St. Charles Borromeo Parish at 1818 Coal Pl SE, Albuquerque, NM 87106 US - Checklist & Information for Wedding Parties

Saint Charles Borromeo Roman Catholic Church Administered by the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament in the Archdiocese of Santa Fe 1818 Coal Place South East Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA 87106-4025 505.242.3462 Facsimile 505.247.1292 Electronic Mail: jtlanesss@blessedsacrament.com www.blessedsacrament.com Checklist and Information for Wedding Parties The following information and tidbits are prepared to assist you and your guests with Saint Charles Borromeo weddings. Please copy and share so that everyone will feel welcome and comfortable at our church. Before Wedding Rehearsal 1. Arrive 20 minutes before the wedding rehearsal is scheduled to begin. 2. If the rehearsal occurs after the Evening Prayer, please wait patiently and quietly in the church. At the conclusion of Mass, the wedding party, families and friends will sit in one section of the nave (body of the church] for the details of the rehearsal and overview of the wedding ritual. 3. Thank you for dressing appropriately and being respectful of our church. 4. Please make sure that all mobile phones are in the “vibrator” mode or off. Wedding Rehearsal 1. The wedding party will group as couples and sit where they will be during the wedding ritual. 2. The bride and groom sit in the sanctuary, bride to the right, closest to the ambo so If need be, her train may flow down the steps. 3. The best man and woman sit in in the first row on each side of the main aisle. 4. The other women in the wedding party sit on the ambo side, the first row or right side of the church. The men site on the “chair side” or left side of the altar. 5. Flower girls and ring bearers sit between the best man/woman and the rest of the women and men In the wedding party. This allows for assistance and supervision of the young children. 6. The parents and other family members sit in the pew behind the wedding party. 7. Ushers /greeters, or those in the wedding party who win assist in seating guests, have guests sit close to the front of the church as possible, making sure there is a balance number of guests on either side of the church. 8. Lectors sit close to the front rows and will practice their reading and coming to the front and bowing. 9. Communion ministers may sit where they choose in the nave or congregational seats/pews. 10. The outline of the wedding liturgy (the Procession, the Liturgy of the Word, Homily, Vows, Intercessions, Liturgy of the Eucharist, Recessional) will be reviewed. 11. The names and places of the church (vestibule, font, nave, sanctuary – place for the men to dress, Committee Room – place where the women dress, sacristy and restrooms will be shown. The wedding party, parents, grandparents and others who have been designated to be in the entrance procession will line up in the vestibule area. 12. The order for the procession is: Incense/ thurible (if requested) Cross, then candles Reader (with Gospel Book or Lectionary) Priest Wedding Party Couples Flower girl(s) and ring bearer(s) Grandparents parents Bride & Groom or Groom with parents & Bride with parents 13. If the couple is not greeting the guests as they arrive, the groom and men will be waiting in the sacristy; the bride and women will be in the Committee Room. Please note: some couples will prefer to process with their parents down the aisle. If so, the groom and his parents process, followed by the bride and her parents. 14. As everyone processes, they space themselves between the doors of the church and the pews. A good distance is kept between each set of people – 4 pews 15. As the wedding party couples reach the first pew, they bow to the altar, separate joined arms and stand in their place where they will sit/stand during the liturgy. This bows shows our reverence for the sacred space and for Catholics, acknowledging Christ's presence in the altar. 16. If a couple has chosen to walk with their parents, the bride meets the groom at the second pew, acknowledges each other and parents, and processes to stand in front of the chairs in the sanctuary. (A woman may come up and fix the dress of the bride. This is one of the reasons why the women sit on the “right-hand side” of the church.) 17. For the practice of the vows, the couple stands in the front/middle of the sanctuary, at the top of the steps, facing the assembly. The women file next to the bride and down the steps. The men do the same on the groom's s side. The priest and altar servers will face the altar and be on the ground floor level, looking at the wedding party. 18. The couple practices reciting the vows and exchange of rings. 19. After the wedding ritual part, wedding party returns to their original places. 20. The priest or deacon will cue when to stand and sit. Also, imitate the posture of the priest; when he stands, you stand. Only exception is the homily, when the priest will invite you to sit. 21. A selected person or the cantor will recite the petitions. This is done after the exchange of rings and the priest has had the wedding party return to the places. 22. If there is a Mass, family members will bring up the gifts of bread and wine. Choose who this will be and the priest will cue them when to bring them up. 23. If there Is a Mass, the altar servers with candles will lead the gift bearers In this procession and when the candle bearers go to get their candles and go under the ambry, this is your cue to come to the credence table and get the gifts. 24. If there is a Mass and reception of holy communion, the priest will give the couple Holy Communion. After the Lord’s Prayer, the couple comes into the sanctuary circle to be ready for the reception of Holy Communion. 25. For the communion procession, only Roman Catholics are able to process and receive Holy Communion. We pray for the day when all will be one in unity at the Table of the Lord. 26. To process out, the bride and groom leave first and process to the outdoor plaza where the limos usually park on Coal Place SE. The other, members of the wedding party, starting with the best man & woman continue out, followed by the flower girl(s) and ring bearer(s). Lastly, the parents and grandparents process out to form a receiving line. 27. After practicing the entrance and exit processions, everyone comes and sits for last minute questions and instructions in the nave or pew area: • Let the ushers and others know where the restrooms are located and trash cans. • After the guests have greeted the newly married couple, pictures are usually taken. • No flash-pictures or roaming videotaping is allowed. There are two reasons for this - to maintain reverence during this solemn holy ritual, and that the priests (and parishioners) have difficulty with sudden, bright flash lighting. • The videographers stay by the music or east alcoves. • Leave mobile phones and pagers in the car during the wedding. • No objects are thrown, dropped or mangled at the wedding party because of sacred and insurance reasons. • Do not forget belongings, flower petals, boxes, etc. Trash receptacles are in the restrooms. • Family members or friends help with communion, if there is a Mass. • Remind the best man to bring the rings and marriage license and give to the priest or sacristan when they arrive for the wedding day. • Sometimes a couple will designate a special collection for the church or for a cause. The ushers will practice how the collection is taken. 28. A prayer/blessing will be done together to end the rehearsal. Remember when leaving to maintain a sense of reverence in our holy church. Before Wedding Mass or Ritual 1. Arrive 30 minutes before the wedding is scheduled to begin (unless pictures are before the ceremony). 2. The wedding party may put up easels, a bouquet of flowers or a "signup" registry book underneath at the vestibule gift table. 3. If there is a Wedding Mass and you are receiving communion, place your host in the bowl to the right of the larger bowl. 4. Make sure you have the rings and marriage license and place on sacristy counter. When the altar servers arrive, place rings on the special gold plate. Wedding Mass/Ritual 1. At the appointed time, the priest (if incense is requested) will put Incense on the charcoal and have the incense bearer, cross'; bearer and candle bearers lineup at the main doors of the church. 2. The wedding party will lineup behind the priest, with groomsmen on the left, and bridesmaids on the right. Then the flower girl and ring bearer will follow, then the parents and the couple. • After the Homily for the Rite of Marriage: While the servers get the ring plate and asperges (water bucket) and stand next to the priest, front and center at the bottom of the steps, the wedding party takes their positions on the sanctuary at the foot of the steps. • At the dismissal and closing procession: The priest announces the wedding couple and presents them to the community. Applause is appropriate. The couple leaves first, followed by each wedding party couple. The couple will lineup at the bulletin board or outside on the plaza for the receiving line. After the Wedding Mass/Ritual • Check the bathrooms for items. • Smile for the picture taking. • Remember to model for the children the proper reverence and decorum expected in church. Thank you for the honor of celebrating this special sacrament with you! Please continue to have the good people of Saint Charles be your family!

(Back)