Inviting the Priest to the Reception?

BCV513

Hi everyone,

I'm looking for some help regarding inviting the priest to the reception. I know this used to be pretty common, but I'm not sure if it's still done. I don't want the priest to feel obligated, but I don't want to insult him either. I also certainly don't want him to give a gift. We plan on giving him a gift for performing the ceremony. If he does come, who should he sit with? Is it okay to ask him to say a short blessing?

pretzelgrrl

  We invited our minister.  She came and did a blessing but declined the invitation to dinner.  I think it is nice to invite them if they don't want to stay they will tell you.

TeaForMe

We invited the priest to the reception but he declined, so I'm not much help. He said he usually doesn't attend the receptions, but I'm sure many priests would if invited. In fact, I know the priest at my brother and sister-in-law's wedding came to the reception (and found out he actually knew a bunch of my Dad's extended family so he had a great time catching up!)

 I think your priest should feel comfortable saying "no, thank you" if he doesn't want to attend the reception. Maybe some are just more social than others and more likely to accept such an invitation. It might be nice to have him say a blessing unless you had someone else in mind. And I think at my brother's wedding they seated the priest with some other family friends. Don't know if any of this rambling is helpful.

bibliophile2010

The priest who celebrated our wedding mass is a friend, and he has told us that he always feels awkward when he is not invited to the reception. Invite your priest. If you don't know him well, he is likely to decline (or may have to hear confessions, say the evening mass, etc.), but at least you didn't insult him.

debbiem56

We invited ours, but he had Saturday night Mass and couldn't attend. I would think you would seat him with either family members or other parishioners that he may know.

BCV513

Thanks ladies. I appreciate your help!

professorscience

If he comes, seat him with parishoners, but hopefully a range of age groups.  Priests like to be social just like the rest of us. 

Calypso1977

he shoudl be invited to teh reception and the rehearsal dinner.
our priest came to the RD and gave a nice blessing.  he couldnt make the reception as he had to do a baptism.

he really enjoyed the nice meal out and we were so happy to do that for him.

ElisabethJoanne

There's usually a few priests invited to the weddings I attend, not just the officiant. I've had great fun talking with them at the receptions. Some even like to dance!

Invite him, and do it with a formal, printed invitation like everyone else, so you can track his RSVP the same as everyone else, and so he has all the details. The only difference is you might hand him the invitation, or send it to him at the church, rather than to his home. And seat him with parishioners, or other Catholics, or at the parents' table.

There will be at least 2 Priests at my wedding, probably 3. My parish has all 3, and I know them about equally well. One we've asked to officiate at the vows, but I told all 3 they can flip a coin as to who is the chief celebrant of the Mass, for all I care. [There's canons and rubrics that make it a bit more complicated, of course.] Then we'll ask them to do the same for the Grace/Blessing at the reception. If they didn't get along so well with me and each other, I'd "assign" such things, or just have the Hebrew Blessing my father will lead.

OliveOilsMom

We have invited our priest as well.  I have no idea where I will seat him if he does attend.  Probably with my dad's cousin who will also serve as a eucharist minister during the mass.  But with the priest shortage, priests may be too busy to go to receptions.