Preparing Your Wedding Liturgy
A walk through the liturgy: After the Celebration of Marriage
Preparing your Wedding Liturgy
The form of the liturgy is now different depending on whether Mass is celebrated or not.
Weddings with Mass — Liturgy of the Eucharist
The Preparation of Gifts includes the procession where the bread and wine are brought to the altar. There may be hymn or other music at this point.
The Eucharistic Prayer is the heart of the Mass. In the prayer we give thanks for all that God has done for us, invite the Holy Spirit to come upon the gifts of Bread and Wine so that they may become the Body and Blood of Jesus. The people’s parts in the Prayer are usually sung: the Sanctus or Holy, Holy, Memorial Acclamation and Amen.
The Communion Rite begins with saying by everyone of the Lord’s Prayer (Our Father…). This is followed by the Nuptial Blessing a special prayer said by the Priest over the couple. There follows the Sign of Peace and the preparation for Holy Communion. Holy Communion is then distributed and those who are not Catholics may be invited up for a blessing. The Communion procession may be accompanied by singing and/or there may be a hymn of thanksgiving after Communion. The Communion Rite ends with the Prayer after Communin.
Choices
For the liturgical texts (e.g. Eucharistic Prayer) there are a number of choices but the Priest will probably be happy to make these for himself. In similar way there are a number of different texts for the Nuptial Blessing.
Music
There are two types of music to consider in this section: singing the texts of the liturgy (e.g. the Holy, Holy) and hymns or other music at the Preparation of Gifts and Communion.
Weddings without Mass — continuation
The Universal Prayer is followed by the Lord’s Prayer (Our Father…). Then the couple receive the Nuptial Blessing from the Priest or Deacon.
Choices
There are a number of different texts for the Nuptial Blessing which you may choose or you may find that the Priest or Deacon is happy to guide you.