Special Masses
I am a member of St. Ann's Parish | I am NOT a member of St. Ann's Parish | Priest Guidelines
For Non-parishioners
(Revised 4/2010)
> AS YOUR WEDDING
DAY APPROACHES GUIDELINES (checklist in pdf format)
Thank you for choosing St. Ann Church in Lenox, Massachusetts, for your wedding! Also, congratulations on your engagement. We are sending you these guidelines because we want your day to be as perfect and special as it can be, but we also want to preserve the integrity and appearance of our beautiful church while making sure your priest or deacon understands their responsibilities as the celebrant for your special day. Below is a list of our guidelines that we hope will guide you and your celebrant through your wedding day.
CHURCH / FEES:
· A stipend of $850 is required for use of St. Ann Church. Please know that a non-refundable deposit of $100.00 is required within two weeks of speaking to the Rectory staff, to reserve the date. Due to the high demand for wedding dates at our church, if we do not receive confirmation from you, via a deposit, within two weeks, we will not be able to hold this date for you. The balance is due at least one month before the wedding date.
· Weddings require a custodian. Our custodian will be in immediately following your wedding; therefore, an additional $25 is required for his services. Please, either, leave this fee in an envelope marked “custodian” and ask the priest or deacon to leave it in the Priests’ Sacristy on the dressing table or include it with your rental fee.
· If your priest or deacon requires the assistance of an Altar Server, know that it is customary for the couple to offer the altar server a gift of at least $10.
· St. Ann Church does not allow birdseed, rose petals or rice. It’s dangerous for people to walk on, (especially in high heels!) it’s messy, and the rose petals stain our carpets. Silk rose petals are acceptable. Thank you for your understanding in this matter.
· St. Ann Parish does allow aisle runners but they are not encouraged
due to the possibility of your wedding guests tripping on them. If you choose
to use an aisle runner, you must inform your florist and they will make the
necessary arrangements. Our aisle is 110 feet from altar to the main doors
of the church.
RECORDS / PAPERWORK:
· Your license may be obtained anywhere in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. For the future, you should remember where you obtained your license, as that is where the priest must send it and where your record of marriage will be kept. A blood test is no longer required in Massachusetts before a license can be issued. The license is good for 60 days after applying for it. Don’t wait, as there is at least a three-day waiting period.
· Pre-Cana or some other Marriage Preparational Opportunity (ex: Heart-to-Heart, Engaged Encounter Weekend, etc.) is required by this Diocese (as in most), and is a prerequisite. Please arrange with your priest to make the Pre-Cana as soon as you can.
· You will need to provide your priest or deacon with a new copy (not your original) of your Baptismal Certificate. It is necessary that the address of the church where you were baptized be on the new certificate. Also, please provide a copy of your First Communion and Confirmation certificates. Please note . . . having made your confirmation is NOT REQUIRED TO BE MARRIED IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH. May we suggest however, that if this pertains to you, you might consider speaking to your priest and possibly making your confirmation in the spring with the young adults of your parish.
· We will need the names of your attendants (witnesses) and celebrant prior to the wedding date so that wedding certificates can be typed with the appropriate names and left for you in the church.
· If you are under 18 years of age, you need to have your parents signed permission to get married. If this pertains to you, please speak to your priest.
WEDDING TIMES / REHEARSAL:
Times for weddings at St. Ann’s are as follows:
Friday: Afternoons and evenings
Saturday: between 10 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. Absolutely no weddings are allowed
after 1:00 due to confessions at 3:00 p.m. (A 1:00 p.m. wedding must be finished
and the church empty by 2:30 p.m.)
Saturday evening weddings are permitted after 6 p.m.
SUNDAY WEDDINGS ARE NOT HELD HERE UNLESS THE FOLLOWING MONDAY IS A LEGAL HOLIDAY.
Wedding rehearsals should also be booked with the church, so that nothing
else is booked in that time slot. As soon as you and your priest or deacon
agrees on this day and time, the church must be informed.
UNITY CANDLE:
·Couples should be practicing Catholics. If it is an inter-faith marriage, the religion of the other person is greatly respected. When two Catholics marry it is usually celebrated during a Mass. In the case of an inter-faith marriage, the Mass is optional. Please speak to your priest about the difference between a Nuptial Mass and a Nuptial Service.
· If you plan on using a unity candle during your wedding, please know that it is your responsibility to provide the actual unity candle, while, St. Ann’s will provide the two side candles from which it will be lit and the holder for all three candles. You may choose to bring all three candles yourself, just let us know prior to the wedding. If you decide to use St. Ann’s side candles, please leave them but take your unity candle after the ceremony.
PHOTOGRAPHS/VIDEOS:
Photographs/videos may be taken discreetly during the ceremony, if the Celebrant okays it ahead of time. Photographers can use the two side aisles. Please have the photographer check with the priest first; different priests have different preferences.
FLOWERS:
· The couple shall take care of ranging for wedding flowers and decorations. Please advise your florist to use clips, ribbons, or rubber bands to secure any bows to the pews. Tape is not allowed because it removes the varnish from our beautiful wood pews! Your church flowers may be left or taken, following the wedding. Please inform your florist that the church is open by 8 a.m. on the weekends.
MUSIC:
·The couple is responsible for making all arrangements for the music. Music, of course, is very important for any wedding, and it is expected that your organist and singer will plan appropriate music, which lends an air of “holiness” and “mutual love” to your very special day.
· The wedding couple may bring in their own musician (s). We do, however, have an organist you may contact for your wedding: Pauline Vreeland, (413) 637-1082. She will discuss her fee schedule, as well as provide you with the names of other musicians and singers you may be interested in. You should phone her as soon as your date is set to assure that she will be available.
· You are free to select whom ever you wish for your wedding day, but, please know that ALL MUSIC MUST BE APPROVED BY PAULINE VREELAND BEFORE THE WEDDING DAY. It is your responsibility to contact her on the matter.
Finally, these marriage guidelines were prepared to answer your marriage questions.
If you still have questions, however, please call your priest or the pastor
at St. Ann’s and he will be more than happy to help you. For more information
on our parish please go to our website at http://www.stannlenox.org./
If you do download these guidelines from our website, please know that the
next step is to call St. Ann’s Rectory and consult with the secretary
or pastor.
God Bless you both as you prepare for your special day.
PRIEST/DEACON:
· As explained to you when you called to book your wedding date, the wedding couple is responsible for arranging the services of a Catholic Priest or Deacon to direct and perform your wedding rehearsal and ceremony. THIS SECTION OF INFORMATION IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT! Enclosed with these guidelines is an additional copy of the Priest/Deacon responsibilities for you to forward to the priest or deacon preparing the paperwork for your wedding. It cannot be stressed enough that your priest or deacon must be sent these responsibilities AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
PRIEST/DEACON RESPONSIBILITIES:
· The Priest or Deacon is responsible for preparing ALL PAPERWORK PRIOR TO THE WEDDING. The pastor at St. Ann kindly requests that the priest or deacon preparing the paperwork, contact him as soon as possible, by calling (413) 637-0157.
· Any impediments (ex: a prior marriage outside of the Catholic Church, etc..) and dispensations, MUST BE TAKEN CARE OF BY THE PRIEST/DEACON PREPARING THE PAPERWORK AND SENT TO THE CHANCERY IN THE DIOCESE IN WHICH THE COUPLE RESIDES. ONCE THAT CHANCERY HAS PROCESSED THE PAPERWORK, THEY IN TURN WILL FORWARD IT TO THE CHANCERY OFFICE OF THE DIOCESE OF SPRINGFIELD (P.O. BOX 1730, SPRINGFIELD, MA 01101-1730). It can not be stressed enough that the Chancery of Springfield should have the paperwork one month prior to the wedding date.
· Please inform your priest or deacon that he must request delegation from the pastor at St. Ann, at least one month prior to the date of the wedding.
· SECRETARY OF STATE’S OFFICE: If the priest or deacon does not reside in Massachusetts, he needs civil permission from the Secretary of State’s office. A document for this purpose may be obtained by calling the Chancery office at (413) 732-3175.
· If the priest or deacon performing the ceremony would like an altar server, please notify the rectory office as soon as possible.
· MARRIAGE LICENSE: Couples must bring the marriage license to the rehearsal, and in turn, give it to the pastor of St. Ann Parish.