Wedding Music Policies

Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church is a parish rich in a liturgical music tradition based on both the Catholic Church’s great heritage of classical sacred music and the highest standard of performance. Music for your wedding will hold the same standard.
 
In providing music and music personnel for your wedding ceremony, our goal is to support you in your new life together, to reaffirm the sacred nature of marriage, and to deepen the joy and faith of all who celebrate. The music ministries at Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church embrace the Catholic musical and liturgical traditions that strengthen the integrity of your wedding service. We will listen to you with concern, provide careful guidance, and trust that our efforts will reveal this Church’s commitment to you.
 
Our Director of Music and Liturgy is responsible for overseeing the selection of music at all weddings here. She is available to assist you in planning the music for your wedding and to arrange for additional musicians as needed. She normally serves as the organist for weddings, and can also assist you with the layout of your wedding program (participation aid). It is her responsibility to make certain that the music you choose is appropriate for Divine Worship, and that wedding program is liturgically correct.
 
The following policies are subject to change by approval of the Pastor
(with recommendation from the Director of Music and Liturgy).
 
SACRED MUSIC:
The music for the wedding ceremony must be sacred in nature and reflect the integrity of Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church’s music ministry. All music must be discussed with and approved by the host organist. Just because a piece of music has religious words or thoughts does not make it a work of sacred music. The style of the music also has a great deal to say about what kind of music it is. The music for the wedding ceremony must be approved in order to obtain the Catholic (Christian) integrity of the worship service and tradition that has enriched the marriages of generations of persons before us. Please read carefully the attached materials on wedding music planning and repertoire possibilities.
 
INSTRUMENTS: 
Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church enjoys regular use of a 3-manual, 59-rank Hendrickson pipe organ in the gallery. While it is preferred that the organ be played for the liturgy, the Steinway piano in the choir loft may also be used.  
 
RECORDED MUSIC:
Recorded music of any sort is forbidden for the wedding ceremony or Mass itself. 
 
HOST ORGANIST: 
The Director of Music of this church shall play the organ/piano for the wedding ceremony unless a competent qualified guest is approved by the Director and/or the Pastor. The Director is the most knowledgeable concerning which music sounds best on the instruments that are located in the worship space. The Director also knows which literature she plays best, resulting in the most effective music for your wedding. Music which sounds best and most effective on the organ is organ music; that is to say, music that has been written specifically and intentionally for the organ.
 
GUEST ORGANIST: 
If you have a relative or friend who is a highly skilled competent organist (or pianist) and is familiar with the format of a Catholic wedding liturgy, you may invite that person to serve as the performing musician at your wedding. This person must meet with the Director of Music and Liturgy and be approved in advance by the Director and/or the Pastor.
 
ORGANIST FEES:
The fee for the host organist is $200­. This includes consultation, one rehearsal with vocalists and/or instrumentalists, and the wedding ceremony itself. The wedding liturgy planners or office staff can collect the payment no later than one week prior to the wedding. Fees for other instrumentalists vary and are set by those instrumentalists.
 
WEDDING REHEARSAL: 
The Director of Music does not attend the rehearsal. Music at the rehearsal tends to be more of a hindrance than a help.
 
WEDDING PROGRAM, PARTICIPATION AID: 
You are encouraged to make available some kind of participation aid so that the people attending the wedding liturgy can fully participate in all spoken and musical responses. This includes and is not limited to the Responsorial Psalm, the Gospel Acclamation, and any hymns that are sung. Please provide the Director of Music and Liturgy with a copy of the finished original for proofreading before you have the programs duplicated. In this way, we can be certain that the order of the ceremony is correct. If you prefer to have the Director of Music and Liturgy prepare the entire program for you, she will help you plan what needs to go in the order of ceremony, submit it to you for proofing, and produce a finished original. You are then responsible for using the finished original to have the booklets copied or printed. The choice of paper type and cover is completely up to you. There is no extra fee for this.
 
CANTOR STIPEND:  
The stipend for a parish cantor is $75­. The wedding liturgy planners or office staff can collect the payment before the rehearsal.
 
GUEST SOLOISTS: 
A couple may invite a guest vocal or instrumental soloist to participate in the wedding. Music must be prepared before the rehearsal.  
 
Note: It is expected that all solo vocal or instrumental music be rehearsed prior to the wedding liturgy. One rehearsal of up to one-hour with the guest soloist is included in the organist stipend. If additional rehearsals are necessary, the charge is an additional $50 per hour (minimum of one hour).
 
CHOOSING MUSIC:

CONTACT INFORMATION: 
Contact the Director of Music well before the wedding to arrange a consultation. A one-hour meeting is included in the stipend. You may call to set up an appointment at any time.