Congratulations on your recent engagement and thank you for choosing St. Rita Church to celebrate this important celebration in your life.  As you prepare for your wedding, please remember that Matrimony is a Sacrament, and the house of God is a place of dignity and worship.  The purpose of celebrating a wedding is to call upon God to give special graces to the couple to help them live out their sacramental union. 
 
In consideration of that fact, the following is a list of guidelines for weddings in St. Rita Church:
 
Rules for All Weddings

1. Couples contemplating marriage in the Archdiocese of New Orleans must contact one of their parish priests or deacons at least six to eight months before their proposed wedding date to make the arrangements for the marriage preparation process.
2. Prior to booking a wedding date at St. Rita Church, the couple must first meet with the officiating clergy.  At this meeting, the couple and clergy must together complete “The First Steps to the Altar” form, which can be found here.
3. Church law requires that weddings ordinarily take place in the parish of the bride or the groom.  Written permission from the proper pastor of the bride or the groom is needed for non-parishioners.
4.             Weddings must be celebrated only in churches or chapels.
5.             The permission of the Archbishop must be obtained for a Nuptial Mass between a Catholic                  and a baptized non-Catholic.  The officiating clergy member can obtain this fairly easily.
6.             A Nuptial Mass may not be celebrated for a wedding between a Catholic and a non-baptized                person.
7. During the course of their meeting with the priest/deacon, the couple will complete all necessary preparations, including a Premarital Inventory (FOCCUS, PMI, Prepare, etc.).  The couple will also participate in a formal marriage preparation program, such as: Evenings for the Engaged, Engaged Encounter, Days for the Engaged, In-Home Marriage Preparation, Witness to Love, etc.  
8. Recent Baptismal Certificates (not older than six months) are required for Catholics.  Proof of Baptism (a copy of the certificate or a letter from the pastor of the church of Baptism) is required for non-Catholics who have been baptized. 
9. Couples who reserve St. Rita’s for their ceremony and then make any changes in those plans should notify the church office at once so that the time reserved for them may be made available for other couples.
10. Optional times for weddings are as followed:
11.                Weekdays: any time available; Fridays are usually available except during Lent.
12.                Saturdays: beginning no later than 1:00pm
13.                Saturday evenings: 6:30pm or later (Some seasonal exceptions/restrictions)
14. Proper respect is expected by all who participate in the ceremony.  Practical jokes and gags are totally out of place in Church, especially on the altar.  There is to be no drunkenness.  Attire for all persons in the bridal party should be respectful. 
15. All decorations for the Church’s special season (Christmas & Easter) are to remain in place.  Please do not ask for them to be removed. 
16. While the use of unity candles has become common, it is not part of the Catholic wedding ceremony.  Therefore, no unity candles, unity sand, or other secular rituals are to be utilized.
17.  According to Archdiocesan regulations, there is a stipend for marriages.  This stipend goes to the Church to assist with operating costs.
18. Parishioners – A Parishioner is one who has been attending St. Rita Church as a registered parishioner, receiving the weekly donation envelopes and contributing for at least 24 months prior to the date of the wedding.  Children of registered parishioners must be under the age of 21 and living with their parents or be a student to receive the parishioner rate.  FEE: $350.00 ($100 non-refundable deposit)
19. Non-Parishioners – FEE: $500.00 ($100.00 non-refundable deposit)
20. Altar servers are to be paid $20.00 per server and will only be scheduled upon request.
21. A stipend to the priest/deacon is appreciated as a personal gift the day of the wedding. 
22. No rice, birdseed, confetti, etc. may be thrown inside or outside the church.  Please inform your guests and wedding party of this restriction.
23. Rehearsal will be primarily on Wednesdays or Thursdays and are scheduled after consultation with the priest and the Church calendar.

16. A priest or deacon from another parish is welcome to officiate a wedding here; however, he must handle all the necessary preparations and paper work.  He must also attend the rehearsal.  A Letter of Delegation is needed for visiting priests or deacons in order for a wedding to take place.
    • Visiting priest will be assigned a sacristan to open church for the rehearsal and the wedding.
    • It is the couple’s responsibility to give these rules to their priest.
    • Failure to follow any of these rules may result in a cancellation of the wedding.       

17. The florist must use non-drip candles, with or without a glass container.  Wax on the floor could cause an accident. 
18. The florist (or anyone else) is not to use wire, tape, glue, plastic holders, etc. on the pews or any furniture in church.  If anything is to be put on pews, it must be fastened with soft or fabric-like material, e.g. ribbon, elastic.
19. The following ferns are not allowed for the ceremony: 1) Asparagus, 2) Blue Flame, 3) Foxtail, 4) Ming, 5) Plumosa, 6) Sprenger
20. Nothing may be attached to the altar in any way – ever.
21. There will be no white strip in the aisle.
22. It is the couple’s responsibility to give the florist these rules for weddings.

23. The priest/deacon must be notified in advance of your selection of music and readings.  Only sacred music may be used from the beginning to the end of the Mass. 
24. The sung chants of the Mass should be planned with the help of the musicians. 

25. Musicians’ fees are to be negotiated directly with musicians.  Please see the Music Guidelines and contact information for St. Rita’s music director.  Contact the director as soon as your wedding is scheduled and do not schedule outside musicians to perform at your wedding without the music director’s approval.   

26. Pictures may be taken from the altar, but the photographer must be discreet while in the sanctuary and must always be careful not to become a distraction.  Video cameras are to be inconspicuous.  The priest/deacon officiating at the wedding may place whatever restrictions he deems appropriate on the photographers and video operators.  No extra lights on cameras will be acceptable in church.
27. Please inform your photographer that we have Mercury Vapor lights in our church, as this may make a difference in the film that he/she will use.
28. It is the couple’s responsibility to inform the photographer of these rules, including no flash photography during Mass.

 
If you have any questions and for scheduling please call the church office @ (504)737-2915.