St. Edward Parish Marriage Guidelines

 

Congratulations and the blessing of almighty God to both of you as you enter upon the sacrament of matrimony. This sacrament is holy and sacred, worthy of much praise.

 

Matrimony is a covenant, by which a man and a woman establish a loving relationship between themselves, a partnership for life, and which of its very own nature is ordered to your well-being and to the procreation and upbringing of children. This holy covenant has been established between baptized persons and hence, Christ the Lord has raised it to the dignity and glory of a sacrament of his holy church.

 

We cordially invite you to read carefully and follow these guidelines for our parish.

Guideline quick links: Preliminary Information | Liturgy | Music | Other

Preliminary Information

 

1.     The Catholic party (ies) must (each) present a new and recent baptismal certificate from the church of their baptism. Also, please include information about confirmation.

 

2.     If there is a non-Catholic party, in the case of mixed religion, they should also present a baptismal certificate. This may be a copy of the original.

 

3.     All couples planning marriage at St. Edward Parish are required to attend one of the Marriage Preparation Programs provided by the parish, the Diocese of Greensburg, or the diocese in which they live.  Here at St. Edward Parish, this requirement may be fulfilled by attending the Parish Sponsor Couple Program or an Engaged Encounter weekend offered by the Diocese of Greensburg.

 

4.     More iinformation concerning Marriage Preparation may be obtained by contacting the parish office at 724-446-5197. Marriage preparation is required for all couples by church law. This includes marriages between Catholics, and between Catholics and non-Catholics. Please notify the pastor or parish office which option you choose so that arrangements can be made if you choose to participate in the parish program.

 

5.     Additional meetings are held with the priest who will officiate your wedding. These are scheduled privately.  Father John Harrold, pastor, normally meets with the couple three times.

 

6.     The sacrament of matrimony is normally celebrated on Saturdays between 12 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. Please realize this time was selected so as not to interfere with other sacraments or parish functions.  No weddings are scheduled on Sundays or holy days. We do not encourage weddings during the liturgical season of Lent. Always contact the parish office before making any plans or dates.

 

7.     If both of you are baptized Catholics, then it is recommended and appropriate to celebrate the wedding in the context of the Mass.  If your marriage is one of mixed religion, then we advise and strongly recommend that it be celebrated with a nuptial ceremony.  =This includes the Liturgy of the Word, vows, prayers, and the nuptial blessing. (A book is provided to aid you in your selections).

 

8.     A civil license is required for marriage in Pennsylvania and is valid for only 60 days. The license should be obtained within that time period prior to the wedding. It is your responsibility to acquire this license.  This license must be brought to the wedding rehearsal along with the offerings.

 

9.     The monetary offerings include:

Offering	Cost	Contact
Church	$250 for active* parishioners $350 for non-parishioners
Altar Servers (2)	$15 each
Parish Organist	$150	Benjamin Murray, 412-432-9278
Parish Soloist	$125	Michaela Cantini, 724-446-1389 Bob Nametska, 724-864-3614 Dave Wisegaver, 724-863-0922

*The term active is defined as someone who has been registered with the parish for at least one year and makes regular financial contributions to support the church.

You are responsible for contacting the organist and soloist to plan the liturgical music for your wedding ceremony.  It is advisable to do this well in advance of your wedding. The offering includes a planning meeting and their services at the wedding. If you choose another Organist or Soloist to play for the ceremony, permission must be obtained by the pastor well in advance.

The Church and the Marriage Liturgy

1.     Wedding rehearsals are normally scheduled the night prior to the wedding. Included in the rehearsal are:  the couple, both groups of parents, the entire bridal and usher party, and any additional persons needed for the wedding celebration. Promptness is necessary! 

 

2.     Couples must bring with them to the rehearsal:

a.     The marriage license.

b.     The monetary offerings in separate envelopes for the church, altar server and organist. 

 

3.     It is recommended that the Catholic members of the wedding party plan to go to the sacrament of reconciliation (confession) at the rehearsal.

 

4.     Attire for marriage should be in keeping with good taste and fashion and in respect for the house of God. Outlandish clothing and faddish dress are irreverent statements concerning the seriousness of the occasion.

 

5.     Floral presentations are permitted to the parents and to the image of the blessed mother, as well as the lighting of the unity candle, but these are not essential to the sacrament itself.

 

6.     A floor crash may be used, but is strongly discouraged as the church is fully carpeted. If you choose to use a floor crash, the length of our aisle from the altar out into the vestibule is 90 feet long.

 

7.     Photographs and videos are permitted before, during, and after the ceremony.  No flash pictures during the ceremony please! Your photographer and videographer should consult with the pastor before the celebration. We do not permit photographers or videographers in the sanctuary area.

 

8.     Floral decorations are in keeping with the festal nature of the wedding and are encouraged. Only fresh and natural flowers are permitted to be used in the sanctuary. Any flowers placed in the sanctuary are to remain there after the ceremony as they are now considered a thanksgiving offering to God. They are not to be removed! 

a.     Two arrangements are expected, one on each side of the tabernacle. The arrangements are to fit inside the two white urns on the altar. (The vase height is 15" and the vase neck is 9" round). Please give your florist these directives. Please advise the pastor or parish office who your florist is and what time they will be bringing the flowers to the church.

 

9.     Pews may also be decorated with floral decorations or bows, however, the use of tape, tacks, pins or wire is not permitted. Rubber bands work well for pew decorations.

 

10.  Female members of the bridal party may arrive before the ceremony if they wish to dress downstairs in our parish meeting room. This room is available and should be cleared of all personal property immediately following the ceremony. St. Edward Church is not responsible for any loss of items.

 

11.  The throwing of rice, bird seed, or confetti is not permitted.  This is a safety hazard, as well as, a waste of food in a hungry world. We discourage the release of live birds, balloons, butterflies, etc.

 

12.  Absolutely no alcoholic beverages (champaign, wine, etc.) are permitted or allowed to be brought to the church the day of the wedding.

 

Other Information

 

1.     All matters of ceremonial, ritual, and movement that relate to the celebration of the marriage are to be cleared first with the pastor. If the pastor finds something particularly offensive to the faith, to good taste, or to the sensibilities of the congregation; then he may ask that it be dropped and excluded from the celebration.

 

2.     Sincerity, truthfulness, and honesty are the important factors in working with the pastor in planning the wedding.

 

3.     You may consider the use of friends or relatives in the roles of lectors, gift-bearers, ring-bearers, flower girls, and altar servers for your celebration.  In this way, the occasion becomes more personal.

 

The Music of Worship

 

The musical celebration of the marriage is intended to be a joyous action, uplifting those present to the love of God, and each other. Therefore, in the community of the church itself, music should reflect the sacred and mysterious nature of the Lord, and love that he has bestowed on the couple approaching marriage.

 

Therefore, the music of a wedding must always show forth a sacred character and not be a stage where popular love songs and show tunes be sung because one or the other person prefers these songs. The celebration of marriage is a parish wide celebration and not limited to one or two parties, or groups of people. The following guidelines for music governing the marriage practice are given.

 

The director of music ministry must be contacted for your wedding to help you plan the music. In this way, the organist can direct your choices of music and lyrics that are appropriate for a Catholic, Christian wedding celebration and that follow the musical guidelines established by the Liturgical Commission of the Diocese of Greensburg.

 

1.     Guest organists, musicians, and soloists are permitted only with the approval of the pastor.

 

2.     Once the music is planned for the wedding, it should be submitted to the pastor for approval.

 

3.     Current popular love songs, odes, rock, and trendy pop-rock songs are neither permitted nor appropriate for a Catholic wedding. This rule is strictly enforced!

 

4.     If conflicts arise over music choices, the pastor will have the final decision over the matter.

 

5.     In marriages of mixed religion, the different religious traditions should be considered in the choice of the music. Therefore, both denominations musical traditions could be employed in the wedding celebration.

 

The parish family of St. Edward Church, the pastor, and the staff wish you the best of God’s blessings as you embark on your new life of love with each other and in the Lord Jesus Christ.