Catholic weddings?

Acarluccio

Hi everyone,

I am having a full catholic mass for my wedding ceremony. The problem is, I've never actually been to one. Can anyone tell me exactly what happens AFTER the ceremony? After everyone walks down the aisle, and exits the church... what happens? We don't want to have a receiving line at the church, but I can't imagine that once we process out, that its over. Can anyone fill me in on the time post "man and wife" to the cocktail hour?

Thanks!

sister2groom

Ask your priest/family or friends.

bibliophile2010

You sign the marriage license and take/finish pictures if you haven't already. You travel to the reception site. There really isn't anything else. You're excited and married. I don't really know what else there could be -- Catholic ceremony or otherwise.

kristinanddan

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_ceremony-ideas_catholic-weddings?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:10Discussion:8c268b49-d5e9-4d4f-ac3e-c4381f8da420Post:817c15e7-7eb7-4968-aa81-f656a778bb81">Re: Catholic weddings?</a>:
[QUOTE]<strong>You sign the marriage license</strong> and take/finish pictures if you haven't already. You travel to the reception site. There really isn't anything else. You're excited and married. I don't really know what else there could be -- Catholic ceremony or otherwise.
Posted by bibliophile2010[/QUOTE]

Not necessarily. In NY, the bride and groom don't sign the license. Our witnesses signed it at the rehearsal and the priest signed it on our wedding day.

bibliophile2010

I actually meant "if you haven't already" to go with both signing the license and taking pictures. Poor composition on my part. I know lots of places have you sign at the rehearsal or during the ceremony itself!

CrazyMary77

I would ask the church if there is something customary. Our priest said he would have us sign our license at the altar, to get it done with. That's his usual procedure. Usually you would go into a private room and wait for everyone to leave, then take pictures in the church.

creatinwerhul79

There's also a Catholic Wedding board under "cultural wedding boards", they may have more info. 

Lisa50

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_ceremony-ideas_catholic-weddings?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:10Discussion:8c268b49-d5e9-4d4f-ac3e-c4381f8da420Post:2023ed9a-7ea5-4e08-ad3c-894e62673ef2">Re: Catholic weddings?</a>:
[QUOTE]There's also a Catholic Wedding board under "cultural wedding boards", they may have more info. 
Posted by creatinwerhul79[/QUOTE]

Yes!  The ladies on that board will have lots of input.  When I married in the Catholic church, everyone went outside on the steps (it was an 11:00 a.m. ceremony) and chatted a while.  After 20 minutes or so, my husband, our parents, the WP and I went back into the Church for formal photos.  Friends took the altar flowers to the reception site.  After formal photos, we made it to the reception site about 45 minutes or so after our guests.  We did not have a receiving line at all.

We married in the District of Columbia and did not sign our wedding license.  The priest signed it and had it delivered to the court house on the following business day.

Acarluccio

Thanks! That was really helpful everyone!