Arrangements must be made at least (6) six months. Please read the following before calling the rectory to make your arrangements.
Congratulations! Your wedding will be an incredibly special occasion for both of you – an event which marks the beginning of a new relationship, which will last for the rest of your lives. It is also an occasion of joy for the Church and, in particular, for Blessed Sacrament Parish. In faith we are united as one; therefore, your wedding is not merely a personal celebration for you and those close to you but also, a celebration of the entire Church.
In the Roman Catholic Church, the exchange of vows between a man and a woman is not a private moment, but a public act of believers in the presence of God’s Church. The readings and music you select, and the various ways in which you choose to involve your family and guests, will make your wedding all the more memorable and meaningful. Since you are preparing to celebrate a Sacrament of the Church, we encourage you to use this time before your wedding not only to take care of practical details, but also to deepen your love for each other and renew your relationship with God through personal prayer, regular participation at Mass and the Sacrament of Confession.
An occasion of such great significance requires careful preparation. Before scheduling a date and time, please look carefully at the following information.
The Clergy of Blessed Sacrament
Timing and Scheduling:
In order to schedule your date and time, please call the rectory to schedule a preliminary meeting with one of the priests. When you call, please let us know of any previous marriages, if one of you is a non-Catholic or if you are related to each other by blood or marriage.
At that first meeting, a date and time will be reserved for you provided you fulfill the requirements of the Roman Catholic Church, the Archdiocese of New York, and the policies of Blessed Sacrament Church.
If there is a need to make a change in the date or time of your wedding please contact us immediately. Do not finalize any new plans until the priest who is working with you confirms that the new day and time are available.
Deciding between a Wedding Mass or a Wedding Ceremony: The priest who is celebrating your wedding will help you decide between a Wedding Mass and Wedding Ceremony. Celebrating a Mass with your wedding ceremony is not required by the Church. A Wedding Ceremony is about 10 minutes shorter than a Wedding Mass because there is no Holy Communion. If one of you has not been baptized, the Church only allows a Wedding Ceremony.
Weddings may be scheduled:
Saturdays: 1:30pm, 2:00pm, 2:30pm (Ceremony or Mass) 3:00pm (Ceremony)
Sundays: 3:00pm (Ceremony)
Weekdays: Time can be arranged
We only schedule one wedding per day.
Please note that there are no weddings on the First Fridays of the month.
Requested Offering: $1500 (includes use of the building, organist and singer)
At your initial meeting with the priest, a deposit of $500 is collected to reserve a date in the Church calendar. This deposit will be applied to your total Offering. The balance of the Offering will be due three months prior to the scheduled date of your Wedding. Should you cancel your wedding after handing in your deposit or offering, it will be returned to you minus $250 of the Deposit which is non-refundable.
Please make the check payable to Blessed Sacrament Church.
Church Certificates and Documents needed for Marriage:
1. Certificate of Baptism
A new copy of your Baptismal Certificates dated no earlier than six months prior to your wedding date. Please contact your Church of Baptism and request a new Certificate of Baptism.
It is helpful for a non-Catholic who has been baptized in a Christian denomination to present a Baptismal Certificate as well. Unlike the requirements for Catholics, though, an old Certificate will suffice. We will make a copy and return the original to you. If the non-Catholic is unable to obtain such a Certificate please let us know.
2. First Communion and Confirmation Certificates
You may obtain new copies of these Certificates or make copies of the ones you already have.
Please inform us immediately if you have not received one or both of these Sacraments so that we can assist you in preparing for them either before or after your Wedding.
3. Letter of Permission
If either of you or both of you do not currently live within the geographic boundaries of Blessed Sacrament Parish, you must obtain a Letter of Permission from the parish in which you currently reside.
When are all the Certificates, Documents and Letters needed:
All must be obtained no later than three months prior to the date of your Wedding. At that time please call the priest who is working with you for another appointment.
If one of you are not Catholic, there are additional requirements. Please see the information about Interfaith Weddings.
Marriage Preparation Programs:
All couples are required to participate in a marriage preparation program sponsored by the Roman Catholic Church. Details will be worked out when you meet with the priest.
The Celebrant for the Wedding:
You are most welcome to have a visiting priest or deacon (who is a relative or friend of the family) celebrate your Wedding. Once the Wedding is arranged, and the deposit given to reserve the date and time, you must arrange to meet with that priest or deacon who will celebrate your Wedding. The visiting priest or deacon must contact the Pastor of Blessed Sacrament Church as soon as possible and discuss the Wedding with him.
The Sacrament of Confession:
You should plan to receive the Sacrament of Confession as part of your wedding preparation. The night of your rehearsal is not an opportune time for you, or the members of your Wedding party, to avail themselves of this beautiful Sacrament.
Music at the Wedding:
Our church organist/music director will discussing the music for your wedding. Please note, secular music is never permitted at a wedding.
Readers at the Wedding:
You may select family members or friends to proclaim the Scripture readings at the Wedding. Only a Roman Catholic may read at a Wedding Mass. Any Baptized Christian may read at a Wedding Ceremony. Readers should be present at the rehearsal in order to be properly instructed in this important role.
The members of the Wedding Party:
The Roman Catholic Church requires that there be two witnesses to your Wedding. They must be old enough to sign a legal document, without their parents countersigning it. The witnesses of the Wedding (Best Man, Maid/Matron of Honor) need not be Roman Catholic to fulfill this role. The Best Man and the Maid/Matron of Honor will be seated in the Sanctuary, in front of the Altar, with the Bride and Groom. The Bridesmaids, Ushers, and other attendants, will be seated in the first pew on either side of the Church.
In selecting gowns for the Wedding, please consider the respect, which is appropriate for a Church Wedding. While the style is up to you, the dress should be sensibly modest so as not to be offensive to the Priest\Deacon and to those attending the Wedding.
Flower Girls and Ring Bearers:
Based on our experience, we discourage you from including young children in the bridal party as flower girls and ring bearers. If you do have small children in the wedding party, they must sit in a pew near the front with an adult companion. A ring bearer may only carry artificial rings on the pillow.
Arrival time:
Ushers, best man and the groom should arrive no later than 30 minutes before the start of the Wedding. The Bride and her attendants should arrive no later than 15 minutes before the scheduled start.
Rehearsal:
When you meet with the priest/deacon to complete the necessary paperwork, please be prepared to set a date and time for your Rehearsal. It is best to do so within several days of the wedding. It is most important thing that all the members of your Wedding Party to be present. This would include the readers and all others who have some role in your Wedding Mass or Ceremony. People who are not involved in the ceremony should not attend the rehearsal.
The priest/deacon who will be officiating at your Wedding will conduct the rehearsal.
Flowers, Aisle Runners and other Decorations:
Please limit flowers to two regular sized baskets that will be put on stands in front of the altar.
No flower arches, trees, bushes, candles, balloons or oversize or unusual arrangements are permitted.
Although not recommended, you can have a white aisle runner obtained from your Florist or Limousine Company. The length of the aisle at Blessed Sacrament is 125 feet. Two of the ushers are chosen to pull the runner down the aisle after the Bride’s mother has been seated and the procession is about to begin.
Photography and Filming:
You are responsible for informing your photographer/videographe of the following rules: 1. Photographers and videographers are not permitted at any time in the Sanctuary area. 2. We should never be hearing the constant sound of pictures being taken during the wedding. 3. Photographers and videographers should not be moving around throughout the Wedding. 4. No picture taking of the congregation during the actual ceremony or anyone receiving Holy Communion. 5. Floodlights are permitted only at the Procession and Recessional. The Church is totally lit by LED’s.
Please don't: No rice, confetti, or flower petals should be thrown either inside or outside the church.
No garbage or trash of any kind should be left behind in the Church, the lobby or outside the Church.
No alcoholic beverages should be consumed by the Wedding Party before the Rehearsal or the Wedding itself.
Booklets:
Should you decide to have one, please consult with us at the earliest stage of its development. We will work with you to be sure the booklet matches the actual Wedding Mass or Ceremony.
Parking and Directions:
Parking is available in the Church parking lot behind the Church on Shea Place.
Please remember to provide your guests with directions to the Church, just as you do for the place of your reception.
From Long Island: Take Whitestone or Throgs Neck Bridge. Take 95 New England Thruway to EXIT 16 (New Rochelle – North Avenue). Follow signs to North Avenue, make left onto North Avenue. Follow to end. Make right onto Pelham Road. Go two lights to Centre Avenue and make a right. Travel approximately six (6) blocks. Blessed Sacrament will be on your left.
From George Washington Bridge: Take Cross Bronx Expressway to 95 New England Thruway. Follow directions as above.
From Manhattan: From East Side take FDR Drive to Bruckner Expressway, to 95 New England Thruway. Follow top directions.
Hutchinson River Parkway – coming from the South: Exit 8 (Sanford Blvd) bare right onto Blvd to traffic light. At Pelham border the road becomes Colonial Avenue. Continue straight to New Rochelle where the road becomes Kings Highway. At bottom of hill make a right onto Route 1 (Main Street). At 5 th light turn right onto Centre Avenue. Church is on the right.
Hutchinson River Parkway – coming from the North: Exit 9 bear right at exit and go to traffic light. Make a left onto Colonial Avenue. Continue straight to New Rochelle where road becomes King’s Highway. At bottom of hill make a left onto Route 1 (Main Street). At 5 th light make right onto Centre Avenue. Church is on the right.
From Yonkers or Upper Westchester: Saw Mill Parkway South to Cross County Parkway East to Hutchinson River Parkway South to Exit 8 (Pelham Manor – Mount Vernon). At light make a right. After turn go to second light and make a right onto Pelhamdale Avenue. Take to end. At light make a left on Pelham Road. Go six (6) lights to Centre Avenue and make a left. Go approximately six (6) blocks, the Church is on the left.
From Connecticut: 95 New England Thruway to Exit 16 (New Rochelle – North Avenue). Bear left around circle, the road splits and bear to the right to light. Make left on North Avenue and go to the end. Right onto Pelham Road. Two lights to Centre Avenue, make right. Go approximately six (6) blocks. Church is on your left.