WeddingPlanner

Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church

Henderson, KY

Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church

Henderson, KY

Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church

Henderson, KY

Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church

Henderson, KY

Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church

Henderson, KY

Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church

Henderson, KY

Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church

Henderson, KY

Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church

Henderson, KY

Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church

Henderson, KY

Text Box: My Dear People:

Thank you for allowing the Church to have an important part in the planning of your wedding. We are delighted that you have come to ask for our assistance. We, the staff of Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church, will do all that we can to insure that you have a beautiful and meaningful celebration of the Sacrament of Matrimony.

The guidelines in this booklet are to be observed by all the parties involved in the planning and celebrating of the wedding. Please make it available to your florist and photographer. If you have a wedding consultant, this person should meet with the priest who will be witnessing the marriage at least one week prior to the celebration.

If you plan to remain a member of this parish, you and your spouse will need to officially register as members of Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church. Up until now, your registration has been included with your parents. The priest who will be preparing you for the celebration of your marriage will assist you in this matter.

Thank you again for celebrating your marriage “in the church.” If I can be of any assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Sincerely yours,

(Rev.) J. Edward Bradley
——————————–

THE MEANING OF THE SACRAMENT OF MARRIAGE

       In asking a priest and the Catholic community to witness your marriage vows, you are asking for more than you would from a civil magistrate or Justice of the Peace.

       Since one or both of you profess the Catholic faith, you are asking us not only to witness your solemn marriage promise civilly, but also to celebrate with you sacramentally. "The marriage of baptized persons thus becomes a real symbol of the new and eternal covenant sanctioned in the blood of Christ. The Spirit which the Lord pours forth gives a new heart, and renders man and woman capable of loving one another as Christ has loved us." (Familiaris Consortio, 7-13) If you don't intend that your union be a sacramental one, it would be hypocritical for both of you and us to celebrate your wedding in a Catholic ceremony.

       As an example: you cannot share in the Eucharist HONESTLY if you do not believe that Christ is really present in the Eucharist; you cannot approach the Sacrament of Reconciliation HONESTLY if you do not believe in Christ or the reality of sin. So, too, you cannot administer the Sacrament of Matrimony to another HONESTLY if you do not believe that marriage is a Christian sacrament and that it is a lifelong and faithful union of a man and a woman mutually committed to sharing their life and love together. Modeled after and strengthened by God's own love for God's people, it is an intimate partnership in which each person gives the other freedom to grow and which is directed toward bearing fruit.

       Think about the Marriage Sacrament over the course of the next several months. Pray over it. Ask yourselves questions like: Who is Christ? What does Christ think about marriage? What does Christ expect of us as we prepare for marriage? What does the Church expect of us?

       If you wish to be married in a Catholic ceremony and if you want to celebrate your wedding at Holy Name of Jesus, we offer to help in whatever ways we can to prepare you for marriage and to insure that your wedding will be a joyful and prayerful experience. WE ARE HAPPY FOR YOU as you begin to plan the celebration of your marriage. This is certainly one of the most important events in your life.

       We are a Christian community that believes very strongly in marriage as a sacred covenant between two mature adults. Because of this belief, we are providing you some information and guidelines that are followed here at Holy Name of Jesus as part of our celebration of marriage. Because this information is important to you as well as to our community, we ask you to carefully read over these guidelines as you begin to make decisions about the celebration of your wedding here at Holy Name of Jesus.
Who May Have Their Wedding Celebrated At
Holy Name of Jesus?

       In order to have your wedding celebrated at Holy Name of Jesus, at least one party must be a registered and active parish member for at least six months at the time of the wedding or must be the son or daughter of a parishioner who is a registered and active member. With your pastor's permission and with the approval of one of the priests of Holy Name of Jesus, active Catholics who are not members may also have their wedding celebrated here.

When Must We Request A Wedding Date?

       Diocesan Policy on Marriage requires that you contact the priest at least six months prior to the celebration. The necessary preparation during the six-month period includes assessment of a couple's relationship, gathering pre-marital information and documents, participation in a formal instructional program for engaged couples and planning the liturgy (including music) for the wedding celebration. The priest will explain these aspects to you in greater detail when you meet with him.
At What Time May Weddings Be Scheduled?

       Since other events will likely be scheduled on your wedding day, it is necessary for the Parish to restrict the time available for the setting up/removing decorations or taking pictures in church.
       The Church is available only two hours before the wedding is to begin. The exception is Saturday evening when the Church is not available for preparations until 5:30 p.m., because of the 4:00 p.m. Mass. The Church should be back in order and ready for other uses within one hour after the wedding ceremony. Please remind your photographer of this guideline.

Weddings may be scheduled on:

a)          Weekday evenings (when there is not a conflict with another parish activity)

b)         Saturdays, beginning from 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m, and from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. The church is unavailable at other times because of regularly scheduled Masses and the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

c)         As part of any of the scheduled weekend Masses (Saturday 4:00 p.m. or Sunday 7:30, 9:30, 11:30 a.m. or 5:30 p.m.)

d)         There may be no weddings scheduled during Holy Week.

Does Holy Name Have A Place For A Rehearsal Dinner and a Wedding Reception?

       The Holy Name School Cafeteria is available for wedding receptions. Please contact the school secretary for scheduling as soon as your wedding date has been confirmed with a priest from Holy Name of Jesus. You may contact the church office to rent the Holy Name Parish Hall for a rehearsal dinner. The facilities at St. Margaret’s Chapel are also available for rent through the church office. The renting of space for a dinner or reception requires a contract to be signed. If alcohol is to be served, insurance will need to be purchased, and parish/school policies regarding who may serve alcohol must be followed. A bar-tender license may be required (ask for written alcohol policies from the office).

Who Can Preside At Our Wedding?

       Weddings at Holy Name of Jesus are normally presided over by one of our parish priests. Exceptions to this are relatives or close friends who are priests or deacons and are properly qualified both legally and liturgically. The Presider is responsible for all marriage papers and preparations. For couples entering an ecumenical marriage, we welcome the minister of the other partner's faith tradition to participate in the wedding liturgy.

Decorations For The Church

       Our worship space environment reflects our observances of various liturgical seasons. This environment is not to be removed or altered. Any additions should be planned with simplicity and good taste and should reflect the religious nature of your wedding celebration. Some concerns:
       a)      Rice, confetti, birdseed, flower petals are prohibited inside or outside due to safety problems and clean-up costs.

       b)      Candles. The two candles placed near the ambo and near the altar are sufficient. Aisle candles or pew markers may be used as long as there is no harm to the pews or floor. Spiral, heart-shaped, or arch candle arrangements are discouraged. We ask that only liturgical items be used in the marriage ceremony. To prevent wax drippings on the floor, clear plastic must be placed beneath all candelabra.

       c)      Flowers. These should be kept to a minimum. Flowers, or other decoration or symbols, may not be placed on or attached to the Altar or the Ambo.

       d)      Pew markers are to be secured to the pews with non-abrasive brackets. PLEASE DO NOT USE TAPE OR NAILS.

       e)     Clean-Up. You and/or your florist are responsible for cleaning up any programs, paper, aisle candles, candelabra, flowers, boxes, etc., immediately after your wedding.

What About The Wedding Rehearsal?

       This is to be scheduled at a time mutually agreeable to the engaged couple and the Presider. This event must be placed on the master calendar of Holy Name of Jesus Church.   It is expected that the wedding participants be prompt so that the rehearsal can begin on time. The rehearsal is conducted by the Presider.   Please make all wedding party assignments prior to arriving for the rehearsal. Be sure to bring the marriage license, wedding liturgy plan, etc. so everything will be ready to proceed smoothly.
       The Sacrament of Reconciliation will be offered for Catholics during the last meeting of the couple in preparation for the ceremony.

What About Music For Our Wedding?

       All music before and during the wedding is to be selected in compliance with our Diocesan Wedding Liturgy Guidelines.
       Music used during the wedding needs to be appropriate for liturgical use.   This means the texts of vocal music should place the couple’s love within the context of God’s love as expressed through Jesus Christ, and recognize the couple’s shared life as part of the shared life of the Christian community. Music that is primarily about the romantic or emotional aspects of love would be more appropriate for use at your reception or another setting other than the church service.
       You are welcome to use musicians from outside this parish with the consent of the Director of Liturgy & Music at Holy Name.
       The use of recorded music (cassette tapes, CDs, etc.) is not acceptable for use during the wedding liturgy. Music in Catholic worship is part of a liturgical ministry to be engaged in by live persons who are part of the gathered worshiping community. This applies to both instrumental and vocal music.
       Copyright laws need to be observed in the securing and presentation of musical selections. This means properly purchased copies of music must be used by all instrumentalists and singers. If you request music that the musician does not have, you may need to be responsible for finding and purchasing that music.
       Musicians should be paid agreed upon fees before the day of the wedding. If the musician’s normal fees are a problem, let us know and we will work something out with you.

( Link to Wedding Music Page)

What About Picture Taking At Our Wedding?

       Pictures may be taken before the ceremony inside or outside the Church as long as this does not interfere with other scheduled parish activities. The wedding party and families may also come back into the Church for picture taking after the ceremony. The picture taking must be concluded in a one hour time period, or completed at least 30 minutes before the next liturgy begins.
       Pictures may be taken during the procession and the recession of the ceremony discretely and from an inconspicuous location.
       The use of flash bulbs or other artificial lighting during the ceremony is not acceptable, nor is a photographer's moving from one place to another. This applies to both still photography and videography. All photography and videography during the ceremony must be done from a stationary position either from the main body of the church or the balcony area.
       Please be certain your photographer and videographer understand these restrictions clearly when you discuss your arrangements with him/her.
       Video equipment may not be in place during the 4:00 PM Saturday Mass. It may not be placed in the sanctuary (area around the altar).

Is There A Dressing Area For The Bridal Party?

       Two Rooms in the parish basement are available as a convenience to the bridal party. The rooms are the preschool room and the nursery. The conference room is NOT available. The parish hall may be rented, but there will be a fee and a contract must be signed. All boxes, paper, clothes, etc., should be removed immediately after the wedding because these rooms are very often used for other purposes.   Please remember to assign someone to be responsible for this.
       No alcoholic beverages are allowed in the church, on church grounds, or dressing areas before the wedding rehearsal or wedding ceremony.   We, the parish and staff of Holy Name of Jesus, will not be responsible for any lost or stolen items.
       If you use a worship guide (program), please ask your ushers or book attendants to collect those left in the pew.

If you have questions, contact a priest or
Neal Biggers, Director of Liturgy and Music

Phone: 270-826-2096

Email: nbiggers@holynameparish.net

Holy Name Wedding Music Page

Return to Holy Name Home Page