Inviting a plus one for a catholic priest? Or no?

Re: Inviting a plus one for a catholic priest? Or no?

• ernursej member

  

  May 2016

  For the person completing your ceremony, you don't technically have to invite them to the reception unless they are known to you in which case it is polite to do so. If the officiant is in a relationship, their SO should be invited. For truly single officiants, you do not have to extend a plus one. 

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• SaintPaulGal member

  

  May 2016

  I'm not catholic, but I would think you can't go wrong with asking.  Personally, I would probably lean toward issuing an actual paper invite for just him and letting him know verbally that he is welcome to bring a guest.

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• holyguacamole79 member

  

  May 2016

  We had several priests at our wedding and we did not give them plus ones.  They came, ate, drank, and danced.  Nbd.

  
  
  
  
  

  

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• scrunchythief member

  

  May 2016 edited May 2016

  So short answer:  Any truly single guest doesn't need to have a plus one.  Any Catholic priest is truly single.  A deacon, if married and invited to the reception, should be invited with his wife.  (Deacons can't marry after becoming deacons, so if he's not married now, he wouldn't have a SO.)
  
  Long answer:  We invited two priests, DH's great uncle, and the priest who married us.  MIL was concerned that it's be inappropriate to invite them with a plus one, and since she corresponds with more priests than we do, we followed her lead for the invitation.  However, we verbally told them both if they'd like to bring someone they were very welcome to do so.  Great uncle priest came and didn't bring a guest.  Officiant priest was too busy to come at all, which is common for parish priests (though not a rule, so he might come).
  
  ETA:  If he's a parish priest, you could call and ask the parish office staff.  They might know his preference.

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• mntravelingmama member

  

  May 2016

  No.

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• MairePoppy mod

  

  May 2016

  I wouldn't invite a Catholic priest with a plus one. I would seat him with people he knows from the parish. 
  
  Other ministers should be invited with their SOs.

                     

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• flantastic member

  

  May 2016 edited May 2016

  Priests will often take off early from receptions, even if they know several others there. Basically even the people they know end up hanging out with their other groups and they end up talking to someone's aunt who has so many questions or so much anger. It's also possible that they're sick of hearing from certain parishioners. I imagine a plus one option might alleviate this.*
  
  Our priest also DJs on the side, and enjoys doing that for weddings from the standpoint that it gave him something other than the above to do during the reception. That was our solution.
  
  *ETA - but you are not required to give one, of course.

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• [Deleted User] member

  

  May 2016

  Thanks everyone! Awesome feedback!!!! Definitely just going to not have a plus one on this :-)

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