Wedding
Guidelines
St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church
Teutopolis, IL
Table of Contents
Welcome ................................................................................ 2
Marriage Preparation ............................................................ 2
Policies ................................................................................... 4
Participants in Ministerial Roles ......................................... 5
The Shape of the Wedding Liturgy .................................. 10
Other Aspects of Your Wedding Liturgy
Photographers ........................................................ 14
Music ....................................................................... 15
Art & Environment ............................................... 17
Liturgy Outlines:
Rite for Celebrating During Mass ........................ 20
Rite for Celebrating Outside Mass ...................... 21
Time Line and Check-off List .......................................... 22
Names and Numbers ......................................................... 23
Celebrating the Marriage Rite
Within the Catholic Church
Congratulations on your decision to share in the
Sacrament of Marriage! The parish staff will do their best to
make this a very special day for you.
Catholic weddings are celebrations of the entire Church.
Your wedding ritual is, above all, a worship service. It is a time
for Christians to gather to praise God who called you as man
and woman to celebrate your marriage. Your marriage is a
way of living out your faith. By choosing to celebrate your
marriage within the Church’s life, you have chosen to situate
your lives and celebrate your love within the life of the larger
community and its prayer.
Marriage Preparation
1. Contact a parish priest/deacon at least 6 months before
the wedding to schedule your rehearsal and wedding. The
Church discourages the celebration of marriage during the
seasons of Lent and Advent. Lent is a time of universal
penance in preparation for Easter. The feasting and festivity
that mark a marriage celebration are out of character during
this time. Advent looks ahead to Christmas and to Christ’s
second coming at the end of time. A wedding at this time is
more of a distraction from the Church’s prayer, since the
tone of worship in these times will be more subdued.
2. Weddings can take place on a Friday beginning at 4:00pm
or on Saturday with the latest time being 1:00pm. Rehearsal
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dates and times will depend on the schedule of the priest as
well as those events already scheduled in the Church. At the
time of scheduling your wedding date and rehearsal, you will
also need to complete the necessary paperwork.
3. Documents Needed: You will need a certified copy of
your baptism and confirmation record. This can be obtained
by contacting the parish where you were baptized and
confirmed.
4. All couples will take the FOCCUS evaluation that is
offered the first Saturday of the following months: January,
April, July and October at 6:30pm. You will discuss the
results from the FOCCUS with your Presider a few weeks later.
5. All couples will attend a preparation program prior to
their wedding date. We highly recommend: Evenings for the
Engaged, Engaged Encounter or The Pre-Cana Program.
6. If there has been a previous marriage(s), you will need to
provide the priest with a copy of the marriage certificate(s) &
divorce decree(s) as well as the annulment decree(s).
7. Both the bride and groom must be present to obtain the
marriage certificate from the county clerks’ office. You may
get your certificate as early as 60 days prior to the wedding.
You will be asked to present your license on or before your
wedding rehearsal. Without a license, by law, there will be no
wedding. If the ceremony is a validation of marriage, you will
need to present the civil marriage certificate of the current marriage.
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Policies of St. Francis of Assisi
1. The recommended donation to St. Francis Church is
$100 for parishioners or sons/daughters of parishioners.
The donation for non-parishioners is $200. This money is
used to cover Church expenses only (ex: electricity, heat/air
conditioning). It would be best if the donations would be
turned in to the parish office sometime before the day of the
wedding rehearsal.
2. The recommended donation for the priest is $50. If your
Presider is coming to St. Francis from another parish, the
stipend is $100.
3. If you are planning to use the St. Clare Hall to get ready
the day of your wedding, a $50 security deposit is needed to
be given to the parish office at least one week before your
wedding. Again, we ask that someone be assigned to clean
up St. Clare Hall immediately after the ceremony. If
sufficiently cleaned, $25 of the deposit will be returned to
you.
4. This is a smoke-free facility. This includes: St. Clare Hall,
restrooms, and parking areas.
5. No alcohol is allowed within the facilities or on the
grounds. Abuse of this policy could result in postponement
of the wedding or removal of the offender.
6. No food or drink is allowed in the Church building, but is
allowed in St. Clare Hall.
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7. If you will be attending St. Francis Church after you are
married, please notify the office. If not, be sure to notify
your new parish.
8. Everything brought into the Church must be removed
after the wedding unless prior arrangements have been made
with one of our St. Francis Art & Environment committee
members.
9. Please be sure that someone is assigned to clean up the
Church, restrooms, choir loft* (if used) and sanctuary
immediately after the wedding Liturgy.
(*Note: The choir loft is to be used for musicians, photographers, and
videographers – NOT a dressing room. No food or drink – with the
exception of water – is allowed in the choir loft.)
Participants in Ministerial Roles
Because your wedding celebration is patterned after Sunday
Liturgy, there are a variety of ministries to consider.
Assembly
The assembly is the faith community that gathers to celebrate
and witness your wedding. Various members of the
assembly will fulfill special ministries within the Liturgy.
Ushers
The ushers are those who welcome people to the celebration
at the door of the Church and escort them to their seats.
Ushers may be male or female.
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Suggestions for Ushers:
 It isn’t necessary to ask people whether they are friends
of the bride or groom. It is best to seat people in the pew
to capacity and use both sides. It will make a better
Liturgy when the assembly is seated up front.
 If there are a large number of people coming at the last
minute, it is helpful to have members of the wedding
party help seat the people so the start of the Liturgy will
not be unnecessarily delayed.
 Please remind your ushers that they should be
participants in the Liturgy by remaining in the Church
during your wedding.
Presider
The Presider will act as the official witness of the Church. If
you wish to invite a priest/deacon to preside at your
wedding, the delegation/permission of the Pastor must be
obtained. If possible, it would be helpful if your invited
priest/deacon would take care of the preparation paperwork
also.
Altar Servers
Altar servers are sometimes needed (depending upon what
the Presider prefers) when the wedding is being celebrated
within the Eucharistic Liturgy. Two are sufficient to fulfill
the duties. It is good to have at least one server from the
parish for the sake of experience. If the wedding is
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celebrated outside of the Eucharistic Liturgy, servers are not
necessary.
Attendants
The attendants assist the bride and groom. Only two
attendants are needed to stand as witness to your marriage.
You may have more, but keep in mind as you choose the
number of attendants that the focus of attention should be
on the sacrament of the bride and groom. Regarding your
attendants, all that is requested from the Church is that they are dressed
in such a way that is shows this Liturgy is special.
Lectors
Lectors are persons capable of effectively proclaiming the
Word of God. Men and women whose lives give evidence of
lived faith should be chosen.
Suggestions for Lectors:
 The lector(s) do/does not have to be Catholic.
 They should have experience either proclaiming the
Word or having spoken in public.
 They should have an opportunity prior to the wedding to
practice with the Church’s sound system, perhaps at your
wedding rehearsal.
Giftbearers
If the wedding is celebrated inside the Eucharistic Liturgy,
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giftbearers are needed to process to the altar with the gifts of
bread and wine for the Eucharistic part of the celebration.
This is a good opportunity to involve others in the Liturgy,
such as: ushers, aunts, uncles, godparents, siblings, etc.
Ministers of Holy Communion
If the wedding is celebrated inside the Eucharistic Liturgy,
Ministers of Holy Communion are needed to assist the
Presider in distributing the Body and Blood of Christ. Men
and women who are ministers at St. Francis will be more
comfortable in this role. However, other Ministers of Holy
Communion outside the parish are welcome to minister with
the permission of the parish priest.
Notes:
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Participants in Ministerial Roles
Presider: _______________________________________
Altar Servers:
_______________________ _______________________
Lector(s)
1st Reading: ________________________________
2nd Reading: _______________________________
Prayers of the Faithful: _______________________
Attendants
Ushers
Cantor/Vocalist: _________________________________
Accompanist: ___________________________________
If the Eucharist is to be celebrated:
Gift Bearers:
_______________________ _______________________
_______________________ _______________________
Ministers of Holy Communion:
_______________________ _______________________
_______________________ _______________________
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The Shape of the Wedding Liturgy
Processional
 The purpose of the processional is to allow the assembled
people to come together as a community and to prepare
themselves to listen to God’s Word properly.
 When planning your liturgical procession, reflect on what
the Sunday Liturgy procession is like.
 Both the bride and the groom should be involved in the
procession, for both the bride and the groom change
status.
 This is a good place to include the ministers of the
Liturgy as well as the parents of both the bride and
groom.
 To better reflect modern attitudes and to be faithful to
the Liturgy, we suggest that the bride walk down the aisle
alone, with the groom, with both parents, or with her
family.
Liturgy of the Word
 Old Testament Reading .................lector
 Responsorial Psalm ...................... cantor
 New Testament Reading ...............lector
 Gospel Acclamation..................... cantor
 Gospel Reading ......................... Presider
 Homily ........................................ Presider
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Marriage Rite
The rite is the central part of your wedding Liturgy, and
deserves the care in planning which will enhance its meaning
and beauty. Remember that the entire assembly has come to
witness and celebrate with you, so they, too, should be able
to hear and see the exchange of vows and rings. Give
attention to proclaiming your vows and exchange of rings
clearly. Take care in the gesture of placing the ring on each
other’s finger.
Unity Candle
The use of a wedding unity candle is optional because the
ritual does not call for it. It is a non-verbal, symbolic
expression of what has happened with the exchange of the
vows and the rings. It is your choice whether a lighting of a
unity candle will take place or not, just remember to inform
your Presider and musicians of your choice.
Prayers of the Faithful
We belong to the larger Church community, so it is
appropriate to remember the needs of the larger community
on one’s wedding day. Five or six prayers should be sufficient.
Suggestions for Prayers of the Faithful:
 To add more meaning to the Liturgy, the couple can
compose the Prayers of the Faithful.
 The first prayer should focus on the universal Church,
and the second should reflect on things of the world (ex:
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world leaders, poverty, social justice, etc.). Perhaps one
prayer for all married couples would be appropriate.
 It is fitting also at this time to remember any deceased
relatives of the bride and groom.
 The last prayer could be a blessing for the couple.
 The lector generally reads the Prayers of the Faithful;
however, a different reader or the bride and groom could
choose to read them.
If the wedding Liturgy isn’t including Communion, refer to the section
entitled “The Lord’s Prayer”; otherwise continue.
Preparation of the Gifts
The Liturgy of the Eucharist begins with preparing the gifts
of Bread and Wine. Instrumental music is recommended so
that the Eucharistic Acclamations (Holy, Memorial
Acclamation, Amen) will not be overshadowed.
Eucharistic Prayer
Within the prayer, the acclamations are sung. These should
be familiar to the assembly gathered so that they may
participate. We suggest Marty Haugen’s 2011 REVISED
edition “Mass of Creation”, which is generally well-known
among most Catholic Churches throughout the country.
The Lord’s Prayer
Sometimes people like to hear a soloist sing “The Lord’s
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Prayer” because it is such a beautiful piece; however, it is a
prayer that belongs to the people. Therefore, it should be
recited by all or sung by all. If you have a strong desire for
your vocalist to sing it, he/she may do so in the prelude
before the Liturgy begins.
Nuptial Blessing
The Presider will give a special blessing to the couple.
Sign of Peace
This can be a moment of spontaneity and family closeness.
It is fitting for the bride and groom to give the sign of peace
together. It is the first time they will greet their families as a
married couple. Sometimes the couple presents their parents
with flowers, or you may give another symbol that is equally
appropriate. However, no symbol is necessary.
If the wedding Liturgy isn’t including Communion, now refer to the
section entitled “Concluding Rite”; otherwise continue.
Lamb of God
This is to be sung by the cantor/vocalist and the assembly.
Communion
The number of ministers of Holy Communion needed for
each wedding Liturgy will vary depending on the number of
people invited to the wedding, and of those invited, the
estimation of how many will be receiving Communion. This
is something that can be established with the Presider.
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Concluding Rite
The Liturgy concludes with a prayer and dismissal.
Recessional
For the procession out of Church, the music can either be an
instrumental piece which is triumphal or joyful in nature, or a
hymn sung by the assembly.
Other Aspects Concerning Your Wedding Liturgy…
Photographers and Videographers
The person(s) who record your wedding on film or tape must
be conscious that they are in a sacred place. Generally,
professional photographers and videographers know how to
be unobtrusive and obscure. They also know the technique
of taking pictures without the use of flashes or bright lights
during the ceremony. Most difficulties arise with amateurs
who move throughout the Church during the Liturgy. Please
also remind your photographers that it is distracting to the
musician(s) and vocalist(s) to be photographed while playing
or singing.
o You may take pictures 2 hours before the wedding. If
you are taking pictures after the wedding, everyone must
be out of the Church by 3:15pm due to the Sacrament of
Reconciliation.
o Please limit the number of videographers to two.
o We prefer that the videographers be stationary unless
prior consent has been given by the Presider.
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o By taking most of the pictures before the wedding, you
can move to the reception quicker, making it more
pleasant for your guests who are waiting for you at the
reception.
Music
Songs at the wedding Liturgy should focus on the praise and
love of God as well as the couple’s love for each other. A
favorite secular song that is somehow connected to your love
should be saved for the wedding reception or your first
dance. In choosing the music for the wedding Liturgy, the
key word is “prayer”. You should ask yourself, “How will
the music we choose help people to pray?”
As in the Sunday Liturgy, the participation of the assembly is
a very high value. Songs should be selected in which the
assembly can participate. Too often people attend a wedding
and watch rather than participate.
We have provided you with a listing of possible selections
that are suitable for weddings. This is not to say that they are
the only selections you can choose from, but it will give you
somewhere to start.
Popular love songs from recordings, stage and screen, belong
at your reception, and not in the wedding Liturgy. Sacred
music, with texts that express a Christian dimension and are
liturgically appropriate, is the only music suitable for your
Christian marriage. The music list has suggestions for the
instrumental music needed for the processional and
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recessional. Wagner’s Lohengrin (accompanying an illegal
and illicit ceremony) and Mendelssohn’s music for A
Midsummer Night’s Dream (accompanying a farcical
wedding) do not demonstrate Christian values. Whether
instrumental or sung, they should be avoided. With more
couples choosing a fuller procession of ministers and family,
“Here Comes the Bride” is even less appropriate.
All music selected must be approved by the St. Francis of
Assisi Director of Music Ministry.
There are musicians within the parish who can minister at
weddings whom you may call upon. This is not part of their
stewardship for the parish. They have varying degrees of
skill and experience and charge different fees for their
services.
St. Francis recognizes the special meaning of a friend or
relative and others included in your celebration as part of the
music ministry, and we welcome any guests to participate in
your wedding. Simply rely on the cooperation and
knowledge of the music department staff to ensure a great
experience as they participate in this important Sacrament. A
few guidelines will help everything go smoothly on your
most important day.
First, please remember to have the musicians contact the
Director of Music Ministry at St. Francis. All songs must be
pre-approved well before the wedding day. Second, if you
choose musicians who are not member of St. Francis, we ask
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that they be knowledgeable and understand clearly the role music has
during the Catholic Liturgy.
IMPORTANT: If a member of the music staff will not be
hired to provide music for your wedding, keep in mind the
following:
DO NOT use the mixing board in the choir loft. The sound
system will be locked and no changes should be made to its
settings. It is preset, fragile, and will be used the following
Sunday morning. Any changes made to the board could
easily hurt the individual channels or the entire sound system
itself. Simply use the microphones, keyboard, etc. as they
already are.
Respect the property of the parish. Please return anything
used or moved to where it was when you arrived. Contact
the Music Director for any tour or explanation of the
equipment available.
Art & Environment
The patron saint of our Church, St. Francis of Assisi, strived
for a simple life, one of caring for nature and animals. You
should also strive to do the same with your wedding
atmosphere. Prayerfulness and hospitality are what is most
important in a Church wedding. We want to add to the
beauty of the wedding rather than distract.
The liturgical décor for the season has a priority over things
brought in for your wedding (for example: Christmas, Easter,
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Feast Days, and Holy Days). These decorations are not to be
moved or removed for a wedding.
Real flowers and greenery are highly encouraged over the use
of artificial for your wedding. One alternative, chosen by
many couples, is to invest in flowering or green plants which
can be later planted or used in their homes as a reminder of
their wedding.
Please be careful of the piano – no decorations, flowers, or
arrangements should be placed on top of the piano in order
to prevent scratching and water stains.
Honesty and integrity are integral to your choices: real
flowers and plants rather than artificial; emphasis on people
rather than things; and respect for the primary ritual rather
than added ceremony. The beauty found in simplicity, and
the sense of gracious hospitality, will be what you want
remembered.
Candles
Candles, of any kind, are not permitted down the aisle due to
fire codes. If the “unity candle” is used (please keep in mind
that it is an added ceremony, not a necessary part of the rite),
it should be placed in such a way that it does not distract
from the importance of the ritual action and people. The
altar is not the appropriate place for the candle. St. Francis
offers two different tables to be used. One is a high flat table
and the other simply holds two taper candles and one pillar
candle in the center.
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Aisle Runners
Aisle runners are not permitted for several reasons:
o For safety reasons, as someone could fall.
o The use of an aisle runner began so as to keep the bride’s
dress clean on the dirt floors. It seems unnecessary in
modern churches.
o It also has a secular sense of “rolling out the red carpet”,
which seems inappropriate in the context of marriage as a
sacrament.
Rice and Birdseed
We respectfully ask that you do not throw rice, birdseed, or
any other items. Rice and birdseed present a serious safety
hazard for parishioners who may slip and fall and is also
hazardous/fatal for small birds because they eat the rice and
cannot tolerate its expansion.
NOTES:
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Rite for Celebrating Marriage During Mass:
Gathering and Introductory Rites
Gathering of the Assembly
Processional
Greeting & Penitential Act & Opening Prayer
Liturgy of the Word:
Old Testament Reading
Responsorial Psalm (sung)
New Testament Reading
Gospel Acclamation (sung)
Gospel Reading
Homily
Marriage Rite:
Address & Statement of Intentions
Consent & Exchange of the Vows
Blessing & Exchange of the Rings
General Intercessions
Liturgy of the Eucharist:
Preparation of the Gifts
Eucharistic Prayer (acclamations sung)
The Lord’s Prayer (recited)
Nuptial Blessing
Sign of Peace
Breaking of the Bread
Communion
Prayer after Communion
Concluding Rite:
Blessing & Dismissal
Recessional
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Rite for Celebrating Marriage Outside Mass:
Gathering and Introductory Rites
Gathering of the Assembly
Processional
Greeting
Opening Prayer
Liturgy of the Word:
Old Testament Reading
Responsorial Psalm (sung)
New Testament Reading
Gospel Acclamation (sung)
Gospel Reading
Homily
Marriage Rite:
Address & Statement of Intentions
Consent & Exchange of the Vows
Blessing & Exchange of the Rings
General Intercessions
Nuptial Blessing
Concluding Rite:
The Lord’s Prayer
Blessing
Recessional
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Timeline and Check-off List
1. Call St. Francis of Assisi Church (and Presider) 6 months
before your desired wedding date to schedule your wedding
and rehearsal.
2. Complete necessary paperwork requested by the Church.
3. Compile certified copies of your baptism records and
confirmation records by contacting the parish where you
were baptized and confirmed.
4. Take the FOCCUS evaluation. It is offered the first
Saturday of January, April, July, and October here at
St. Francis.
5. Schedule an appointment two weeks after taking the
FOCCUS with your Presider to discuss the results.
6. Attend a preparation program: “Evenings for the
Engaged”, “Engaged Encounter”, or the “Pre-Cana
Program”.
7. If there has been a previous marriage(s), obtain a copy of
the marriage certificate(s) and divorce decree(s) as well as the
annulment decree(s).
8. Obtain your marriage certificate from the county clerk’s
office. You may get your certificate as early as 60 days prior
to the wedding. (Remember: without the license, by law, there will be
no wedding.
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9. If the ceremony is a validation of marriage, you will need
to present the civil marriage certificate of the current
marriage to the Presider.
10. Turn in the parish donation ($100 for parishioners or
sons/daughters of parishioners and $200 for nonparishioners) to the parish office before the day of the
wedding rehearsal.
11. If planning on using St. Clare Hall, inform the parish
office and pay the security deposit of $50. (Remember, if
sufficiently cleaned, $25 of the deposit will be returned to you.)
12. AFTER YOU ARE MARRIED: If you plan to attend
St. Francis Church after you are married, please notify the
office. If you will be a member at a different parish, please
notify them.
Names and Numbers:
St. Francis of Assisi Church
203 East Main
Teutopolis, IL 62467
Phone ................................................................217-857-6404
Fax .....................................................................217-857-1031
Email ....................................... stfrancischurch@mchsi.com
Website ................................................. stfrancischurch.com
Presiders
................................................ Fr. John Eaton, OFM
...........................................Fr. Vernon Olmer, OFM
............................................ Fr. Ken Rosswog, OFM
Director of Music Ministry:
Phone ............................................... 217-857-6404 Ext. 229
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