Time of Ceremony?

[lovelylulu]

Hello all.

We are going to have our wedding ceremony take place in a Catholic Church -- but without a mass. Has anyone else found that Catholic Churches don''t let you have the ceremony after 1pm????

We would really prefer something later so that people who have to travel would only have to stay over one night, but we''re finding it hard to find a church that would do this...

 

[JCJD]

What day is your wedding on? Saturday? Friday?

 

[pebbles]

We got married at a catholic church and our wedding ceremony was at 3:00 pm on a Saturday afternoon. Our choices were either 11am, 1pm or 3pm. I''ve never heard of a church not allowing you to get married later than 1pm

We couldn''t stay too long at the church, however, as they had a 5 pm mass.

 

[JDgirl]

One of my friends got married at a Catholic Church this summer on a Saturday...it was at 3pm, if I remember correctly...

 

[KBerly]

2pm is the latest we could go

 

[MelissaSue]

Yep. THis happened to us to. We also having a ceremony but no mass. They told us the latest we could start was 1:30.. but we begged and pleaded and convinced them that this was silly because that is that is the same time they tell people who ARE having mass.. so they are letting us start at 2pm

Its something about they have confessional before 5pm mass on saturday.. so the people start coming in around 3:30-4ish..

 

[lovelylulu]

we are getting married on a saturday and it''s the same problem that melissa had -- the church has confession so they are being quite firm on the 1pm time. i really was hoping for a 3pm wedding because i wanted the reception to be late afternoon into the evening. but now i don''t know what to do because i don''t think it''s a great idea to have a big lapse between ceremony and reception. 1pm is soooooo early.

ETA: i''ve called three of the nearest churches and they all tell me the same thing.

 

[Logan Sapphire]

I also got married in a Catholic church without the full Mass and my ceremony started at 5.30pm. Granted, it was on a Friday, so I don''t know if that had anything to do with it.

 

[rms]

2pm was our Sat. ceremony with no mass, and we had to be out by 4:30.

Are you taking pictures before or after the ceremony? Maybe if you did pics before (not considering traditions of bride and groom not seeing each other before the ceremony), they would allow you to do the wedding later in the afternoon, because then you wouldn''t have to stay too long after it''s done.

 

[Munchkin]

We also ran into time limitations with our Catholic church. We are having a mass, but the latest we can begin is 2pm. Typically, parishes have confession on Saturdays just prior to the evening mass. (The concept being that one has confessed and can then go receive the eucharist without sins on their shoulders.) Therefore, churches like to be sure that your wedding will be over, photos taken and all the cars out of the parking lot before parishoners arrive for confession and mass.

I suspect that the 1pm requirement for your church is simply due to their own pre-existing weekly schedule. There is no Catholic-wide 1pm requirement, however.

HTH!
Munchkin

 

[gingerBcookie]

Date: 12/14/2005 4:53:17 PM
Author: Munchkin
We also ran into time limitations with our Catholic church. We are having a mass, but the latest we can begin is 2pm. Typically, parishes have confession on Saturdays just prior to the evening mass. (The concept being that one has confessed and can then go receive the eucharist without sins on their shoulders.) Therefore, churches like to be sure that your wedding will be over, photos taken and all the cars out of the parking lot before parishoners arrive for confession and mass.

I suspect that the 1pm requirement for your church is simply due to their own pre-existing weekly schedule. There is no Catholic-wide 1pm requirement, however.

HTH!
Munchkin

I agree, we were going to do a Catholic CHurch and they gave us the choices of 11AM, 1PM, 3PM5pm,>

 

[lovelylulu]

munchkin: that is exactly the reason -- confessions. i was just really hoping for a later ceremony...

 

[jcrow]

our catholic non-mass saturday ceremony is at 1:30. that''s the latest they have. they also have 11 am available. on friday all they have is 7:30 pm. it''s all based on their regular mass schedule.

and as far as i know all churches vary. i had a friend who was able to get married at 2 pm.

 

[VuittonGal]

I''ve never heard of that. I''m getting married at 3 p.m. on a Saturday in a Catholic church.

 

[lovelylulu]

you are lucky