Planning Marriage Day

Any decorations in the church at the time of the wedding are left in place. Information about plans for seasonal decorations is available in the church office.

Altar flowers can be placed on the two pedestals at the rear of the altar. Flowers can also be placed in front of the ambo or altar, but these floral arrangements may not be taller than the ambo or altar.

Flowers placed in the church may remain in the church at the discretion of the Art and Environments Committee. Large floral arrangements that remain in the church for the weekend masses will be acknowledged in the Sunday bulletin. You may contact Tina Schneider to inquire about other weddings on the same date and determine with the other bridal couple if coordinating flowers is possible. No other flowers or decorations are used in the church except bouquets carried by the bridal party.

Flower girls may not drop petals on the aisles. Please be sure your flower girl has a basket filled with whole flowers.

Pew bows may be used with clips. Tape and/or wire may not be used to secure them in place. Saint Andrew’s owns a beautiful set of pew bows and you are welcome to use those if you wish.

In order to provide a safe passage for all guests, we do not allow the use of aisle runners in the church.

The photographer must speak with the wedding coordinator when he or she arrives on Saturday.

The discreet taking of photos by a professional photographer without a flash is permitted during the ceremony. Flash photography is only permitted during the procession and recessional. Two pews will be reserved on the procession aisle so that the still photographer can easily photograph the procession. Still photographers are allowed to move discreetly around the church. They may never move closer than the third row of pews. Photographers are not allowed on the altar or in the choir area.

One video camera is allowed to be set up in the back of the church. The video camera may not move around the church. The video camera must remain stationary. We will gladly supply a lift box to help the videographer gain a few extra inches of height over the congregation.

You are welcome to use the church and church grounds for photos after the ceremony. All photography sessions must conclude by 4:00 pm.

Because of the number of weddings and other liturgies at Saint Andrew’s each Saturday, we cannot have receiving lines. Receiving lines are proper at the reception.

Brides may rent the Main 8 Room so that she and her attendants can dress at the church. Food and beverages are not permitted in the Main 8 Room. Please refer to the Wedding fees page for current information on renting this room.

Nail polish and hairspray may not be used in the Main 8 Room. Make-up sessions for the bride and her attendants may not be held at the church. A restroom is available in the Main 8 Room for last minute touch-ups.

The Main 8 Room is not a secure area. Please be sure to have someone move all purses and valuables into a locked car before the bride and her attendants go to the church.

A member of the wedding party must return to the Main 8 Room after the ceremony to collect all personal belongings and to place all trash in the trash cans. Large boxes should be placed in the dumpsters located in the staff parking lot.

The music and liturgy for your wedding will be planned with and approved by the music director at St. Andrew’s. Our music director is Greg Santa Croce. He can be reached by phone at 919-362-0414, extension 116 or via e-mail: [email protected]

Approximately three months before your wedding date, you will be invited to a St. Andrew’s Wedding Liturgy Workshop. You will receive a book to help you choose the prayers and scriptures that will be read at your wedding. You will also receive guidelines for choosing liturgically correct music for your ceremony. All ceremonies (Liturgy of the Word and/or the full nuptial mass) require a pianist and a cantor. You must use a St. Andrew’s pianist for your ceremony.

You will also receive a copy of the St Andrew’s wedding CD to help you choose the music for your ceremony. This CD features the voices of the many talented cantors that sing regularly here at St Andrew. We hope that you will choose one of our cantors to provide the music for your wedding.

Some couples wish to hire outside cantors, brass players or string quartets for their wedding ceremonies. Please consult with the music director before hiring these musicians. Visiting instrumentalists are allowed to play during the prelude, processional and recessional only. All music within the Liturgy of the Word Ceremony or Mass will be played on the piano by a St. Andrew’s pianist.

All visiting cantors should be trained Catholic cantors or professional vocalists who are familiar with the role of cantor as a prayer leader during the Catholic liturgy. All visiting cantors will need to rehearse with the St. Andrew’s pianist before the wedding date. There is an additional charge for this rehearsal.

Visiting instrumentalists that wish to have the St. Andrew’s pianist accompany them must also arrange for an extra rehearsal prior to the wedding date. There is an additional charge for this rehearsal. If you will be using any outside musicians, the “Requirements for Visiting Musicians” guidelines will be given to you at your first meeting with the music director.