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Wedding
Information & Directives
CONGRATULATIONS!
Weddings are a special time of joy and promise for a bride and groom, their
families and friends, and in an indirect way, for the entire parish community.
Indeed, our faith tells us that in the reception of matrimony, where the bride
and groom are themselves ministers of the sacrament, it is a privileged and
grace-filled time. It is a time which foreshadows the great Marriage Feast of
the Lord Jesus Christ to us His people in the Resurrection and eternal life.
In view of this religious significance and lifelong importance, it stands to
reason that the celebration of marriage must be entered into with prayerful
planning. Therefore, it is in a spirit of joyful anticipation and responsible
preparation that these directives have been developed to guide and direct couples
in solemnizing their marriages at St. Charles Borromeo Parish.
A man and a woman who celebrate their wedding at St. Charles will appreciate
that marriage is a sacred event – and is a gift from God - and requires
a life-long commitment to each other in union with God. Some degree of religious
commitment by the couple is essential for a wedding to takes place at St. Charles.
Preference for wedding dates is given to couples who demonstrate a faith commitment
and who are registered or whose parents are registered members of St. Charles
Parish for at least one year.
Couples from outside the parish may contact the pastor and request a wedding
date. Confirmation of date and time will be made upon the pastor’s determination
of the faith commitment of the couple and the availability of the Church.
Please contact the Parish Office 12-6 months before your desired wedding date.
Contact with the Church a year in advance is highly recommended since most venues
for wedding receptions in the area require such notification for booking. COUPLES
SHOULD NEVER CONFIRM THEIR WEDDING RECEPTION PLANS WITH ANY VENUE BEFORE CONFIRMATION
OF DATE AND TIME WITH THE CHURCH!
GENERAL
REQUIREMENTS FOR MARRIAGE PREPARATION AT ST. CHARLES BORROMEO CHURCH
1. The prospective bride and groom must meet with Fr. Dennis (Pastor) 12-6 months
prior to the contemplated date of marriage. The date of the wedding is usually
confirmed at this meeting. PLEASE do not make any definite plans with a reception
hall until your wedding date is confirmed by the pastor.
2. At the next appointment, couples will be asked to fill out the Pre-Nuptial
Questionnaire. This includes biographical information as well as the intended
spouses' testimony, under oath, concerning their intentions to enter into Christian
Marriage according to the teaching of the Church. At this same meeting the couple
will be administered a couples’ communication instrument to measure their
understanding surrounding marriage and its commitments. At a follow-up meeting,
the couple will meet with a trained couple to discuss the results.
3. The couple must also attend an approved marriage prep program with other
couples and trained couple facilitators - either an "Engaged Encounter
Weekend" or the local deanery "Toward Marriage Program" - application
brochures will be made available.
4.
The couple will meet with the clergy/celebrant to plan the wedding ceremony.
GENERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR MARRIAGE PREPARATION OUTSIDE ST. CHARLES BORROMEO
CHURCH
If, for convenience sake, you choose to be prepared by a priest or deacon outside
St. Charles Parish, a letter from the preparing priest or deacon must be sent
to the Pastor as soon as possible after the initial contact with the Pastor
of St. Charles Church. The letter from the preparing priest or deacon should
state that he will gather the necessary documents and conduct the necessary
marriage preparation as outlined in this policy.
DOCUMENTS
1. If the bride and/or groom have not been baptized in St. Charles Borromeo
Church, they must obtain from their churches of baptism a recent copy (issued
within six months of the time presented) of their Certificate of Baptism.
2. In the case of a previous marriage on the part of either party, documents
must be presented that assure the freedom of one or both parties to marry in
the Catholic Church - i.e. Decree of Annulment.
3. A CIVIL MARRIAGE LICENSE (cost $50.00) must be obtained from any City or
Town Hall in the State
of New Hampshire (licenses in the State of NH are valid for 90 days from
the date of issuance) - no blood tests are required in NH. The minister of marriage
must have in his possession a civil wedding license at the time of the wedding.
Couples must make the license available to the minister of marriage at the wedding
rehearsal (usually the night before the wedding). No marriage may legally take
place without a civil marriage license.
DATE,
TIME & PLACE
Weddings are reserved on the basis of the criteria above by the Pastor. All
marriages at St. Charles Borromeo will take place INSIDE THE CHURCH. Weddings
are celebrated on Friday afternoon or evening, and Saturdays between 9 AM and
2 PM. In unusual circumstances, a Sunday afternoon ceremony (no Mass is permitted
other than Sunday Mass) may be permitted. Please consult with Fr. Dennis.
When one of the couple is of another religion or when the couple is non-practicing,
the marriage ceremony will be celebrated within a Service of the Word of God
(NO MASS). The teachings of the Church on Christian Worship recommend that weddings
not be celebrated during the Lenten Season (Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday)
due to the special penitential character of that time in the life of the Church.
WEDDING
MUSIC NOTES
After your first meeting with the priest and when your date has been confirmed
by the priest, it is your responsibility to immediately call Mr. Kevin Chamberlain
(366-2335), our Parish Music Director and organist to reserve the time with
him. It is the responsibility of the organist and a trained parish cantor to
play and sing at all weddings. If you choose a relative or friend to sing or
play for your wedding, all music must be approved by the Director of Music and,
under the terms of his employment agreement, his fee is not waived. The Director
will also discuss all planning meetings, rehearsal and the wedding itself. The
Director can assist you if you wish to have a solo instrument (trumpet, flute,
violin, etc…). Recorded (taped/CD) music is never allowed!
FLOWERS
It is very important that florists phone in arrangements about the delivery
of flowers. The Church is locked and the security system is armed and the gate
may be shut when there is no one in the Church. Flowers or candles may never
be placed on the altar. Ordinarily, one or two baskets are used to adorn the
altar and/or the podium. No flower petals, rice, confetti or bird seed may be
thrown in or around the Church.
HANDICAP
ACCCESSIBILITY
St. Charles Church is completely accessible to the handicapped.
REST
ROOMS
Rest rooms are located in the narthex (entryway) of the Church for the convenience
of our guests.
OTHER
DECORATIONS
* At the directive of our Diocesan Risk Management Department, aisle runners
(white carpets) are not permitted in our Church.
* If pew bows are used, they should tied with ribbon or specially covered wire
(NO TAPE) that will not scratch or ruin the church furniture. For your information,
there are 15 pews on both sides of the center aisle.
It is the responsibility of the couple to see that their decorations are properly
in place for their wedding and taken down after the wedding.
VISITING
CLERGY
Visiting Catholic clergy (priests or deacons) who are family friends/relatives,
in good standing with the Catholic Church, are most welcomed to witness marriages
in the parish. It is expected that the visiting celebrant will adhere to the
regulations of the Diocese of Manchester and the policies and customs of our
parish. The celebrant MUST agree to be present for the wedding rehearsal. Celebrants
who reside out of the State of New Hampshire must obtain permission from the
New Hampshire Secretary of State.
REHEARSAL
The rehearsal is usually scheduled for the day before the wedding. It normally
takes 30 - 60 minutes. Please schedule rehearsal parties AFTER the rehearsal.
To waste no one's time, it is important that everyone should be on time.
PHOTOGRAPHERS/VIDEOGRAPHERS
Photographers/Videographers are asked to introduce themselves to the celebrant
of the marriage prior to the wedding ceremony and are asked to be cooperative
with the policies of the parish. At no time is the photographer/videographer
permitted in the sanctuary area of the Church to photograph or video couples
during their ceremony. We urge couples to take formal wedding pictures on another
site - not in Church after the ceremony.
MARRIAGE
DONATION
The customary donation for weddings for registered parishioners for
at least one year at St. Charles Borromeo Church is $475.00 which is payable
at the rehearsal. This includes: Organist - $175, Soloist - $100, Church - $200.
Please make check payable to: St. Charles Borromeo Church.
The donation for weddings for unregistered couples at St. Charles Borromeo
Church is $675.00 which is payable at the rehearsal. This includes: Organist
- $175, Soloist - $100, Church - $400. Please make check payable to: St. Charles
Borromeo Church.
In all cases, the donation to the Church does not include a stipend for the
priest/celebrant. If you wish to give a stipend to the priest or deacon/celebrant,
please present the stipend in cash or make the check payable to him personally.
THE
CHURCH AS A SACRED SPACE
While in the Church for the rehearsal and the wedding ceremony, all wedding
parties and their guests are expected to honor the dignity of the sacred place
that is a church building. Eating or drinking (except water if necessary) is
not permitted in Church.
Please make sure that everything that is brought to Church is removed after
the ceremony, i.e. programs, flower boxes, flowers, pew bows, etc. Thank you!
If you have additional questions or concerns,
please contact Fr. Dennis at any time prior to the wedding ceremony at
daudet52@metrocast.net or (603)
279-4403.
It
is our privilege to have been requested to be a part of your Wedding.
May God Bless and Keep You in His Love.
June
1, 2011
