Wedding

Congratulations on your engagement!

We rejoice with you and we pledge our support. We, as Catholics, believe that the Sacrament of Marriage is the union of a baptized man and woman who freely enter into a covenant of love with each other in Christ for the purpose of sustaining a community of life and love and to accept children lovingly from God bringing them up in the faith by their word and example.

Marriage is a sacred reality for all people. We surround it with celebrations, parties and traditions which remind us of its importance. In the midst of your preparations we ask you to keep in mind the sacred and solemn nature of this sacrament. In marriage we celebrate a vocation that shows God’s love present in our world.

By your marriage in Church you are making a very public statement of your own faith and your fidelity to each other and to Christ, within the community of the Church. Therefore, it is expected that you are practicing your faith at least by being a regular participant at weekend Liturgies.

Please take the time before your marriage to prepare yourselves spiritually, for to sustain this sacrament it is necessary to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and His body, the Church.

PREPARING FOR YOUR MARRIAGE

A basic presumption is that at least one of you is registered here at St. Francis Xavier Parish or there is some connection to the parish. It is the norm of the Diocese of Fall River that all couples preparing to celebrate their marriage within the Catholic Church must take part in the Diocesan Marriage Preparation Program. The details of this Program will be explained by the priest/deacon assisting you with your wedding plans. Arrangements to attend the Program should be made soon after your last meeting with the priest/deacon when your FOCCUS inventory is reviewed. When you complete the Program, please inform the priest/deacon.

If you are not living in the Diocese of Fall River, you must visit with your Parish priest and enroll in the Marriage Preparation Program in the Diocese where you are now living. However, if you wish, even though you are living outside the Diocese of Fall River, you may also enroll in the Marriage Preparation Program offered by the Fall River Diocese.

Scheduling

The guidelines for the Diocese of Fall River state that those wishing to marry should notify the parish priest at least twelve months before the wedding date, Couples are asked not to make a firm commitment regarding date or time until after they have spoken to a Parish priest or deacon. Therefore, please do not book a reception hall until you have checked with the parish. Weddings are celebrated Monday-Friday Evenings at a convenient time or on a Saturday, other than the FIRST SATURDAY of the month, at 11AM the earliest and 1PM (St. Francis Xavier) and 11AM - 1:30PM (Sacred Heart Chapel) are the latest weddings are celebrated.

Required Documents

If you have not been Baptized or Confirmed here in St. Francis Xavier, the Church needs a copy of both records, recently acquired. If you are Orthodox or Protestant the Church also needs a copy of your Baptismal record.

You must also obtain a marriage license and present it to the priest/deacon prior to or at the rehearsal.

Should your marriage preparation require it, the priest/deacon may also request additional documents as needed.

Sacrament of Reconciliation

Sometime prior to your wedding, Catholics must celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession). This special encounter with the Lord will provide you with an opportunity to review your past and to reflect upon the new opportunities married life will offer you to know, love, and serve the Lord.

PLANNING YOUR WEDDING CEREMONY

When you attend the Diocese's Marriage Preparation Program, you will be given a booklet to assist you in preparing for your marriage ceremony. You will have the choice of various readings from the Scriptures as well as alternative prayers and ceremonies. You are encouraged to have members of your family or friends assist at the wedding as readers and/or altar servers.

Music

Music adds so much to the beauty of your wedding celebration. Care must be taken, however, to determine the proper musical selections that will support the sacredness of the celebration in the Church. Music that is very appropriate for your wedding reception is not necessarily appropriate for the Church.

The parish organist and vocalist are available to provide music for your wedding ceremony. Please contact the Parish Music Minister, Mr. Donald DiChiappari (508.398.2618) for anything dealing with the musical side of your wedding. Expenses for the music are handled directly between you and the music ministers.

Flowers and Decorations

You should feel free to make your own personal arrangement for flowers in the Church.

Flowers may be placed around the sanctuary but not directly on the altar. Feel free to have decorations such as bows on the pews. Please use clips or strings, instead of tape, so as not to damage the pews.

It is also expected that these flowers should remain in the church after the wedding. More than mere decorations, they are an offering to the Lord, and should continue to adorn the area.

Photography/Videography

Have your photographer speak to the priest/deacon prior to the wedding. The photographer is welcome to take pictures throughout the ceremony, as long as this does not distract from the sacredness of the wedding ceremony.

If you decide to videotape your wedding, have the videographer remain on the far side of the sanctuary with the camera on a tripod throughout the ceremony. If you wish, feel free to return to the sanctuary for pictures after the wedding ceremony. However, please be aware of time constraints, for other Church events could be scheduled soon after your wedding.

Please do not make use of bright lights during the Liturgy.

Other Priests and Other Non-Catholic Clergy

We are happy to allow a relative or close friend who is a priest or deacon to witness your marriage. If one party is not Catholic this person is free to invite a minister to be present and involved in the ceremony. Please consult St. Francis Xavier prior to this invitation. [Priests/deacons who reside outside the state of Massachusetts must seek permission from the office of the Secretary of State of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to legally perform the wedding.]

Rehearsal

The rehearsal for your wedding is usually held an evening or two before your wedding. Arrangements are made with the celebrant/coordinator must be coordinated with the parish schedule.

Those who should be present at the rehearsal in addition to yourselves are: the best man and maid or matron of honor, other attendants, parents directly involved in the ceremony and those taking part in the liturgy.

Please be on time for your rehearsal. Courtesy to all demands that the rehearsal starts on time. When you come to the rehearsal, please bring the marriage license and form with the choices of prayers and readings. It is also appropriate to bring the offering for the Church, the wedding coordinator and for the altar servers.

BEFORE YOUR WEDDING CEREMONY

Please be prompt and on time for your wedding. The ceremony should begin at the time you set with the priest/deacon and the time you have told your invited guests. Courtesy towards the celebrant and your guests should be the guideline you follow. The Church could well be needed for other events as soon as your wedding is over.

Rice/Confetti

Please inform your guests that the Parish will be grateful if they refrain from throwing rice/confetti either in or around the Church. The reason for this is that the rice, especially, can pose problems of safety and can cause a cleaning problem, just prior to other Church services.

Liquor

Please be advised that liquor is not permitted to be served or consumed on the Church property. If you are hiring a limousine, please instruct the company that alcoholic drinks are not permitted on the grounds of the Church. This is a regulation of the Diocese of Fall River. It is more importantly a basic norm relative to the dignity and respect we must all have for a place of Divine Worship.

AFTER YOUR WEDDING CEREMONY

If you plan on having a "receiving line" as part of your wedding, this must take place at the wedding reception. A "receiving line" in the Church can prolong the process and add to the problem of using the Church soon after the wedding.

Offering To The Church

The traditional offering to the Church is $100.00 deposit to reserve the date and a $200 Marriage Stipend. For Non-Parishioners, the stipend is $400.00. Please make the check payable to St. Francis Xavier and please know that this way your check becomes tax deductible.

The altar servers receive $ 10.00.

Fees for the musicians are set by the Music Ministers. Please consult them.

Record Of Marriage

Your marriage is recorded both here at St. Francis Xavier and at the City/Town Hall from which you have obtained a marriage license. You may obtain a copy of that record at either place should the need arise.

Parish Registration

After your wedding, you become a new family in God. It is most important for you to contact the local parish where you will be living and register there as parishioners. If you are going to reside in Hyannis, please be sure St. Francis Xavier has your new address.

Cancellation or Change of Address or Phone

Should there be a change of plans, please be sure to notify the Church as soon as possible.

We hope these guidelines are helpful in planning your wedding. We know, however, that they cannot answer all the questions you may have about these matters. Please do not hesitate to ask the priest any other questions that come up. He will be glad to offer guidance in any way he can.

God bless you both and best wishes!