Catholic Weddings

Devotion to The Blessed Virgin Mary

Hi everybody, I am new to this board, so i figured I'd say hi before I asked my question. I am getting married 11/06/10 and I am really starting to plan the ceremony. When I went to the music and liturgy workshop at the church the music director mentioned the Devotion to The Blessed Virgin Mary. I did some research and really like the symbolism behind it. I am still debating on whether I will add it or not. Who else is adding this to their ceremony? Also, have any of you seen this done, if so, about how long does it take? Thank you so much for your help.
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Re: Devotion to The Blessed Virgin Mary

  • edited December 2011
    I assume you are referring to putting a flower at the feet of the Virgin Mary and Joseph at some point in the ceremony?

    We actually opted not to do it. Our priest said it was totally optional and really not a traditional part of a Catholic wedding. In fact, of all the Catholic weddings I have been to, I have never seen it done.

    Also, catholicweddinghelp.com will help you plan your ceremony and answer a lot of other questions you may have.

    Good luck!
  • Theresa626Theresa626 member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    I'm doing it.  Really I'm doing it because I think it's a very nice way to have a meditative song to which we can pray to at the end of mass and I can have the Biebl Ave Maria played which is so gorgeous it makes me cry.  It is only as long as your song you choose for it. My cousin did the Schubert Ave Maria but only two verses of it so it really wasn't too long at all.  My song will be about five and a half minutes. I don't care if it's long.  It's being sung by an amazing choir and it is an incredible piece so people can really sit and listen to it. 
  • clearheavensclearheavens member
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    edited December 2011
    I'm doing it.  I have a huge devotion to Mary.  Even if I wasn't Catholic, she is a model wife and mother for all and acknowledgement of her examples is a perfect way to start my married life.  The devotion doesn't have to be long, can just be a 30-second meditation in front of Mary, and then you can go back to your seat.
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  • edited December 2011
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/cultural-wedding-boards_catholic-weddings_devotion-blessed-virgin-mary?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Cultural Wedding BoardsForum:615Discussion:d1bb0fd7-98b9-46ae-99c7-d0aff36a37acPost:c52de033-6b3c-46c4-a93a-ba4e503652b3">Re: Devotion to The Blessed Virgin Mary</a>:
    [QUOTE]I'm doing it.  I have a huge devotion to Mary.  Even if I wasn't Catholic, she is a model wife and mother for all and acknowledgement of her examples is a perfect way to start my married life.  The devotion doesn't have to be long, can just be a 30-second meditation in front of Mary, and then you can go back to your seat.
    Posted by clearheavens[/QUOTE]

    Couldn't agree more!! I'm doing it and am looking forward to it. I have chosen the song that will be played. "On This Day O Beautiful Mother".....it's so pretty!!!

    We are also doing a presentation to St. Joseph. Everyone forgets about St. Joe on the other side of the church. My FI will be putting a red rose down in honor of his older brother that passed away 3 years ago. It's his way of paying tribute and his brother's middle name was "Joseph".
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  • Riss91Riss91 member
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    edited December 2011
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/cultural-wedding-boards_catholic-weddings_devotion-blessed-virgin-mary?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Cultural%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:615Discussion:d1bb0fd7-98b9-46ae-99c7-d0aff36a37acPost:c52de033-6b3c-46c4-a93a-ba4e503652b3">Re: Devotion to The Blessed Virgin Mary</a>:
    [QUOTE]I'm doing it.  I have a huge devotion to Mary.  Even if I wasn't Catholic, she is a model wife and mother for all and acknowledgement of her examples is a perfect way to start my married life.  The devotion doesn't have to be long, can just be a 30-second meditation in front of Mary, and then you can go back to your seat.
    Posted by clearheavens[/QUOTE]


    Ditto this!
  • edited December 2011

    The church I'm getting married has the newer round design.  The devotional to Mary is in the entryway of the church.  To do the Devotional to the Blessed Virgin we would have to walk down the isle.  Non-catholics and people unfamiliar with that church would probably think we were leaving!  I will have to discuss it with the priest.  In general though I personally am for it!  I've seen a couple do the devotional and on the way back give a rose to each of their mothers.  I like that idea :)

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  • edited December 2011
    I didn't mean to undermine the importance of Mary and Joseph, however, after discussing it with my FI, he didn't want to do it. Our priest is very traditional and strict, and he didn't encourage at all to do it. Now you guys are making me second guess our decision....I already told the florist not to allow for an extra flower or two. Something I will have to think about....
  • edited December 2011
    I am getting married at avery strict and traditional church as well and they offered this as an option for us.
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  • edited December 2011

    we are doing it, as i've never not seen it done at any catholic wedding i've been to. after we give roses to the mother mary, we will together give a rose to my mom and a then a rose to his mom, as we are honoring them for being our mothers as well.

  • edited December 2011
    Bridget, I love that you're giving flowers to the mothers as well. Smile
    My wedding will be the first Cahtolic wedding that I will attend, so I have not seen that custom either.
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  • edited December 2011
    We did it!  We had "Hail Mary, Gentle Woman" sung.  Our priest actually had us sign the marriage license while the song was still playing, right after the devotion.
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  • edited December 2011

    I've seen it done... just remember if you can't reach her have a stool handy! The wedding I saw it happen at the bride and her mother were too short (barely 5 feet tall) to put the flower at her feet as it was a stone covering into the wall.

    We wont' be doing that b/c I'm not Catholic and FI is and we will be getting married in a non-denom. chapel.

  • clearheavensclearheavens member
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    edited December 2011
    I've been to Masses in France, Germany, Italy, Vietnam, (and obviously the US), and one of the things I learned that even within the Latin Rite, there are a lot different local practices that honor Mary.  So don't be discouraged if you want to do the Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary but no one else in the parish does it.  It's really up to you and how you want to honor our Blessed Mother.
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  • GenieM27GenieM27 member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Oh wow, I need to get in this conversation.  I love the idea of putting the rose in front or Our Lady and given roses to the moms.  I think I want to do this!
  • Jay+MarissaJay+Marissa member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    We're doing it, and both of us are going! Mary isn't just for the ladies!
  • edited December 2011
    Myroni, I am 6' tall, and probably 6'3" or 6'4" with my heels, so I don't think I'll have a problem reaching her. Wink That is good advice for the shorter brides, though. I have decided to add that to the ceremony. I need to ask if I can hand the mother's roses during the ceremony. We're getting married at a super strict church. Thanks for all of the input ladies.
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  • edited December 2011
    We will be doing it. I've seen it done at at least FOUR Catholic weddings. Usually, the bride and groom give a flower to each of their mothers and then hug their moms, and then go and kneel by the statue of the Blessed Virgin. However, my fiance and I want to spend the entire song by the Blessed Virgin. We will be giving our moms flowers during the SIgn of Peace.
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  • edited December 2011
    We will be doing this.  My mom placed a rose at my parents' wedding, and one of her bm sang.  My sister is going to sing the Ave Maria for me. 

    I had the reverse idea as for my mom and fi's mom though, for giving roses...

    We'll be giving the moms small bouquets instead of easily squished corsages, and I was thinking of having each mom pull a rose from hers and pass it to me, and then I'd pull one from my bouquet and put all three up.

    Would this be odd?  I've never actually seen the rose presentation done at a wedding...been to VERY few catholic weddings (and those as a small child!) even though I grew up Catholic...I'm the first of my generation of the family to get married.  I was trying to think of some way to incorporate the moms.
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  • My husband and I did this at our 9/29/12 wedding and we loved it!  We had our florist create 2 small bouquets with 1 rose and beautiful greenery, and 1 bouquet was placed in each of our mothers' pews.  At the beginning of the dedication song, our mothers brought the bouquets forward and gave them to my husband and me.  We then hugged our mothers and put both bouquets in a vase on a table in front of Mary.  We then prayed the Hail Mary several times and read the devotional card the priest had laid out on the table.  We felt this was a great way to honor Mary and our mothers at the same time.  It was kind of like doing the unity candle lighting, which our church doesn't allow (which was fine by us). 

    God bless you and your marriage!
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