of the spouses is not baptized.  This non-sacramental marriage recognizes the indissolubility of the marriage union between the contracting parties.

At least the bride or the groom, or their parents must be registered and active members of St. Theresa Parish for three months prior to begin marriage preparation. A church is not merely a building for ceremonies; rather, a church is a faith community committed to our Savior Jesus Christ.

Mrs. Robin Lillis, Wedding Coordinator

*Your assisting clergy member will provide her contact details.

A Wedding Ceremony questionnaire will be sent to you when you make contact with Robin.

 

Policies:

Saint Theresa Wedding Guide and Policy Manual

Wedding Day Time Policies

1) Arrival of Wedding Party is no earlier than 45 minutes to an (1) hour before the start of the ceremony.  Specifics will be discussed with the Wedding Coordinator, once contact is made.  Any special requests must be approved by both the Pastor and Wedding Coordinator, before rehearsal date.
2) There is NO pre-ceremony photography taken of the Wedding Party inside the church.  If time permits, photography outside may be considered after consultation with the Wedding Coordinator, only after inside photography is complete.
3) Simple Ceremony is allotted one (1) hour; this includes the fifteen (15) minutes of photography after the ceremony.
4) Nuptial Mass is allotted one and a half (1.5) hours; this includes the fifteen (15) minutes of photography after the ceremony.
5) All couples must use the format set forth in the Wedding Questionnaire, provided by the Wedding Coordinator.  Any special requests for changes will be considered after consultation with the Wedding Coordinator and approval of the Pastor or Priest officiating the ceremony.  If a visiting priest, they usually follow the Guidelines set forth.
6) Full cooperation of the Wedding Day Timeline is required.

 

Church Fees:

Church Use Fee 

 $250 – Payable to St. Theresa Catholic Church – non refundable
Altar Servers (2) $40.00 ($20 for each server)
Wedding Coordinator See Appendix B
Music Director See Appendix C
Customary Celebrant Donation $200

After you have been in touch with the Wedding Coordinator, contact the Director of Music, Mr. Matthew Ho.  Typically, after an initial email introduction, he will then arrange for a time to meet at the church so that the couple can hear music first-hand. During this meeting, he’ll go through all of the music (including the Psalm and Gospel Acclamation and Ordinary of the Mass).

Mr. Matthew J. Ho

matthew.j.ho@gmail.com

Sample Contract / Fee Schedule:  Wedding Music Contract – Saint Theresa

The following are some popular options to help you get started with selecting music for your wedding:

Prelude / Seating of the Mothers (optional)
1. Air (Suite in D)   J. S. Bach
2. Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring   J. S. Bach
3. Ave Maria   Franz Schubert

Bridesmaids’ Processionals
1. Canon in D   Johann Pachelbel
2. Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring   J. S. Bach
3. Arioso from Cantata BWV 156   J. S. Bach

Bridal Processionals
1. Trumpet Voluntary   Jeremiah Clarke
2. Canon in D   Johann Pachelbel
3. Te Deum   Marc-Antoine Charpentier

Recessional
1. Wedding Recessional   Felix Mendelssohn
2. Trumpet Tune   Henry Purcell
3. Allegro Maestoso   G. F. Handel
4. Psalm XIX   Benedetto Marcello
5. Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee   Ludwig von Beethoven

Hymns (for Full Masses)
1. Wherever You Go   Gregory Norbet
2. Eye Has Not Seen   Marty Haugen
3. Prayer of Saint Francis   Attr. to St. Francis of Assisi
4. One Bread, One Body   John Foley
5. Lord Of All Hopefulness   Jan Struther, traditional Irish Melody
6. Gift Of Finest Wheat   Omer Westendorf, Robert Kreutz
7. Panis Angelicus   Traditional, attr. to Thomas Aquinas

 

Wedding Readings in PDF

Select your wedding readings by alpha-numeric code to complete the Wedding Coordinator’s questionnaire (i.e. B2, C3, etc):

Old Testament

B1:  Male and female he created them. (Genesis 1:26-28, 31a)

B2:  The two of them become one body. (Genesis 2:18-24)

B3:  In his love for Rebekah, Isaac found solace after the death of his mother. (Genesis 24:48-51, 58-67)

B4:  May the Lord of heaven prosper you both.  May he grant you mercy and peace. (Tobit 7:6-14)

B5:  Allow us to live together to a happy old age. (Tobit 8:5-7)

B6:  The woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. (Proverbs 31:10-13, 19-20, 30-31)

B7:  Stern as death is love. (Song of Songs 2:8-10, 14, 16; 8:6-7a)

B8:  Like the sun rising in the Lord’s heavens, the beauty of a virtuous wife is the radiance of her home. (Sirach 26:1-4, 13-16)

B9:  I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. (Jeremiah 31:31-32a, 33-34a)

Responsorial Psalm (Sung or Read)

C1:  The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord (Psalm 33:12, 18, 20-21, 22)

C2:  I will bless the Lord at all times (Psalm 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9)

C3:  The Lord is kind and merciful (Psalm 103:1-2, 8, 13, 17-18)

C4:  Blessed are those who do what the Lord commands (Psalm 112:1-2, 3-4, 5-7, 7-8, 9)

C5:  Blessed are those who fear the Lord (Psalm 128:1-2, 3, 4-5)

C6:  The Lord is compassionate to all his creatures (Psalm 145:8-9, 10, 15, 17-18)

C7:  Let all praise the name of the Lord (Psalm 148:1-2, 3-4, 9-10, 11-12, 13-14)

New Testament

D1:  What will separate us from the love of Christ? (Romans 8:31-35, 37-39).

D2:  Offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God. (Romans 12:1-2, 9-18 [long form] or Romans 12:1-2, 9-13 [short form])

D3:  Welcome one another as Christ welcomed you. (Romans 15:1b-3a, 5-7, 13)

D4:  Your body is a temple of the Spirit. (1 Corinthians 6:13-15, 17-20)

D5:  If I do not have love, I gain nothing. (1 Corinthians 12:31 – 13:8)

D6:  This is a great mystery, but I speak in reference to Christ and the Church. (Ephesians 5:2, 21-33 [long form] or Ephesians 5:2, 25-32 [short form])

D7:  The God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:4-9)

D8:  And over all these put on love, that is, the bond of perfection. (Colossians 3:12-17)

D9:  Let marriage be held in honor by all. (Hebrews 13:1-4a, 5-6b)

D10:  Be of one mind, sympathetic, loving toward one another. (1 Peter 3:1-9)

D11:  Love in deed and in truth (1 John 3:18-24)

D12:  God is love (1 John 4:7-12)

D13:  Blessed are those who have been called to the wedding feast of the Lamb. (Revelation 19:1, 5-9)

Gospel

F1:  Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven. (Matthew 5:1-12)

F2:  You are the light of the world. (Matthew 5:13-16)

F3:  A wise man built his house on rock. (Matthew 7:21, 24-29 [long form] or Matthew 7:21, 24-25 [short form])

F4:  What God has united, man must not separate. (Matthew 19:3-6)

F5:  This is the greatest and the first commandment.  The second is like it. (Matthew 22:35-40)

F6:  They are no longer two, but one flesh. (Mark 10:6-9)

F7:  Jesus did this as the beginning of his signs in Cana in Galilee. (John 2:1-11)

F8:  Remain in my love. (John 15:9-12)

F9:  This is my commandment: love one another. (John 15:12-16)

F10:  That they may be brought to perfection as one. (John 17:20-26 [long form] )