Catholic Wedding Alert!!!!!

[POOH&PIGLET]

Originally posted by Christine
Well, it is MY opinion that it is inconsiderate to the over 300 people you invite. I am allowed to have an opinion, right? Even if it is their wedding, consideration of guests is important. Sitting on a wooden bench (pew) for almost 2 hours, all dressed up, and in no air conditioning was a bit much. But I was gracious and didn't complain. Just here.

Of course you are allowed to have (& express) an opinion.

How is Catholic couple having a Catholic wedding mass being inconsiderate to anyone? Should they compromise their beliefs for the convenience of their gusets?

I would agree that consideration of guests is important for a reception/party. However, the marriage ceremony is for the couple.

 

[caitycaity]

my wedding was 30 minutes. i loved it.

i was a bridesmaid in a close to 2 hour long italian catholic wedding in syracuse (bichon barb ) before and i thought that it was a bit excessive. of course i was one of the only non catholics there, so it might have been a different experience for the others.

 

[Christine]

Originally posted by POOH&PIGLET

How is Catholic couple having a Catholic wedding mass being inconsiderate to anyone? Should they compromise their beliefs for the convenience of their gusets?

I would agree that consideration of guests is important for a reception/party. However, the marriage ceremony is for the couple.

Having a Catholic wedding mass is not being inconsiderate at all. But, I have yet to see anyone here post that they had to endure one that was almost 2 hours--yowza !! That is where they lost the consideration. I mean one hour is what most people expect when going to a Catholic wedding and you are prepared. I felt really sorry for all the people there with the kids (fortunately mine are older). I think if I were one of them and the bride and groom had said to me "hey, your kids are invited but be warned that we are having this incredible, pimped-up Catholic ceremony that's gonna last forever" some may have chosen to skip it. I know that I would have skipped that Starbucks coffee had I known!

Kyle, just don't drink a lot before you go. You could be in there awhile.

 

[bananiem]

I was born and raised a Roman Catholic and I my wedding mass was over within 45 minutes. Considering how many cousins I have (Thank you, Rhthym method ) I've been to A LOT of Catholic weddings and they've never been 1 1/2 hours long!! Where are you'll getting these long-winded priests?! Are you counting the receiving line and photo time?
Honestly the longest wedding I ever went to was a Methodist wedding.

 

[Bichon Barb]

Originally posted by caitycaity
my wedding was 30 minutes. i loved it.

i was a bridesmaid in a close to 2 hour long italian catholic wedding in syracuse (bichon barb ) before and i thought that it was a bit excessive. of course i was one of the only non catholics there, so it might have been a different experience for the others.

I think you need to move back. It's been sunny and in the high 70's to low 80's all week. And you can actually get to work in 10 minutes around here.



Anyway, I've never been to this type of a wedding reception, but a friend of mine attended a reception that not was not only "dry", but there was no dancing either!!!

 

[Rock'n Robin]

The only thing that bugs me about catholic weddings is communion. I'm not supposed to go up because I'm not catholic. I sometimes do anyway, because I don't think that's fair--at my church anyone can have communion.
My DH's family is catholic so I've been to my share of catholic weddings and funerals. I think it's a credit to anyone who wants to have a church wedding and start their life together in the sight of God, whether it's 15 minutes or an hour. Mine was about 20 minutes. We'd been dating for 5 1/2 years for pete's sake, I wanted it official!
The longest wedding I went to ever was also a baptist wedding-- but the kicker was the reception was in the church basement afterwards and it was DRY--just cake and punch!
Robin M.

 

[caitycaity]

Originally posted by Bichon Barb
I think you need to move back. It's been sunny and in the high 70's to low 80's all week. And you can actually get to work in 10 minutes around here.



Anyway, I've never been to this type of a wedding reception, but a friend of mine attended a reception that not was not only "dry", but there was no dancing either!!!

i would love to move back. i'm sure i have idealized it in my mind because all i wanted to do when i lived there was live in washington but other than the snow, i really miss it.

my aunt and uncle are southern baptist. their wedding reception was dry with no music/dancing too. it wasn't as bad as i thought it was going to be, but it certainly wasn't the most fun i've ever had at a wedding reception.

the part i found really strange was that dessert was baked alaska flambe. i always thought they did flambes with alcohol. i guess the logic was that it burns off.

 

[Bichon Barb]

I agree about the communion thing. My DH and my DS's are Catholic, but I'm not allowed to take communion with them. It's things like this which stop me from converting.

Caity, I should probably send this in a PM, but I'm too lazy. http://www.comehometosyracuse.com/

 

[caitycaity]

thanks for the link.

 

[bananiem]

As far as communion goes, it's different depending on the priest. Ours in our former town said "Who are we to know what is in another person's heart?" He just asked that non-Catholics who did take communion from him understand that Catholics are taught to believe that it truly is the body of Christ and to respect that teaching and the communion host/wafer.

 

[Strawberry Lemonade]

Instead of receiving communion, you could go up and ask for a blessing.

 

[WDWHound]

Originally posted by Rock'n Robin
but the kicker was the reception was in the church basement afterwards and it was DRY--just cake and punch!
Robin M.

What so strange about a dry recpetion? We only offered champange for the toast, otherwise our reception was dry. It avoids a lot of problems.

 

[auntpolly]

Originally posted by WDWHound
What so strange about a dry recpetion? We only offered champange for the toast, otherwise our reception was dry. It avoids a lot of problems.

I would rather go to a 2 hour mass than a dry wedding reception.

 

[Lachesis00]

My SIL had a 3 hour service. No offence, but her wedding was boring No singing or music at all. I didn't understand a lot of what was said. A lot of standing and sitting (very hard on the knees and hips of someone w/arthritis).

A couple times I was a little offended... like Catholics have a much higher rate of staying together then people of other faiths (which were basically equal to people of no faith).

Her reception was a blast!

 

[Donnainnj]

I was thinking that my 1 hour Catholic Mass was nice, maybe even enjoyable to the guests, but then I remember that when my oldest DD was 3 or 4 I used the wedding video to work on her behavior in church. It is the one video in the cabinet she never watched again.
Donna

 

[helenabear]

Originally posted by bananiem
As far as communion goes, it's different depending on the priest. Ours in our former town said "Who are we to know what is in another person's heart?" He just asked that non-Catholics who did take communion from him understand that Catholics are taught to believe that it truly is the body of Christ and to respect that teaching and the communion host/wafer.

Honestly I am very shocked to hear this... now if the person taking communion truly believed in transubstantiation and that they were, indeed taking the body & blood of Christ, then I could be okay with it. But honestly, unless you do believe that, I do not think it is too much to ask for you to sit it out or receive a blessing instead. I know that I wouldn't feel comfortable taking communion in any other church but my own (and I have gone to others and have been offered). Just out of respect of other religions and nothing else... JMHO

 

[TnKrBeLlA012]

One word of advice ,"STAY HOME". If it's that much trouble for you to give up 1hour of your time for a friends wedding how sad! I'm Catholic and don't go to church as often as I should but to say how can I pass the time while I'm there?Wow ,I think I have heard it all. I'm almost thinking I hope this person is joking. It takes all kinds!

 

[Beth76]

3 HOURS!!!!!! What could you possibly do or say in a wedding for 3 hours? Or for 1 hour even? My wedding was about 15 minutes and we did everything that needed to be done to get married.

 

[disykat]

People must have hated my wedding! Actually I don't think so.

Everyone who knew me knew they were coming to a church service, not a party. I'm not Catholic, but I'm guessing our service lasted at least 45 minutes. We also didn't have alcohol or dancing at the reception.

Since my mother was an organist, I grew up attending weddings and often the receptions that followed - usually right at the church in the fellowship hall. The first wedding I went to that had a big reception and included alcohol, dancing, or a big spread of food (more than cake & punch) was in 1984 and I was 23. It must have been the area I grew up in.

Even though I knew that big receptions were becoming the norm, I still felt comfortable inviting people to our ceremony in 1990 without feeling like I had to entertain them. I'm so glad I was still naive enough to believe that people were coming to act as witnesses to our sacred vows and share our special day!

 

[totalia]

Originally posted by Christine
MY BIL and his wife had a Catholic wedding last year. I am not Catholic but had been to many a Catholic wedding so I knew what I was in for. What I didn't know was that the whole thing lasted 1 hour and 45 minutes. I thought I'd be out of there in an hour, NOT TWO!! They had over 300 guests and they all received communion. This took a long time. Anyway, it got to the point that people were getting up during the the ceremony to use the rest room. I guess no one expected it would be that long. I think anything over an hour is being really inconsiderate.

i have to agree with you.