So you are planning a wedding at our Lady of Joy Parish. Congratulations! We will do everything we can to make your special day a true celebration and joyful encounter with the Lord as you and your spouse begin your lifetime together.

This webpage contains guidelines to assist you in some of the many decisions you will be facing in the coming months.

Things to know... Things to do... Things to avoid...
First of all, remember, you are embarking on a lifetime commitment. Even though you may not have realized it at the time, this journey began when the two of you first met. It has continued throughout your courtship. It has led you to where you are now. As husband and wife, you will officially commit yourselves to one another before Almighty God and the community with the priest as the Church's witness. This will raise your relationship to the level of Sacrament, a holy union, binding until death. So it is clearly a solemn event. Everything you plan to surround this event should be fitting to the occasion. The priest and staff of Our Lady of Joy Parish are prepared to support you and to assist you in making appropriate decisions.

Making Reservations
When members of the Church wish to be married, they should contact the church office at least six months prior to the desired date. To begin working on the necessary requirements for the marriage to take place within the Diocese of Pittsburgh, make an appointment with the pastor. This initial contact in no way implies that the wedding will occur on a specific date, unless all of the proscriptions of the Church are followed. This would involve the assurance of the freedom to marry: baptismal records are required, possible testimony from parents or close relatives as to the freedom to marry, and Diocesan forms to be filled out at the rectory with the pastor.

Wedding Coordinators
Each couple will be assigned a wedding coordinator who will be available to answer questions about the church ceremony during the months of preparation, and will direct the wedding rehearsal. On the day of the ceremony the coordinator will make sure the church is set-up before the ceremony and will clean up afterwards. They will make sure the ceremony flows smoothly and in a timely manner. Their fee is $55.

Marriage Preparation Classes
Once the Parish Office is contacted, it becomes the responsibility of the couple to follow through with the necessary classes and instructions required by the Diocese. There are various programs available to the couple; Engaged Encounter Weekends; Parish or Diocesan classes.

Parish Pre-Marriage class reservations: 412-795-4389
Held at Our Lady of Joy
Pre-Marriage Weekends:

• May 16 & 17, 2008 - This class is full
• October 10 & 11, 2008
• February 20 & 21, 2009
• May 1 & 2, 2009

Friday evening and continuing Saturday morning. Fee of $50, if both parties are non-parishioners.

Engaged Encounter:

• Diocese of Pittsburgh: 412–861-0262
• Diocese of Greensburg: 724-837-9543

Diocesan Pre-Marriage Preparation: (four week series)

• 412-456-3117, $30 per couple fee

Music
The couple should arrange to meet with the organist to discuss the music for the wedding and to insure the availability of the organist for the wedding date. Since the organist is responsible for all music used in our liturgies, you must clear all music programs through her, even if she is not playing at your wedding. The wedding is a sacred and reverent time when appropriate music should be used (please see the inside back flap of this booklet). Therefore, trivial music, theater music, or popular selections have no place in any worship service of the church. Such music may be appropriate for the reception, but not at the solemn wedding service where vows are exchanged before God. Please discuss vocal solos, hymns, and any other special music with the organist well ahead of the service, so that proper arrangements can be made.

Church Decorations
The church's bridal coordinators are available to help make your wedding a beautiful one through the appropriate decoration of the church. They are to be consulted as to any decorating ideas, other than flowers for the sanctuary. We feel that the simplicity of our church adds to its beauty; so, little if any extra decoration is necessary to add to that beauty. Since this is the House of the Lord, an extravagant display, which might be in order in a secular setting, is entirely out of place here, and calls for restraint. Floral displays are not allowed on or directly in front of the altar of sacrifice. The use of candelabra around or on the pews or windowsills is prohibited. Decorations must not in any way mar or deface the church furnishings.

Photographs/Videos
This has possibly become the biggest problem within the wedding liturgy at Our Lady of Joy. The church is not a photographer's studio. Any additional lighting is not allowed. Any tripods to be used must remain in the rear of the church and should not obstruct the aisles of the church in any way. All photographers and videographers are to remain behind the people, or the pews. Any other positioning of the cameras is prohibited. It is the responsibility of the couple to inform the photographers and videographers (including family and friends) of these restrictions in our church.

The photographer and videographer are to check with the pastor or wedding coordinator before the ceremony to review these rules. Any pictures not taken during the ceremony may very easily be staged afterwards. All photos taken after the wedding must be finished 40 minutes before the next scheduled liturgy.

Rehearsal
The entire wedding party should be present and on time for the wedding rehearsal. The bridal coordinator will instruct each person as to his/her part in the service.

Wedding Day
The bride and her attendants may make final preparations before the ceremony in the cry room. Parking is reserved in front of the church for cars used by the wedding party only. Rice, birdseed, and flower petals are not permitted to be thrown inside or outside of the church. Because of the ecological damage, we ask that there be no release of balloons after the ceremony.

The latest a wedding ceremony can start on Saturday is 4:00 PM. All photos must be finished by 5:20 PM, so that the church may be set up for the 6:00 PM Mass.

With your consideration of these expectations of your church, we hope to make your wedding day a special time where Christ's presence is felt and realized.

Wedding Music

"Taken from Diocesan Music Guidelines for Weddings"

On the occasion of your wedding day, there is shared a solemn, life-long promise, a covenant with each other and with God, witnessed by the people of God, your friends and relatives. The wedding ceremony is to be planned as a memorable and joyful religious experience for all. That solemn promise is witnessed in a special holy place, the parish church. Everyday love songs within the ceremony celebrating Christian married love are not appropriate. During the wedding ceremony we rise above everyday concerns to celebrate something more than worldly love. Our concern is spiritual love: the love of God for the couple; their love for Him; the love of the community for the couple; their love for the community. These support and confirm the couples shared love. There are many beautiful music selections speaking of God and Christ in married life; of the holiness, joy and beauty of marriage; of Christian significance of this special day. Before choosing music, learn all of the possibilities. Plan the wedding liturgy far in advance, just as you prepare for all the other aspects of the wedding celebration. To do this means a more joyful, faith-filled expression of Christian love.

We have enclosed a music planning sheet with recommended wedding music selections for you to go over with our organist, contemporary music ensemble, or guitarist.

NO secular wedding music will be permitted during the wedding ceremony. One secular selection will be permitted before the ceremony (Prelude Music), but must be appropriate for the occasion and meet prior approval.

Fees

• Fee for parish: Donation (suggested $125)
• Fee for Wedding Coordinator $55
• Fee for organist: $100
  • Organist: Jean Howard: 724-733-5156
    (includes planning meeting, one hour rehearsal with cantor, fifteen minutes of music before the ceremony itself. (If additional meetings are necessary there may be a fee attached.)
• Fee for Cantor: $80
• Fee for Contemporary Music Ensemble (CME) $250
  • CME: Beth Docherty 412-396-4669
    (Guitars, vocalist, and keyboard, and/or Flute)

No guest organists are permitted without approval of pastor and organist.