Curious about what to do with bouquet during nuptial mass

monkeysip

So, on one of the other boards, someone was asking about when the bride gives the bouquet to the MOH.

It got me to wondering about catholic weddings.  I've only been to one, and it wasn't a mass.  And it was like 8 years ago, so I don't remember.

For a normal wedding, I can imagine a bride holding on to it so that she has something to do with her hands, until the exchange of rings or something.  But during mass, my hands are often clasped (like during the consecration and communion) or they're holding a missal while singing or reading.  So I can't imagine holding a bouquet very much at all.

But I also don't want my MOH to have to hold two the whole time.  Can she just put them both down in the pew beside her?

This sounds so dumb... but I always think about these dumb little logistical things.

What did you do?  What do brides normally do?

sarathirza

So I'm just an occasional lurker on the board, but I was just married in the church about a month ago, so I thought I'd jump in.  The church coordinator just had me set the bouquet on the pew next to my mom (since she was in the first row).  I think I set it down almost immediately, and didn't pick it up again until I walked back down the aisle.  I wouldn't worry too much about it though - the church coordinator and priest should tell you what to do. HTH!

monkeysip

Thanks! And congrats!  I figured it would be fine to just do something like that.  

I'm not getting married for a long time... but I always get curious about things like this

doctabroccoli

I think I held onto mine most of the time (less the vows)?  Man, I so don't remember and it wasn't that long ago.  But I knew all the hymns we were singing from memory, so I didn't have to hold a book, so there was that!

catarntina

I walked down the aisle, and as soon as I got up to the alter, I handed my bouquet to my MOH.

I didn't get it back until I was walking up the aisle. So yeah, I didn't hold it all really. The priest did not want to see it and told me at the Rehearsal to get rid of it promptly.

TeamBaby

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/cultural-wedding-boards_catholic-weddings_curious-bouquet-during-nuptial-mass?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Cultural Wedding BoardsForum:615Discussion:b115127d-d727-4725-ba58-dfe7e3c10ebaPost:00f6b974-b0bd-4397-aaa1-91754575facc">Re: Curious about what to do with bouquet during nuptial mass</a>:
[QUOTE]I walked down the aisle, and as soon as I got up to the alter, I handed my bouquet to my MOH. I didn't get it back until I was walking up the aisle. So yeah, I didn't hold it all really. The priest did not want to see it and told me at the Rehearsal to get rid of it promptly.
Posted by catarntina[/QUOTE]

Same for me. 

Catarntina- Congrats on the baby!  Looks like I'm only a week ahead of you (due Jan 11).  Do you know what you're having yet?

ElisabethJoanne

At a Catholic wedding I attended in June, there were junior-bridesmaids with vases to collect all the small bouquets at the front of the church right after the procession, and then the bridesmaids picked them up at the conclusion of Mass/before the recessional. I didn't notice where the bride's bouquet went, but I think maybe there was a special vase for it...

bibliophile2010

Mine went a little bit differently. I held them through the Liturgy of the Word (we were seated in chairs during this part). My MOH held them during the Rite of Marriage. Then, I left them on the chair when my H and I went to kneel during the Liturgy of the Eucharist. I think someone managed to hand them back to me before we recessed back down the aisle.

mica178

My MOH held my bouquet.

ootmother2

One MOH carried the grooms ring, the other held the bride's bouquet

katetw

One of the altar servers took it from me immediately and handed it back to me right before the recessional. I think she had put it on a little table?

newlyseliski

We were arranged a bit oddly... my husband and I were seated up on the altar between our MOH and best man.  There was a small table with the worship hymnal between MOH and I and we set our bouquets on that for the duration of the Mass and my wedding coordinator had pre-set a vase with my flowers for Mary next to my MOH's chair.

If might be good to check with your parish wedding coordinator to see what she suggests!  My sister kept two vases up by her seat during her wedding... one empty for her bouquet and one with a bit of water and the flowers for Mary.

lalaith50

I think I'm just going to hand it to my MOH after the procession, and she will put on the pew next to her, and then I don't think I need it again (read: want to bother with it again) until we are getting ready to walk back down.

[Deleted User]

I held onto mine most of the time as well. I set it in the chair or gave it to my MOH (I don't really remember) during our vows. I hope that isn't bad I can't remember.

Calypso1977

i kept mine the entire time, except during hte rings/vows. 

but we were married at the start, rather than in the middle (it was a latin mass, so you are married as soon as you arrive at the altar)  so we walked in, I gave my bouquet to my sister, then did our stuff, then took it back and kept it with me.

MopsieB

There was a little ledge near where we and our witnesses were sitting. The priest told me to put it there when we were going over everything at the rehearsal. But if he hadn't mentioned it. I just would have put it on the floor or something. It's not a big deal. You'll see- things just work out on your wedding day.

HandBanana

My MOH held mine.  Our church actually has the kneelers for the MOH and BM to be up and next to us the whole ceremony.   I held it for a bit also but handed it to her off and on if it got in the way.

jmorford

i held it most of the time, didn't use a hymnal or anything like that. i handed it to MOH when we did the vows.

(i also had her had her smaller bouquet to the BM next to her, so neither of them were holding a ton of flowers. maybe consider this?)