Question about altar flowers

tropicalpalmleaf

I met with my florist on Saturday and I picked out 2 arrangements for the altar. I have a question on what to do after the ceremony with the flowers. One person told me that I can take them with me to my venue for the head table. Another person said that they are left at the church. What is the protocol for altar flowers? TIA

ElisabethJoanne

You need to check with your point person at the church. Some parishes require the flowers stay at the church. Some let you take them.

It may also depend on how your sanctuary is set up. At my parish, flowers don't go on the Altar, but on stands next to the Altar. I think that means we could take them, because they're not used on the Altar during the Mass. Lots of parishes put flowers on the old, Ad Orientem/Extraordinary Form Altar. Because they're on an actual Altar, they have to stay.

tropicalpalmleaf

I'm pretty sure they are on the atltar, but I have never witnessed a wedding at my church. I'll have to call and ask. Thanks for your response! 

agapecarrie

Flowers can absolutely not go ON the actual altar table that is used for mass.

Depends on the parish whether you can take them or not. 

ootmother2

We had altar flowers, pew flowers and wreaths on the door of the church.  The pastor said he preferred that we take them when we left as they would only be tossed if we didn't

bibliophile2010

We left ours. We had the option, but the church usually uses artificial flowers (on stands surrounding the tabernacle behind the altar), and I always think it's nice when there has been a wedding and they are there for Sunday masses that weekend.

kgrawedding

Our parish requires we leave the altar flowers, and then they are used for the weekend masses that weekend.  (We will have 2 sets, one on the floor in front of the actual Altar and the other on the floor in front of the ambo, our way of honoring both Scripture and Sacrament.).  It's considered part of the parish's wedding fee.  We are even required to use their specific florist for the altar flowers (which I was nervous about but he gave be a great deal on the rest of the flowers, so I'm okay with it.)

Calypso1977

i think its nice to tell the priest ahead that you are planning on having flowers and ask him if he'd like them left for the weekends masses.  it saves them dipping into the flower donation account to buy that weekends flowers. 

tropicalpalmleaf

The last time we spoke he said we could do pew flowers and altar flowers, but he didn't specify. I have no issue leaving them, I just wanted to know what was generally done. 

pisha82

They are usually left there, as a donation and decoration for the Church. Ask you Church to make sure, but we are leaving ours. They wont tell you that you have too, but as far as I have been told and what I have seen done, you leave them.