Hi all,
FI and I were cradle Catholics who fell away after we left home, met each other, dated for many years, and then over the past 13 months have really started finding ourselves returning fully into the Church (which encouraged our engagement!). It has been great and we feel so happy and blessed to be able to start our marriage with a shared foundation of our faith!
When we asked friends and family to be in our wedding parties, some of our dear friends are not Catholic (or practicing Catholics, at least), or even belonging to any religion. We will be having a full Nuptial Mass for our wedding. Several of them have never been to a Mass before, and I have had to explain that the ceremony is not the popularized 10-20 minute deal. They are all excited and supportive of us, however.
I intend to gently explain during our rehearsal that they ought not to receive the Eucharist unless they are a practicing Catholic in good standing with the Church but can still participate during Communion by receiving a blessing (and I believe our priest will announce this also before Communion).
Wondering, however, if there are any other things recommended that I counsel them on. I know a few of my bridesmaids are a bit nervous at the prospect of when to sit, kneel, etc. Thankfully my MOH was raised Catholic and so she can help give them some cues to them.