Wedding Information
USEFUL INFORMATION REGARDING MARRIAGE
FIRST MEETING
It is done at least one year before the marriage date. Marriage Date, Documents and other details will be discussed. For any changes regarding wedding dates or wedding cancellations please contact the Parish Secretary immediately, during office hours 9:00am - 5:30pm!
MARRIAGE COURSE
We strongly encourage couples who belong to our Parish to take the marriage course here in our Parish, as it helps build friendships with other couples of the same Parish.
PRENUPTIAL INQUIRY (Second Interview)
IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO ARRANGE THIS INQUIRY WITH THE PRIEST.
The prenuptial inquiry is normally done right after the Marriage Course, 3-5 months before the wedding. The Priest interviews you and your fiancé separately on topics regarding marriage, and records all this information on a special form, which is kept confidentially in the Parish files. At this time the Interviewing Priest will also discuss your wedding Mass celebration, rehearsal etc. Note: When you come for this meeting you must bring in the baptismal and confirmation certificates, which the Priest has requested from you at the first meeting.
DOCUMENTS TO PRESENT AT PRENUPTIAL INQUIRY
1. Recently issued Baptismal Certificate – It means that it must be issued within six months prior to the date of your marriage. You may ask for this Certificate at the Church where you were baptized. An old Baptismal Certificate does not serve our purposes.
2. Photocopy of your Confirmation Certificate or if not available, date and place of Confirmation. Note: This information may be at the bottom of your Baptismal Certificate, if so, you do not need to bring in a photocopy of your Confirmation Certificate.
3. Licence from City Hall - You must bring a marriage license to the office few weeks before your wedding day. Please attach a note with your name, telephone number and date of marriage. For sparing time you can go to the webside of the municipality where you apply for it.
PLANNING YOUR WEDDING MASS CELEBRATION
1. Readings for your Celebration may be taken from the booklet which you received:
2. The First Reading taken from the Old Testament, (see pages 10 - 26)
3. A Psalm and Responsorial Psalm, (see pages 28 - 31), is read after the First Reading by the same person who read the First Reading. Please Note: The Psalm and Responsorial Psalm may be sung by the organist or singer.
4. The Second Reading taken from the New Testament. (see pages 34 - 54)
5. The Gospel is chosen by the Priest.
6. The Prayers of the Faithful may be chosen from the booklet, or made up by you. (This is read after the Marriage Vows, see pages 80– 82 or sheet attached).
7. Gifts to the Altar: you may involve your parents or someone very close to you to bring the offertory gifts to the altar, you may prepare a basket with grapes, bread and a bottle of wine, the rest will be provided by the church.
8. Readers for your Celebration – The Bride and the Groom may do the readings if they wish. If you want to choose someone you know for the readings and the petitions, please do not ask just anyone to read at your wedding but consider only friends of yours who are Church-goers (Catholic), and when possible those who are already readers at Sunday Mass. Make sure they have the reading long in advance so that when they come for the rehearsal they have practised the readings and prayed upon it. Please one reader for each of the bible readings.
PRIEST WHO WILL PRESIDE AT YOUR CELEBRATION
The Holy Eucharistic (Mass) should not be celebrated in a mixed marriage situation, and for those who do not practice Mass on a regular basis. It cannot be celebrated in a marriage between a catholic and a no baptized person. At your request, part or all of the Mass may be celebrated in Italian. Please inform the Priest at your prenuptial inquiry.
You may request a particular Priest, of this Parish, for your marriage. If the Priest is available he will celebrate your wedding. Please understand that sometimes due to other commitments he will not be able to satisfy your request. Please note that one of our Parish Priests will officiate the marriage ceremony. Only during special circumstances and with permission directly from the Pastor an outside priest will be able to come and officiate the ceremony. Every priest can come to concelebrate at your wedding. The Priest who will celebrate your marriage should also, if possible, do the prenuptial inquiry with you. Please get in touch with him after the Marriage Course or a few months before the Wedding!
REHEARSAL
Rehearsals are usually held few weeks before the wedding or in the same week of the celebration. You can schedule it with the priest during the prenuptial inquiry. The following persons may be part of the Rehearsal: the two witnesses, ring boy and flower girl, readers, bridal party, and the father of the bride.
Note: At times we have experienced problems with ring boys and flower girls who were too young to walk down the aisle. Please consider this problem in choosing your ring boy and flower girl.
CONFESSION
In Marriage, we celebrate the gift Love of God, which binds us in a sacred union. In order to celebrate this Sacrament in a worthy way we strongly encourage the bride and groom to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation immediately before the wedding day. We encourage even the parents and wedding party to receive the sacrament.
A Priest will be available to hear your confession after the rehearsal, on Saturdays from 4:30pm – 5:00pm, and at any other time during the week at your request. You could also receive the Sacrament at any other Church if you wish.
MUSIC FOR YOUR WEDDING
All couples must use our church organists and vocalists (since they usually provide a volunteer service to the Church for Sunday Mass and other Celebrations, they have the right to play). You can find the name of our vocalist and players in the bulletin. The Parish Secretary can assist you in the choice. At that time you may get in touch with the organist to arrange the music, and to discuss the organist's fee.
Please note: the church has guidelines for wedding celebration songs.
DONATION FOR THE CHURCH
There is no set fee for a donation to the Church. In our Church we consider $350.00 ($400.00 in 2009) or more, a fair donation. The donation for the wedding goes to the Church and not to the Priest. If you are giving a cheque, please address it to "IMMACULATE CONCEPTION PARISH". The couple should also prepare two envelopes with at least $ 15.00 in each, one for each altar boy. To avoid you the worries on your wedding day, the donation envelope along with the Altar Boy's envelopes should be brought in before your wedding date. Please bring it to the Parish Secretary during Office Hours. Ensure that both your names and wedding date are on the envelopes.
FLOWERS
We encourage you to be simple and if there is more than one wedding on a particular day to contact the other couple and share the cost of the flowers.
Make sure, that after your wedding, your florist leaves at least one basket of flowers in the Church. Our Church does not need many flowers; two to three baskets are sufficient. We try to avoid turning the Church into a showroom where things are brought in and out.
No flowers can be placed on the altar (table), in the foyer or outside the church. Unity Candles do not belong to the wedding liturgy! Our Church does not allow flowers’ girls to throw rose petals in the isle during the wedding ceremony.
ARCHES, PILLARS AND OTHER STUFF ARE NOT ALLOWED ALONG THE CENTRE AISLE OR IN OTHER PLACES OF THE CHURCH!
CARPET FOR THE AISLE & BOWS FOR THE PEWS
Due to safety and liability concerns plastic or paper carpets are not permitted.
You can use our Aisle Runner provided by the Church at a cost of $100.00. White bows are provided at not charge. No other bows or fresh floral will be permitted to decorate the pews. In the past florists have made a mess of our pews by using tape and other accessories.
For further information regarding bows and carpet please contact the Parish Secretary, at905-856-2205 between 9:00am to 5:00pm.
CONFETTI
It is absolutely forbidden to throw confetti, rice etc. in the Church lobby or outside the Church as there might be another wedding or Church function after your Ceremony.
NOTE FOR YOUR FLORIST
Re: Church rules regarding flowers decorations at Immaculate Conception Church in Woodbridge
We encourage you to be simple in decorating our church. Two or three baskets of flowers are sufficient. The Church of the Immaculate Conception does not need many flowers. We try to avoid turning the Church into a showroom where things are brought in and out. No flowers can be placed on the altar, in the foyer or outside the church.
Florists must not put any pillars on the sanctuary (on the marble floor where the altar is). They may use the beautiful bronze stand provided by our church to hold the flowers in the sanctuary.
No candles should be lit on flower arrangements.
After wedding the florist should leave at least one basket of flowers in the Church.
The church will provide beautiful bows free of charge to the couples. You do not need to bring any bows. Absolutely no scotch tape on the pews! Arches, & pillars along the centre aisles, are not allowed.
CARPET FOR THE AISLE & BOWS FOR THE PEWS
Due to Safety and Insurance Policies plastic or paper carpets are not allowed in the Church, as they are too thin they tend to tear and are dangerous when people walk on it. Only cloth carpet will be allowed. We strongly encourage you to use our Aisle Runner provided to us by our Church Ladies at a cost of $100.00. Bows for the pews are free.
NOTE TO ALL VIDEO MEN & PHOTOGRAPHERS:
Re: Church rules regarding video taping and taking of pictures at Immaculate Conception Church in Woodbridge
Many times our Wedding Mass Celebrations have started late! We believe that the photographer and video person are one of the major problems.
- The video and photography equipment must be set up in the Church at least a few minutes before the Celebration commences.
- No equipment will be allowed on the Sanctuary up to the stairs where the Altar is.
- The photographer and video person should remain seated or not move during the readings of the Word of God and especially from the Holy Prayer to the End of Communion.
- The Photographer and Video Person must not disturb the Couple, when receiving Holy Communion and afterwards when they are praying. NO PICTURES AT THIS TIME!! Please respect the Sacrament.
FOR MORE INFORMATION YOU MAY CONTACT THE CHURCH SECRETARY, OR THE PRIEST WHO WILL BE PERFORMING YOUR WEDDING. THANK YOU.
