WEDDING PLANNING GUIDE - 4350 W. Sunnyside Avenue Chicago, IL 60630
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WEDDING PLANNING GUIDE 4350 W. Sunnyside Avenue Chicago, IL 60630
Dear Friends,
Congratulations on your engagement to be married! I, the staff and all the people at Saint Edward
Parish are ready to guide your time of preparation as you seek to build a life together in Christ.
In these upcoming months, we will offer our encouragement and support as you explore more fully
the mystery and beauty of the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony. We will help you celebrate your
commitment to God, to each other and to the Church.
We know that this is a special and wonderful time for you. As we guide you in deepening the
spiritual component of this Sacrament, please let us know if there is anything we can do to assist
you in the celebration of the wedding day and your life together. Here at St. Edward, our goal is
see that you celebrate your 50th, 60th, and 80th wedding anniversaries! We are not focused only
on your wedding day; rather, we are focused on your future as husband and wife.
This booklet contains information about getting married at Saint Edward. Please read through
this material and if you have any questions, just give us a call or an e-mail. In the meantime, know
of my prayers and excitement for you both.
Yours sincerely in Christ,
Fr. Dominic Clemente
Rev. Dominic Clemente, Jr. Richard Schwegel
Pastor Music Director
FrClemente@StEdParish.org Richard@StEdParish.org
(773) 545-1136 (Fax)
Page | 1
Table of Contents
PREPARATION 3
CHURCH REQUIREMENTS 3
CIVIL REQIREMENTS 4
GENERAL INFORMATION 5
CEREMONY TIMES 5
FLOWERS 5
RUNNER 5
PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEOGRAPHY 5
INVITATIONS 5
GUEST PRIESTS 6
ALTAR SERVERS 6
MEMBERS IN WEDDING PARTY 6
READERS 6
UNITY CANDLE 6
CULTURAL TRADITIONS 6
PRESENTATION TO MARY 7
RICE, CONFETTI, BIRD SEED, FLOWER PETALS, ETC 7
REHEARSAL 7
BRIDE’S ROOM 7
HANDICAP CHAIRLIFT 7
PARISH WEDDING COORDINATOR 8
REMEMBERING THE POOR 8
CHURCH OFFERING 8
SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION 8
THE WEDDING LITURGY 8
WEDDING MUSIC 8
SAMPLE LITURGY OUTLINE 9
Preparation
Page | 2Ordinarily, six months are preferred to make the necessary preparations. This includes meeting with the
priest, filling out the necessary paperwork, attending the marriage preparation seminar, One In Christ, and
preparing the wedding liturgy and the rehearsal. Marriage preparation can provide renewed depth for your
love, add to your spirit of generosity and unselfishness and enhance your commitment.
CHURCH REQUIREMENTS
1. The following documentation is needed for the permanent marriage file of the Church:
a. The Prenuptial Questionnaire for the bride and groom. The priest will complete this on
one of your visits.
b. A Baptismal Certificate less than six months old is required for each Catholic. This may
be obtained by calling or writing the parish where you were baptized, since it remains a
part of the permanent file of the church. The original baptismal certificate is not
acceptable for this purpose. Non-Catholics who have been baptized are required to
provide a baptismal record, if possible.
c. The date and place of Confirmation is requested of Catholics. This usually appears on the
baptismal certificate, even if you were confirmed in a different church from that of baptism.
Please request both documents when you call the church of baptism for the baptismal
record.
d. Two Witness Affidavits are needed for both the bride and groom (4 in total). The
affidavits ask your parents or other close relatives or friends to testify to the fact that you
are free to marry.
e. When a marriage takes place between a Catholic and a non-Catholic, a dispensation or
permission is required. If the wedding is to take place in the church, of the non-Catholic
spouse, a dispensation from Canonical Form is required. The necessary forms will be
explained and completed.
2. The wedding ceremony requires two witnesses (usually the best man and maid/matron of honor).
3. When either party has been previously married, and the former spouse is still living, a
declaration of nullity is necessary and may require considerable time. The necessary procedure
will be explained. If you don’t have a declaration of nullity already, then you will have to provide
your original marriage certificate, the civil divorce declaration, and a baptism certificate of your
former spouse if they are Catholic.
4. Everyone preparing for marriage must attend a marriage prep program before your wedding. The
program we suggest here at St. Edward is called One In Christ. Please complete at a minimum of
three months before your wedding date. You can register at the website below.
One In Christ website:
www.oneinchristmarriage.com
Page | 3CIVIL REQUIREMENTS
1. To be married in Cook County, a marriage license from the Cook County Clerk is
required.
2. Neither the bride, groom nor witnesses sign the license. The only signature
required is that of the officiating priest or deacon, who then returns the license to
the County Clerk.
3. A marriage license is valid for 60 days and must mature at least one day before
being used. This means you cannot obtain a license the day of the wedding.
4. Please bring the license to the minister preparing you for your marriage at the
wedding rehearsal.
County Clerk’s Offices
Chicago
118 N. Clark Street
(312) 443-5663 or 5664
Skokie
5600 W. Old Orchard Road
(847) 470-7500
Rolling Meadows
2121 Euclid Avenue
(847) 818-2000
Page | 4General Information
Your wedding liturgy is a public declaration before God and the community of your marriage
commitment. It is a sacred ceremony because you are ministering to each other a Sacrament
instituted by Christ. The following information will enhance the sacred nature of the celebration.
CEREMONY TIMES
Weddings at St. Edward are usually on Saturdays and no later than at 2:30 p.m. It is extremely important
that your wedding begins promptly to allow sufficient time to celebrate the liturgy and to take
photographs afterwards. If you prefer another day of the week and/or time, just let us know. We are very
flexible.
FLOWERS
Flowers are optional and are to be arranged with your florist. Our advice is not to overdo floral
decorations in a church already quite beautiful. Floral decorations on pews must not inflict damage on the
finish of the pews. There are 56 pews for the length of the church. No floral arrangements are allowed on
the altar table itself. Floral pieces are usually placed in the sanctuary. Please inform your florist that they
must be at the church to place the floral decorations and assist with the wedding parties’ flowers and not
just drop them off. Florists are allowed in the Church after 12:00pm to allow time for possible funeral
liturgies.
RUNNER
If you have chosen to use a runner, please order from your florist. The main aisle of the church is 100
feet long. Please inform the florist that they must place the runner in the church.
PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEOGRAPHY
Since the wedding is a sacred service, all photographers and videographers, amateur and professional are
asked to reverence the ceremony and the building in which it takes place. Photographs may be taken
before, during and after the ceremony. Please have your photographer check in with the priest prior to the
ceremony in church. We strongly recommend that your receiving line take place at the reception to allow
you time for photographs. If your wedding is on a Saturday, you must be finished with everything
(including clean up of flowers and decorations) by 4:30pm.
INVITATIONS
In designing your wedding invitations, the clearest and most appropriate text for the location of your
wedding are as follows:
Saint Edward Catholic Church
4350 West Sunnyside Avenue
Chicago, Illinois 60630
Page | 5GUEST PRIESTS
You are invited to invite priests/deacons from other Catholic churches. However, every couple must have
an introductory meeting with a priest from St. Edward Church. At this time, please inform our priest of
your intentions regarding celebrant(s). The guest priest should conduct the wedding rehearsal, if at all
possible; a representative from the parish will be there to open the church and answer any questions. If
the priest and/or deacon is from outside the Archdiocese of Chicago they are required to submit a letter of
suitability. They will know how to provide this and the steps to take.
ALTAR SERVERS
St. Edward provides its own specially trained servers for weddings. Usually there are 2 altar servers. If
you wish to have your own servers, the priest needs to be made aware of this in advance.
MEMBERS IN WEDDING PARTY
Two witnesses (best man and maid/matron of honor) are required. The witnesses do not have to be
Catholic. You may have as large a bridal party as you chose. The bridal party sits in the front two pews.
READERS
You are encouraged to have family members or friends proclaim the readings from the Old Testament and
New Testament and the Prayers of the Faithful. Each reader should have a copy of their reading; three
total.
UNITY CANDLE
Though it is not an official part of the Catholic marriage rite, some couples wish to light a candle during
the ceremony symbolizing their unity. The bride and groom will need to supply their own candle. If
they also wish to have side candles for the moms or families to light, these need to be supplied as well.
These candles should be brought to the rehearsal. The unity candle is entirely optional.
CULTURAL TRADITIONS
We are blessed here at St. Edward to have a very diverse cultural community. For those of you who come
from a rich cultural heritage with wedding traditions we do not anticipate in this booklet, please speak
with the priest preparing your marriage about those traditions so we can plan for them. Some of the more
popular traditions such as the coins, rope, and veil are already included in the wedding ritual. Please
speak with the priest about these traditions you would like included so we can plan appropriately for
them.
PRESENTATION TO MARY
Likewise, as an optional part of the Catholic marriage rite, some brides wish to present a flower or a
bouquet to our Blessed Mother. Just as Mary brought Jesus into the world, so too will the newlyweds
bring Jesus into the world through their love, support and sacrifice for one another. The statue of Mary is
located on the West side of the sanctuary. Music is played while the bride and a person(s) of her
choosing, walk to the shrine and present their offering. Once again, the Presentation to Mary is entirely
optional.
Page | 6RICE, CONFETTI, BIRD SEED, FLOWER PETALS, ETC.
Couples are asked to discourage family and friends from throwing rice, confetti, bird seed or flower petals
inside or outside of the church. In addition to maintenance problems, it also creates dangerous conditions
for our elderly or disabled parishioners. We appreciate your cooperation with this. Some couples decide
instead to release balloons, blow bubbles, etc.
REHEARSAL
The rehearsal is usually held a night or two before the wedding and it is an important part of the
preparation for the ceremony. The wedding coordinator directing the rehearsal will give a brief overview
of the liturgy. If possible, all who are actively involved in the ceremony should be present. Please be
prompt, as other practices, meetings or appointments are scheduled throughout the evening. The
rehearsal usually lasts approximately 30-45 minutes.
Please bring the following items to your rehearsal:
• Marriage License
• Completed Wedding Liturgy Planning Worksheet
• Church Offering and Altar Server Envelopes
• Wedding Programs (if applicable)
• Copies of the Readings
• Unity Candle (if applicable)
BRIDE’S ROOM
At present, the room used for the bride and her attendants to wait in until the wedding begins is in Unity
Hall located below the Church. Since it is downstairs, we suggest that the bride does not plan on dressing
at church. The bride and attendants should arrive about 15 minutes before the ceremony.
HANDICAP CHAIRLIFT
Our church has a chairlift off of the rear parking lot to accommodate any guests of your wedding that may
need help getting up the stairs.
Page | 7PARISH WEDDING COORDINATOR
Our parish wedding coordinator is on hand the day of the wedding to provide for the needs of the bride
and groom, their attendants and families, to assist the ministers in various ways and to assure security. It
is also the parish wedding coordinator’s responsibility to oversee photographers, videographers and
florists with their respective guidelines. The parish wedding coordinator is present an hour before each
ceremony. If you have questions prior to the wedding, please feel free to contact the parish wedding
coordinator. AT THIS TIME, WE DO NOT HAVE A WEDDING COORDINATOR.
REMEMBERING THE POOR
Jesus often used a wedding banquet as the symbol of the joy in the kingdom of heaven. Throughout
history, many Christian couples have honored this imagery by including the “least of the brothers and
sisters” in their celebration. Therefore, you may wish to make a monetary donation to the poor. Our
parish is associated with St. Vincent DePaul and St. Thomas of Canterbury’s Food Pantry.
CHURCH OFFERING
St. Edward is a vital parish providing for the spiritual and ministerial needs of its people and community.
Your offering helps to cover maintenance of the church building in which your wedding will take place as
well as the continuation of parish ministries and outreach programs. Please see the Statement of Fees
included in your wedding packet for more information.
SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION
All Catholics preparing for the Sacrament of Marriage are encouraged to participate in the Sacrament of
Reconciliation. Christ instituted the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Penance) for the forgiveness of our
sins and the healing of our relationships, both with God and others. Developing a regular pattern of
reflection upon one’s life and asking forgiveness in this sacrament can help a person become a more
forgiving person in marriage and family life. The priest preparing you for your marriage can assist you in
preparing for Reconciliation.
THE WEDDING LITURGY
In consultation with the priest who will preside at the wedding, the couple will determine if the marriage
is to be celebrated within a Mass or ceremony. The determining criteria will center on the religious
background of the bride and groom and what form of liturgy will best enable a particular wedding
assembly to celebrate with them. For two Catholics marrying each other the preferred celebration is a
Wedding Mass.
WEDDING MUSIC
Our parish music director should be contacted as soon as you have reserved your wedding date.
Consulting with our Music Director first, will help you plan a beautiful and meaningful wedding liturgy
without unnecessary expenditure. Please do not book outside musicians until you have had your initial
consultation with our Music Director. Should you choose to hire your own musicians through outside
sources, please remember that all music selections must be approved by our music director and priest. If
you prefer, you may bring your own vocalists and other musicians; however, our Music Directory will be
present and play the piano/organ. Our Music Director will work with your own musicians to ensure a
memorable wedding liturgy is celebrated.
Richard Schwegel, Parish Music Director
Richard@StEdParish.org
Page | 8Sample Liturgy Outline
WEDDING MASS
Prelude Music Title Composer
(Seating of Mothers)
GATHERING RITE
Processional Music Title Composer
Greeting
Gloria (sung) Title of Mass Setting Composer
Opening Prayer
LITURGY OF THE WORD
First Reading Scripture Reference Reader’s Name
Psalm Response (sung) Psalm Number Composer
Text of Psalm Refrain
Second Reading Scripture Reference Reader’s Name
Gospel Acclamation Alleluia Composer
Gospel Scripture Reference Priest
Homily Priest
RITE OF MARRIAGE
Exchange of Vows
Blessing and Exchange of Rings
(Lighting of Unity Candle) Music Title Composer
(Coins)
Prayers of the Faithful Reader’s Name
LITURGY OF THE EUCHARIST
Offertory Hymn** Music Title Composer
Eucharistic Prayer**
Acclamations** Title of Mass Setting Composer
Lord’s Prayer
(Veil & Rope)
Nuptial Blessing
Sign of Peace** Music Title Composer
Communion Hymn** Music Title Composer
CONCLUDING RITE
Prayer after Communion**
(Presentation to the Virgin Mary) Music Title Composer
Final Blessing and Dismissal
Recessional Music Title Composer
** This is omitted for a Wedding Ceremony.
Page | 9Page | 10
St. Edward Parish
4350 West Sunnyside Avenue
Chicago, Illinois 60630
(773) 545-6496
www.stedparish.org
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