The Catholic Church has few financial requirements for your wedding day. The Church will marry you as long as you approach with an open heart, ready to enter into the service of God through your marriage. Your actual stipends may be the least expensive part of you day, however you will be asked to contribute in a more spiritual way.

Every couple being married in the Catholic Church will become involved in creating a personal faith statement through choices of Scripture Readings, prayers, vows, and music. Couples being married in a Catholic wedding ceremony are more than just "The Bride and Groom", they are also the host and hostess of their personal celebration.

As the ambassador of your parish for this important occasion, it will be your responsibility to make your guests feel welcome and included. This can be difficult when your guests are from varying faiths, being unfamiliar with a Catholic Ceremony, they may feel awkward or out of place. Even if all your guests are Catholic, many would like to follow the order of your ceremony.

Your wedding program is the ideal venue to thank and highlight all those who have supported and helped make this day possible ( Parents - wedding party ). A notation in your wedding program is also the perfect way to acknowledge those who have passed on ( many couples offer their Nuptial Mass in memory of a loved one).

In the spirit of charity and Christian simplicity, the wedding ceremony program is the perfect solution for welcoming everyone to your celebration. This symbol of hospitality to your guests, will enable them to share more fully in your ceremony through their participation in prayer and song.

The use of a wedding ceremony program will highlight your ceremony as the pivotal part of your wedding day. It elevates the importance and dignity of your ceremony by providing a respectful way to guide your guests through the liturgy.

Some things are meant to last forever!

Years down the road, when you're celebrating your 25th anniversary, only a few precious mementos will be left. Your wedding rings, photographs, wedding dress and your wedding programs. This transcript of your precious vows and the listing of all the wonderful people who participated in your day, will become priceless not only for you but also for future generations.

Not sure if you can afford a Catholic Wedding Ceremony Program?

In North America, getting married has become a $120 billion dollar industry. The average wedding will be a formal affair and the ceremony will usually be held in a place of worship. The wedding party will have 8-10 attendants and the reception will be catered outside of the home. This day will cost the couples or their parents on average $22,000.00.

Let's see where all this money is going.

Engagement and wedding rings
Cost = $ 4,000, % of budget - 18.0 %

Rehearsal dinner and wedding reception
Cost = $ 8,700, % of budget - 39.5 %

Invitations, music, linen rentals
Cost = $ 2,000, % of budget - 9.0 %

Bridal attire (including groom & 10 attendants)
Cost = $3,000, % of budget - 13.6 %

Photography and Flowers
Cost = $ 3,000, % of budget - 13.6 %

Limousines & attendants gifts
Cost = $ 1,000, % of budget - 4.5 %

Clergy, Church
Cost = $ 300, % of budget - 1.3 %


(*Source: American wedding study, 2002. We have rounded up the numbers for easier demonstration purposes.)

If you are like most couples heading into the home stretch of your wedding planning, you may find that the money you had budgeted for your wedding is quickly dwindling and you must start cutting expenses. It's not surprising that items for the Church and the ceremony are often the first to be cut.

As a Catholic, you understand that Christ invites us to be meek and humble in our actions and the tradition of the Church teaches us to be modest in the celebration of the Sacraments. Christ also requests that we help our brothers and sisters by offering love, acceptance and hospitality to all.

For those trying to stretch an already over stretched budget for the planning of your wedding try to remember ,Our Lord won't care if you're wearing a simple wardrobe or a Vera Wang wedding dress. He will welcome you whether you arrived at the church by limousine or on the bus. He will not judge your choice of venue for the reception. He will be with you, whether you have ten members in your wedding party or just two good friends who will support you throughout your marriage.

Christ asks us to share his word with others and to welcome all that enter into His house of worship with warmth and helpfulness. He desires that everyone present at your Sacred Sacrament share in the music and prayers that praise Him. If you strive to place Him and His word above all the other material things involved in your day, He will be pleased.