Are you trying to plan a Catholic ceremony without a mass?
If so, this page is for you! When Brad and I got engaged in February of 2010 the first thing we discussed was the ceremony. Brad is baptized and confirmed Catholic. I am not baptized in any religion; however, this is not to say that I don't believe in a higher power / God. As our priest has said in the past he believes that I am spiritual and I just don't know the terminology to express myself in the Catholic faith. He could be right but regardless because I am not baptized Brad and I needed to plan a ceremony without a mass.
We began our planning process in the same manner that many of you will. We met with the Father at our church; we did paperwork, took the FOCCUS and then did individual meetings with a couple for about 10 weeks. At the end of our individual sessions, we were handed the book the special edition of the book Together for Life to plan our ceremony. The book is wonderful and has so much information; however, it does leave those of us who aren't completely used to Catholic weddings a little clueless.
The book helps to outline how the ceremony will run in regards to readings and vows but it does leave you wondering when will we do the unity candle (if you plan to do one), when will we stand, sit, or kneel and when will we kiss?
This is what I have learned and I hope it helps!
The general outline of the ceremony will be as follows:
Processional - this includes the sitting of grandparents, parents, wedding parent entrance and the entrance of the bride
Opening Prayer - you will select the prayer you like from the Together for Life book
Liturgy of the Word - This will include your first reading, responsorial psalm, second reading and the gospel. You will select each reading from the Together for Life book.
* The responsorial pslam is normally sung but you may have it read, if you prefer.
Following the second reading there is normally an Alleluia but I believe this can be omitted if do not have any one to sing or do not plan to hire a singer.
Reading of the Gospel - This will be done by your Priest and his sermon will follow. You will select the Gospel you like from the Together for Life book.
Following the sermon will be the Exchange of Consent / Vows - You will select the vows you like from several options in the Together for Life book. You have the option of memorizing the vows or reciting them after the priest or reading from the book. I believe it is most common to recite them after the priest.
Following the Exchange of Consent / Vows is the Blessing and Exchanging of Rings - you will select the blessing you like from the Together for Life book.
Following the Exchange of Rings the couple will light the unity candle, if they are doing one.
Following the unity candle, the Prayers of the Faithful will be read - the Together for Life book gives you options for the Pray of the Faithful but our priest asked that we write our own and have a reader for them. This will vary depending on the couple, church and priest.
Following the Prayer of the Faithful there may be a Presentation to the Blessed Mother - our ceremony will not include this presentation but yours may.
Following either the Prayers of the Faithful or the Presentation to the Blessed Mother the priest will make a final blessing, produce the couple, the couple will kiss and the recessional will follow.
We began our planning process in the same manner that many of you will. We met with the Father at our church; we did paperwork, took the FOCCUS and then did individual meetings with a couple for about 10 weeks. At the end of our individual sessions, we were handed the book the special edition of the book Together for Life to plan our ceremony. The book is wonderful and has so much information; however, it does leave those of us who aren't completely used to Catholic weddings a little clueless.
The book helps to outline how the ceremony will run in regards to readings and vows but it does leave you wondering when will we do the unity candle (if you plan to do one), when will we stand, sit, or kneel and when will we kiss?
This is what I have learned and I hope it helps!
The general outline of the ceremony will be as follows:
Processional - this includes the sitting of grandparents, parents, wedding parent entrance and the entrance of the bride
Opening Prayer - you will select the prayer you like from the Together for Life book
Liturgy of the Word - This will include your first reading, responsorial psalm, second reading and the gospel. You will select each reading from the Together for Life book.
* The responsorial pslam is normally sung but you may have it read, if you prefer.
Following the second reading there is normally an Alleluia but I believe this can be omitted if do not have any one to sing or do not plan to hire a singer.
Reading of the Gospel - This will be done by your Priest and his sermon will follow. You will select the Gospel you like from the Together for Life book.
Following the sermon will be the Exchange of Consent / Vows - You will select the vows you like from several options in the Together for Life book. You have the option of memorizing the vows or reciting them after the priest or reading from the book. I believe it is most common to recite them after the priest.
Following the Exchange of Consent / Vows is the Blessing and Exchanging of Rings - you will select the blessing you like from the Together for Life book.
Following the Exchange of Rings the couple will light the unity candle, if they are doing one.
Following the unity candle, the Prayers of the Faithful will be read - the Together for Life book gives you options for the Pray of the Faithful but our priest asked that we write our own and have a reader for them. This will vary depending on the couple, church and priest.
Following the Prayer of the Faithful there may be a Presentation to the Blessed Mother - our ceremony will not include this presentation but yours may.
Following either the Prayers of the Faithful or the Presentation to the Blessed Mother the priest will make a final blessing, produce the couple, the couple will kiss and the recessional will follow.
Other helpful hints:
Ceremony programs - If you are making a ceremony program and have guest who will be attending who are not Catholic or who do not normally attend mass, it is helpful to include the responses for each reading, etc. For example, the response to the first reading will be Thanks be to God. I have include a template of our ceremony program below as a PDF file and as a Publisher file.
Don't be afraid to ask!
Don't be afraid to ask!
Templates:
ceremony_temp.pdf | |
File Size: | 165 kb |
File Type: |
ceremony_temp.pub | |
File Size: | 237 kb |
File Type: | pub |
Readings
For our readings we chose:
The two of them become one body - Genesis 2:18-24
If I do not have love, I gain nothing - 1 Corinthians 12:31 - 13:8a
The two of them become one body - Genesis 2:18-24
If I do not have love, I gain nothing - 1 Corinthians 12:31 - 13:8a
reading_1.docx | |
File Size: | 14 kb |
File Type: | docx |
reading_2.docx | |
File Size: | 13 kb |
File Type: | docx |
Prayers of the faithful
Our priest asked us to write our own prayers of the faithful and I had no idea where to start. If you feel the same and need somewhere to start, check out ours.
prayer_of_the_faithful_-_completed.docx | |
File Size: | 15 kb |
File Type: | docx |
Helpful websites:
Need more information on the order of the ceremony? - click here!
Another good page - http://foryourmarriage.org/catholic-marriage/planning-a-catholic-wedding/ceremony-options/
Planning your Catholic wedding checklist from The Knot (not solely about planning outside of mass) - click here!
Another good page - http://foryourmarriage.org/catholic-marriage/planning-a-catholic-wedding/ceremony-options/
Planning your Catholic wedding checklist from The Knot (not solely about planning outside of mass) - click here!