What's in the ceremony, no full mass?

LaFemmeRousse

Hi ladies- you'd think I'd know the answer to this question being two months out, right?  We've been having some serious lack of communication from our priest and I need to finalize readings and music choices, and I'm still not clear what *exactly* is going to happen in our ceremony.  FI is Catholic and I am not, FYI.

For music: what music choices do I need to decide?  I know I need a prelude, postlude, wedding party processional, bride processional, and recessional, but what else?  Do we still need to do the "holy holy" song or the "christ is risen" song if we're not having full mass?  Responsorial psalm?  Sign of peace song?  I would love to have "Ave Maria" sung but can't figure out where to put it, too.

For readings: two NT readings and one gospel, correct?  Do we need to make any other kind of decision about extra things that may or may not happen?  We're not doing the flower presentation to Mary or our mothers, we're not doing a unity candle.  Will we also do the prayers of the faithful section/ is that up to us to decide?  Anything else?

Thank you so much for any assistance!  I am getting so stressed out about this!

mswood1977

For a Catholic wedding outside of mass you need 1 old testement reading, 1 new testement reading, a psalm, a gosepel reading.  You don't do the Sanctus (Holy, Holy) or the Memorial Acclamation (christ has risen).  We are having Ave Maria sung after the seating of the mothers before the wedding party processes in. We wrote our own prayers of the failthful but had to get approval from our priest.

I recomend you get "Together For Life" (available in most Catholic bookstores and on Amazon.com, they have 2 versions of this - get the version for weddings outside of mass).  Also www.catholicweddinghelp.com is a great place to get alot of information.

http://catholicweddinghelp.com/topics/order-wedding-outside-mass.htm

Karen's MOH

PP said it perfectly! I highly, highly recommend you pick up a copy of Together for Life. I actually have 3 copies now-- 1 from the priest, 1 from pre-cana, and 1 from my sister from her wedding!

agapecarrie

Ave maria is sometimes sung at the marian devotion, since you are not doing that, you can use it as a processional song, or right before the wedding starts.

Ideally, the procession is one song, but some choose to have more than one.

After the procession, here's the outline for a liturgy of the word:

First reading: O T
Psalm
2nd reading: NT
Gospel acclamation (alleluia unless during lent)
Gospel
Homily
rite of marriage (promies, vows, rings)
Prayers of the faithful (you can write them, or use written ones. If you write them, there is supposed to be certain prayers includied for the church, priests, civil leaders, and local, as well as personal ones)
Our Father
Sign of peace (don't need a song)
Blessing
Recessional

Preludes and postludes are optional

LaFemmeRousse

Thank you, thank you, thank you!  This is such a big help.  I may be back here with more questions!