Catholic Weddings

Ceremony length

I am planning a ceremony with a Mass, and I'm wondering how long they usually are.  An hour?  More?  Thanks!!!

Re: Ceremony length

  • Calypso1977Calypso1977 member
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    edited December 2011
    we had a latin mass and it came in around one hour fifteen minutes.  my sister in law's wedding was about an hour.
  • clearheavensclearheavens member
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    edited December 2011
    Depends on the music and depends if you have one language or two. (I'm Asian so I'm saying the reading in two languages.) But if only one language and average music, about 1 hr.
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  • edited December 2011
    It also depends on how long your priest's homilies are. I would figure at least an hour, but probably closer to an hour and fifteen minutes. Think of a normal mass length, subtract the amount of time it usually takes your church to do the "Gloria", and add on the time for vows. It would probably come out to about an hour.
  • alliecarrie41alliecarrie41 member
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker First Comment
    edited December 2011
    depends; mine was just under an hour, like a typical mass.  we sung everything.  no "extras" (flowers to mary, unity candle).
  • edited December 2011
    It can really vary from 45m to an hour and a half.  At a friends wedding I know I got a parking ticket b/c I put money in the meter for an hour & 15 but the priest spoke forever!!!
  • ring_popring_pop member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Mine was just slightly over an hour, but we chose long hymns.
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  • kelmcgeekelmcgee member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    I asked the priest he said he would try to keep it short.   since it's November and we want to take photos outside after the ceremony he understood.
  • edited December 2011
    Thanks for all the responses guys!  I'm asking because my ceremony is at 12pm and the reception (which is about 20 minutes away) starts at 1:30pm, so we will be cutting it pretty close.  We get a lower price for the reception starting then so we can't move it back.Having a Mass is important to us, so I guess I'll have to get used to the idea that we'll all be a little late to the reception!I don't plan on doing a recieving line, and I am also not including a unity candle or flowers to Mary.  I will definitely make our timeline clear to the priest, but he tends to talk a lot...Any other ideas on how to make the ceremony go as smoothly/quickly as possible (without rushing through) would be great!
  • Calypso1977Calypso1977 member
    First Anniversary 5 Love Its First Answer Combo Breaker
    edited December 2011
    march, you'll be fine.  the reception cant start without you there.  just communicate your arrival time and you'll be fine. we actually had our venue booked from 11-4.  we didnt arrive until 1230, but they knew that.  it just happened to be the chunk of time they hold that room for.
  • edited December 2011
    Ours was only 45 minutes, and we did do flowers for Mary and the Unity Candle. The homily was pretty brief, and then communion was really quick.
  • eponvilleeponville member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    amarch- if you have a large wedding and have a couple of guests who are eucharistic ministers you could ask them to help serve communion- this would cut down on the amount of time communion takes.
  • edited December 2011
    You're probably right, Calypso...it will all work out...10 months to go and I am already overthinking the timeline:)  Our officiant is coming from Mississippi to celebrate our ceremony, and I think that's making me extra worried about everything going smoothly.  Thanks again for all the feedback everyone...this is all helpful! 
  • edited December 2011
    Ours was 50 minutes.
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