WEDDING GUIDELINES Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church
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Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church
WEDDING GUIDELINES
As a parish community we, at Our Lady of Victory, would like to make your wedding ceremony a most
memorable occasion. We know how much it means to you and how much planning is demanded in order to make it
most successful. These guidelines contain important policies and procedures which will help direct your planning.
We will make every e ort to consider your personal wishes, but we ask you to respect our guidelines.
To Begin
Please call the Parish O ce at (248) 349-2621, at least six months prior to the tentative wedding date (earlier is
encouraged) and ask to speak with the Deacon/Pastoral Associate to set up an initial meeting in order to set a date.
Please do not con rm a date with a hall, caterer, D. J., band, etc. beforehand to ensure the availability of the day.
We will do the best that we can to honor your date request. Wedding times are Saturday at 2:00 p.m.; Friday
evenings at 5:00 or 5:30 p.m. Due to First Communions, Saturdays in early May are not available.
Marriage Preparation Program
As marriage is the biggest relational decision one will make in their life it is our desire to help the couple become the
best they can be for a lifetime of love! We believe the best recipe for achieving that is through an understanding of
marriage from the perspective of our faith tradition and enhanced knowledge of each other. Information about our
program, contacts and dates, will be given to the couple at the initial meeting with the deacon, or another OLV Sta
member.
The following four areas summarize marriage preparation here at OLV:
1. The Prepare/Enrich Inventory
Each couple is to meet with a licensed counselor, in conjunction with OLV, who will administer and discuss the
Prepare/Enrich Inventory. The inventory is designed to build strong couples and families through discussion of
key areas of marital expectations and relationships.
This typically consists of:
• A one-hour initial session with the counselor discussing your relationship. The inventory itself is taken online
following the rst meeting. Once it is completed, the results are summarized with the couple over 2–4
additional sessions; depending on the needs of the couple.
• There is a $300 cost, paid directly to the counselor, and includes the test, scoring and all sessions needed to
process the results of the test. Partial scholarship monies can be made available if the cost would present
undue hardship on the couple.
2. Workshop
Two one-half day workshops (a Part I and Part II) are held at OLV; once in the winter, once in the fall, that
couples are to attend. Typically, held on a Sunday, these are facilitated by mentor couples in a group setting.
Should a couple not be able to attend our workshop they are welcome to attend one with another parish in our
Family, or one that the Archdiocese of Detroit o ers. There is no cost for the OLV workshop and all materials are
provided.
3. Natural Family Planning Introduction
Each couple is requested to attend an introductory Natural Family Planning (NFP) Class, or take the online
version of the class. Information will be given to you at your initial meeting.
January 2022
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ff4. Our Faith Perspective
When two Catholics, or one Catholic and another baptized Christian marry we believe they enter into the
Sacrament of Marriage. Our deacon will discuss with each couple:
• Marriage as Covenant
• Meaning and Purpose of Marriage
• Marriage as Sacrament
• Marriage as Vocation
Though marriage between a Catholic and a non-baptized person does not constitute the reception of the
sacrament, the principles, values and virtues inherit in our faith tradition still o er a rm foundation for entering
into marriage and in the subsequent raising of children.
Documents Needed
• Bap smal Cer cate: A copy of bap smal cer cates for both par es must be obtained as soon as possible when
beginning your marriage prepara on. The cer cate for Catholic par es must be a newly issued one from the
church of bap sm; a bap zed non-Catholic is asked to provide a photocopy of their bap smal cer cate.
• Previous Marriage: If there has been a previous marriage, dispensa on and/or annulment procedures must be
completed before se ng a wedding date. A copy of the Decree of Nullity, or Lack of Form Decree is requested. In
the case of the death of the previous spouse a copy of the death cer cate is requested.
• Marriage License: It is the couple’s responsibility to obtain the marriage license. The marriage license is to be
dropped o at the Parish O ce by/on Monday of the week in which the wedding is to take place. This allows me
for the prepara on of this document by the secretary.
Visiting Clergy
Guest priests/deacons are welcome. After suitability has been determined they will receive delegation from the
pastor to o ciate. Visiting clergy are welcome at the rehearsal and expected to follow our norms for the ceremony.
Interfaith Weddings
We follow the Church policy that when the religious traditions of the two families are di erent the Wedding Liturgy
takes place outside of the context of Mass (the Liturgy of the Eucharist part is omitted). In this way, the wedding
ceremony is as inclusive as possible with all respects to the non-Catholic guests and members of the wedding party.
Normally, our parish priest will witness weddings within Mass, our deacon will witness weddings outside of Mass
The Wedding Ceremony
A form for the ceremony will be given out at your initial meeting with the deacon/OLV Sta member along with a
booklet containing readings and prayers. This form should be completed the month before the wedding. The
deacon/OLV Sta member may meet with you to go over the details of the day at that time. Other ceremony
information is:
• Wedding time options: Saturday at 2:00 p.m.; Friday evenings at 5:00, or 5:30 pm.
• The allotted time for a wedding celebration is one hour.
• Picture taking time: One-half hour before the ceremony and one-half hour following the ceremony.
• The Wedding Party: Those selected should be familiar with church etiquette and proper behavior.
• Flower Girl/Ring Bearers: It is suggested that children over the age of four are best suited for this role.
• A reception line in the church following the wedding ceremony is not permitted.
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ti• It is your responsibility after the wedding to leave the church as clean as you found it. Any items moved
(chairs, owers) need to be returned to the way you found them. Any empty boxes should be removed. All
owers brought in should be taken out. Thank you!
• Please advise your family and friends about our parish policies.
Safety & Sacred Concerns
• Aisle runners are not to be used, nor do we allow the dropping of ower petals, real, or synthetic.
• Pew Bows, if used, should be silk, or synthetic.
• Candles along the center aisle are a re hazard and are not permitted.
• Rice, bird seed, or any material may not be thrown inside, or outside the church due to danger of slipping.
• Releasing of birds, butter ies and blowing bubbles is allowed outside of the church with proper discretion
taken.
• Smoking, food, or beverages of any kind are not allowed in the church.
• Liquor/drugs are not permitted in the church, or on the grounds at any time.
๏ The presence of alcoholic beverages/drug usage during the rehearsal and prior to the wedding is
inappropriate. Since these may impair a person's freedom and consent, it may also adversely a ect the
validity of marriage. Accordingly, should a wedding coordinator notify the minister of the ceremony of the
presence of alcohol, or drugs among the members of the wedding party, the priest, or deacon at their
discretion may cancel the wedding immediately.
Accommodations
• The wedding party should arrive at the church dressed and prepared for the wedding.
• A Bridal Room for the bride and bridesmaids, with an adjacent restroom, is available o of the Thayer Road
entrance for easy access.
• A separate room for the groomsmen can be made available, however, they will typically be greeting and
seating guests as they arrive.
Music
The Minister of Music, Kathy Sanderson, is responsible for the music at parish weddings and must be
contacted three months before your wedding to select your music. She can be reached at
olvmusic@olvnorthville.net, or call (248) 349-2621, ext. 2261. A cantor (soloist) from the parish will assist
Kathy.
• All music must be liturgically appropriate for the celebration.
• Costs associated with the music are noted on the OLV Wedding Music Planning Sheet.
• Outside soloists are welcome, but must be familiar with the Catholic Liturgy and approved by Kathy as they
will be performing with her.
• Outside musician bands/groups are not permitted. An individual musician may be permitted with permission
and meeting with Kathy Sanderson.
• No recorded music is permitted within a liturgical setting at Our Lady of Victory Church.
Rehearsal
• Rehearsal for the wedding will typically be the Friday or Thursday at 6:00 p.m. before the wedding.
• An OLV wedding coordinator will conduct the rehearsal as well as be present at the wedding. The priest,
deacon, or musician will not, typically, be present at the rehearsal.
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ff• Please be prompt for your scheduled time.
• Those attending the rehearsal generally include the bride and groom, all members of the bridal party, the
parents of the couple, and any readers or other active participants in the wedding ceremony.
Photographer/Videographer
• Photographers are free to take every type of picture without a ash, as long as they do not enter into the
Sanctuary during the ceremony.
• Videographers need to check with the priest/deacon regarding set-ups. They are not to block any view, or
intrude upon the sanctuary, or music area.
• The priest/deacon may select not to wear a mic from the videographer.
• The procession in, or recession out should not be blocked.
• The complete list of guidelines is at the end of this document. Please share them with your photographer/
videographer.
Congratulations, Again!
Congratulations, again, on your engagement! We hope these guidelines help you during this time of marriage
preparation. Know that we will pray for you during this important time and will help you, as best that we can,
with any further questions as we meet and plan for your most joyous day, your Wedding Day.
The Pastoral Sta , Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church, January 2022
January 2022
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flOLV GUIDELINES
FOR
PHOTOGRAPHERS AND VIDEO TECHNICIANS
1. To maintain a sense of reverence to this religious ceremony, please move slowly and quietly during
the service.
2. Our Lady of Victory does not provide space for "studio pictures" to be taken before or after the
wedding.
3. Flash photography is permitted during the procession and recession and on a limited basis during the
ceremony.
4. We do not allow set-up or pictures to be taken from within the sanctuary.
5. Vision lines for the congregation or the o ciant should not be blocked.
6. The priest/deacon may select not to wear a mic from the videographer. Please honor our time
requirements of picture taking of one half hour before the ceremony and one half hour after the
ceremony. Also, if there is another service following the wedding, the Church must be vacated one
half hour before that service is to begin.
7. No Church furnishings are to be moved at any time. This includes but is not limited to the altar, ambo,
candles, ower-stands, etc.
8. All photographers are expected to clean up and take away all photographic debris at the conclusion
of the ceremony.
Thank you for your cooperation,
The Pastoral Sta of Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church
January 2022
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