OUR LADY OF SORROWS PARISH
MARRIAGE ARRANGEMENT GUIDELINES
1.
Immediately after talking to one of the parish priests of Our Lady of Sorrows
Church, call WEDDING COORDINATOR Phyllis Ferlisi at 967-4212, who
will inform you on what to do regarding policies. This should be done
immediately, and the date of wedding should be put on the books with the Church
Office (871-8121). Because of the many weddings taking place, it must be noted
that the church will only be available to the wedding party two hours prior to the
wedding. On Saturday evenings the church will be available after the 5:00
P.M. Mass. The fee for the Wedding coordinator is $100.00.
2.
Couples planning their wedding at Our Lady of Sorrows must consult with the
Parish Music Minister, Jody Coombs, about the selection of music. Her fee is
$300.00. Since the $300.00 stipend is part of the salary of the Minister of Music,
she must be paid the stipend if a couple chooses to bring in another
organist/pianist. The $300.00 fee includes compensation for the first meeting
with Mrs. Coombs and one rehearsal with a singer or instrumentalist. There is a
charge of $25.00 for each additional instrumentalist/soloist.
If the ceremony requires a cantor or one of our soloists, the fee is $150.00. If this
is a Mass and an altar server is needed, the fee is $20.00. Altar servers must be
from the official Parish listing.
ALL FEES MUST BE GIVEN TO WEDDING COORDINATOR THE
NIGHT OF REHEARSAL.
3.
It is ABSOLUTELY MANDATORY that you obtain a copy of your Baptismal
Certificates issued within the last six months. This is a Diocesan regulation and
we must have it on file before the marriage takes place.
4.
This service is being held in the House of God. Out of respect, proper attire is
required during the service. The shoulders of the bride and bridal attendants
should be covered during the ceremony. It can be removed for pictures. Update
06-2007-No Strapless wedding dresses.
5.
If a priest other than one stationed at Our Lady of Sorrows Parish is asked to
perform the wedding, he is responsible for obtaining dispensations if necessary,
filling out the pre-marital questionnaire, giving the necessary pre-marital
instructions, obtaining the necessary certificates and documents required by
Church Law in performing the ceremony. Permission must be obtained for
jurisdiction from the Pastor of Our Lady of Sorrows prior to the marriage. The
officiating priest is required to see to it that this information is placed in the
marriage books and duly registered at Our Lady of Sorrows. Any priest
performing a wedding at Our Lady of Sorrows must follow the rules and
regulations set forth in these Marriage Guidelines.
6.
If the Parish Hall or Assembly Hall is used for your reception, there is a fee of
$300.00 for registered members of the parish and $500.00 for non-parishioners
for the parish Hall. The fee for the Assembly Hall is $500.00 for parishioners and
$1000.00 for non-parishioners. For registered members of the Church there is no
fee for use of the Church, but for non-parishioners or non-contributing
parishioners there is a fee of $500.00 for the use of the Church. In cases of
financial difficulty and you are unable to pay the $500.00 for the church you will
need to speak to Father Muller to make arrangements regarding the fee for the
church. The reason for the high cost of the church is due to having to subsidize
utilities, cleaning, etc. In order to reserve the hall and the Church in advance, the
rental fee should be paid to the Church Secretary prior to the Wedding. Rental
does not mean using kitchen supplies. When either the Parish Hall or the
Assembly Hall is used for a reception; nothing may be attached, tied, taped or
affixed in any manner to the posts, walls, or ceilings in decorating. When the
parish hall or Assembly Hall is rented/scheduled for private use, it will be
available as is. No furnishings or equipment will be moved from one location to
another. If you are using a caterer for your reception, please give them a set of
our guidelines so they will be prepared to respond to needs. If you intend to use
the Parish Hall or Assembly Hall please see the attached sheet of information.
7.
Only wine and/or champagne may be served at receptions at Our Lady of
Sorrows. If wine and/or champagne are to be served there is an $85.00 fee
charged by the Diocese of Birmingham for insurance and you must sign a
form provided by them. If planning on serving beer you will need to send a
written request to the pastor. Hard liquor and open bars are ABSOLUTELY
FORBIDDEN. If you choose to serve alcohol to your guests, please know that
you are responsible for their behavior. It is important to remember where you are
and not allow guests to get intoxicated. If this behavior is noticed, you will be
asked to stop your reception. The insistence in serving these will forfeit any rights
to the Parish Hall or Assembly Hall.
ALCOHOL IS NOT PERMITTED ANYWHERE ON THE PREMISES
BEFORE THE WEDDING. IF YOUR WEDDING RECEPTION IS
LOCATED IN THE PARISH HALL OR ASSEMBLY HALL, YOU MAY
HAVE ALCOHOL AFTER THE WEDDING CEREMONY. SMOKING IS
ONLY PERMITTED ON THE PATIO BY THE PARISH HALL AND IN
THE BACK PARKING LOT OF THE CHURCH. PLEASE DISPOSE OF
THE BUTT IN THE PROPER PLACE, NOT ON SIDEWALK IN FRONT
OF CHURCH, PARISH HALL, OR ASSEMBLY HALL. YOUR
COOPERATION WILL BE MUCH APPRECIATED.
8.
FLOWERS used for the wedding are to be left in the sanctuary.
Candles in the aisles are prohibited because of fire regulations.
Nothing may be attached to the pews except the ribbon with greenery or flowers
to mark off sections to be reserved. For wedding Masses, consideration should be
given to the placement of flowers and candles so that movements of the
Ministers and altar servers around the altar and pulpit are not hindered in
any way. In keeping with the beauty of the Church, the emphasis is on
simplicity and only two arrangements of flowers are allowed in the sanctuary
and two arrangements of candles are permitted. Flowers may be placed under
the tabernacle and also under the pictures of Mary and the Divine Mercy.
9.
Absolutely NO RICE OR SUBSTITUTE MATERIAL is to be thrown on
the premises of Our Lady of Sorrows Church, Parish Hall or Assembly Hall, only
silk or artificial flowers may be thrown by the Flower Girl.
10.
PICTURES are allowed during the ceremony provided that the photographer
acts in a professional manner and does not interfere with the sacredness of
the ceremony. The photographer is not permitted within the confines of the
Altar; no flashes are permitted during the ceremony. For Saturday evening
Weddings it should be noted that because of Confessions in the Church
(3:00 p.m.) and the Vigil Mass (5:00 p.m.) there is only limited time for
pictures. Also, for evening weddings because of the late hour in closing
the Church, pictures after the ceremony are permitted for thirty minutes only.
Altar Servers are to be from the official Parish listing.
11.
IN THE SPIRIT OF LOVE AND CHARITY AT OUR LADY OF
SORROWS, WE WOULD LIKE EACH WEDDING TO BE LOVELY AS
POSSIBLE, THEREFORE, WE REQUEST YOUR COOPERATION
REGARDING ALL RULES AND REGULATIONS.