Catholic Advice Needed Please


Binbin,

I strongly recommend Church of St. Mary of the Angels at Bukit Batok. The church is newly renovated and is beautiful.

That is my hubby's parish church, although we will not be holding our wedding there, but in my church.
 
Hi Binbin, crayonshinchan....

Now there is a twist to my situation. I may end up having my wedding at St. Mary next year afterall.

How much did you / are you intending to spend on flower deco for church?

Cos I have a problem. I would like to book my church, Holy Spirit, for the wedding mass next year. They charge me a total of $550 for rental of church and function room (all air-con).

My hubby prefers his church, which is St Mary of the Angel's which charges a total of $1,100 for church and function rental (all air-con) BUT inclusive of flower decor. Apparently they have tie ups with some external florists who are professional florists.

So, the difference in costs works out to be about $600. Do you think $600 is a reasonable amount for flowers?

I'm having a disagreement with my hubby over this as I think $600 for flowers is far too much to spend!!!!

pls let me know what u think... thanks...
 
Hi all,
I am holding my wedding in St. Mary next year October. Oh my God! I didn't know I have to pay $$$ for the church usage!!!! but a plus point is floral decor included.

Hi babysheep22,
What are the items included for the $1,100? which is the function rental? is it St. Clare's hall for the reception? and what are the flower decors we can have? Thank you!

And anyone have idea how much we have to pay for the choir? Thank you again.
 
hi lemoncake

i think u have to check the specifics with penny (the secretary) or fr. phil. (parish priest)

as far as i know, church rental (including flowers) is $600. st. clare hall (for reception, and i think including flowers) is around $500.

choir... i'm not sure, i'm getting my friends to do it for me... so i'll probably just give about $12 per person.

must admit st. mary's is beautiful though.
 
Hi babysheep22,
Thank you for the infor
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no wonder Fr. Moses told me to keep the wedding simple, now I know this is the reason...ha ha. will check with the parish office again.
 
Hi babysheep22,
You may like to get the filipino choir to sing. They really have angelic voices. All my guests loved the music during my wedding and kept talking about the choir after that. There is no fixed price because they will donate whatever you give them to the church building fund. Looks like the price went up for the church rental and reception hall.
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I only paid $750 in all for the church rental and reception area. But my wedding was held in the midst of the construction so maybe cheaper lah... oh ya, the flowers will be very beautiful too. I didn't request for anything specific but it turned out better than I expected. Hope this helps.
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Hi babysheep

I didn't really go into detailed research, but I was told the very simple flower decor for the church alone is ard $500. I was quite shocked when I heard that. Originally I budgeted $500 for the decor, then I realised that I had to pay for the rental too. Now really headache on what ways to minimise spending on decor, but w/ max effect.
 
dear all, could you help me with something? my wedding is on 20 march, and now am looking at printing of church invites and programme booklet... does anyone have recommendation on either of this? thanks so much! Happy New Year ladies!
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Hey BinBin, remember me? Seraphim1970 from the '38 club'? So your wedding is coming up very soon ... congratulations in advance!

You can email Chris at [email protected], she should be able to help you on the invites and booklets, met her at the Catholic Engaged Encounter.
 
Hi all,

Can let me know how do I sign up for EE or MPC? Is it conducted together with all churches in singapore or just our own church? I'm Christian, but am thinking of converting to Catholic cos of FH, so I dont know much abt catholic traditions etc. Need advice pls.
Thanks
 
hi leeds,

u can find the webpage to sign up for the EE and MPC on the catholic webpage -- www.veritas.org.sg
under the "Marriage" link ("Social Services).

it's not just one church, the prog is open to all couples planning to get married in the catholic church...
hope this helps!
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Does anyone know how many weeks before the solemnisation do we have to go for EE?

So disappointed July slot is closed already. (thats quick eh... ) Me & FH are not based in singapore and will only be back in July & December. Jan 05 is the wedding. Can i go for EE in Dec??

Anyone can advise? Thanks
 
Hi leeds,

Ideally, you should go for EE/MPC as early as possible coz the whole point of it is to prepare you guys for marriage, rather than just so you can hold you wedding in a catholic church. (There have been tales of pple breaking up after these things coz they realised tt they weren't quite ready for marriage, or weren't even right for each other) Since EE is available worldwide, why not chk w your priest if you could attend a session in the country you're based? That said, I don't think there's a deadline for you guys to attend EE, just as long as you do it before your wedding. Still, best to check with your priest.
 
Yah... that makes sense. No point going for EE/MPC just 1 mth before the wedding I guess. Thanks for the advice. Will go ask around.
 
Dear all, i need some help here. I am looking for a church choir for my wedding in march. my FH's old choir will not be able to make it due to certain reasons, so we need to find one as most of our friends are not catholics and thus theres not one to sing the hymns. does someone has any contacts for a catholic church choir pls?
 
Hi Binbin,

Just check with your church secretary, they should be able to help you, otherwise try the choirs at the churches near your church, they might be willing to help.
But sometimes it may be difficult at it's Lent.

Hope the info helps.
 
Hi BinBin,
I can give contact of my church choir. However, I'm not sure they can/are willing to sing in other church. Send me PM.
 
Can anyone advise if priests in catholic church can be called to another place to marry me? Or is it necessary to get married in the church where I get baptised?
I'm new in the church & still learning abt catholicism so not too comfortable going to the priests to ask too many questions... hehe...
 
binbin, no worries
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hi leeds, are you talking abt getting married in another church or at a non-church venue? It's possible if you're referring to another catholic church. You've gotta check with your parish though and let them know - ask the church secretariat perhaps.

But if it's a non-church venue, I have heard that they're not in favour for the idea.
 
Matka,

I read somewhere in this forum abt Armenian church @Hill St... sounds quite nice. Thinking of checking it out this weekend. Or even in Chijmes. Are these places considered non-church??
 
Hi Leeds

The Armenian Church is a non-catholic church... so I'm guessing there might be an issue there, even more than a secular location. Kinda like a conflict of interest, in that sense?

CHIJMES at least was a Catholic chapel since it was IJ Victoria. You might have better luck there.
 
hi Leeds,

I just checked out the EE website's forum(http://www.catholic.org.sg/ceespore) and there was a qn posed there on venues for solemnisations.

Actual link:
http://www.veritas.org.sg/ceespore/phorum/read.php?f=2&i=35&t=35

It says that "The Registry Of Marriages (ROM) in Singapore and the Church's Canon Law explicitly give priests no permission to solemnise weddings anywhere except in Catholic churches and chapels in Singapore."

You could check if CHIJMES Hall still qualifies as a chapel although I have a feeling it's not since i believe it's no longer under the purview of the Catholic church.
 
Matka,

Thanks for the info.

Do you know any nice small catholic church that can be used for weddings around town area?
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Hi Leeds

No worries. I'm not too sure about any nice and small churches around town area. They all seem pretty big to me to accommodate the congregation. I haven't been to many except for my own parish and to some elsewhere.

Here's a link to the churches listed according to district.

http://www.catholic.org.sg/cdir.php
 
Leeds,
I believe CHIJMES is no longer a chapel/church. It's a commercial building now so you can't have wedding mass there. Wedding mass/service must take place on sacred ground, which is church/chapel.

Most priests will ask you to get married in your own parish unless you have a good reason why you choose other church.
 
Leeds,

Rhs is right. CHIJMES is no longer a chapel so you can't have your mass or service there.

Usually, the mass will have to be held at your own parish (that is, according to your address stated in yr IC). Eg, if you stay in Hougang area, your parish would probably be Church of the Navity of the BVM or if you stay in Sengkang, it would be St. Anne's Church.

Hope it helps.
 
Hmmm…. The church near my home is St Bernadette and it's huge!!! I hate the thought of having my wedding mass in a-quarter full church.
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Any ideas??

My sis got married in Chijmes last year but she's Christian. Maybe Catholics can't get married there?
 
hi leeds

St Bernadette's is the church that my parents got married in
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Well I had the same concern as you too - abt the church looking empty. But I kinda grew up at Holy Cross so I wanted my wedding there. Likewise, the church is huge but on the actual day, the guests gathered towards the centre pews and it was alright!

Ultimately, on the day itself, these don't matter anymore. What matters is the sacrament of marriage.

Since CHIJMES is a commercial bldg and no longer a chapel, and according to Canon law, Catholics will not be able to get married there. Protestants, however, can choose to have their solemnisations anywhere so CHIJMES is considered just 'another venue'.

How about St Teresa's? Since your place is near St Bernadette's, St Teresa's shldn't be too far off, right?
 
Matka,

Yah I guess if the guests are gathered all at the center, it wouldn't feel too empty.... Just gotta get the florist to fill up with more flowers all round then... hehe... me just love flowers!
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Thanks
 
Hi leeds,
Our wedding mass was also in Holy Cross and we only had about 70 guests, most are families. Not even a quarter full
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But as matka said, it doesn't matter. PM me if you want to see how 70 ppl-full church looks like. It's not that bad
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And for flowers, I don't suggest you spend too much on them, just enough for the required ones. And no need to decorate all the way to the back since the photographer will mostly take the front part, where the two of you seated. If you still want more flowers, try to check if there will be another couple using the church that day and you may share the cost.

Christians (not sure if all of them) allow couple to get married outside the church. Catholic has different rules
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Hi leeds

I wldn't worry abt the church being a quarter full. We got married in NAtivity (in Hougang) and its a big church. Our guests only took up perhaps the first section of pews in the church..the back half was all empty. BUt I didn't mind coz the church is beautiful w its old world charm..so unlike most new churches tdy. As for flowers, we only decorated the pews of the front section. Like rhs said, I think u shldn't spend too much on them..just decor the area which ure guests will occupy. Trust me, the pics will still look great, and the church will still look beautiful. Churches have their own character, esp the older ones..dun really need much embellishment.
 
Hi hi....

Really???
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You all also quarter full only? I guess it's common then. Looks like I gotta listen to you all who've done it already.

Thanks all for the advice. Hope the church will loook beautiful on the day!
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Hey,
I got married at St. Teresa Church last year.Just like alhana said, need not worry anything abt how full will it be. Mine only occuppied the front few rows...as for the decor you don't have spent so much on it. What I did was only get my friend to do some flower arrangements. I did not decor the pews and the front door at all. My priest asked me not to spend so much on the wedding. I did not hire any choir but got the recorded player from my priest to play CD.

Heeehheee..save a bit from the church wedding. But I would said is nice to get married at St. Teresa Church..is really beautiful.
 
Hi leeds

Yup, i think its not v common to see the bigger churches fully occupied during weddings as the guests are usually only close friends n relatives. Anyway, on that day, you will be more concerned abt the ceremony than how the church looks
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And ure guests will probably think the same way.
 
leeds,
I just sent u my wedding pics.

blythe,
I went to St Teresa for my PS!! Didn't peek inside but the exterior is really beautiful!
 
rhs,
Hehehe..really..I got my PS there as well...inside of the church is very nice though a bit old but I just like that kind of roman look...the aisle is long...it took me a while to reach the front as my wedding dress was pretty long..so afriad to step on my own dress...
 
rhs,

Are you indonesian? Me too....
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Thanks for the pics! I like your dress! You look beautiful...
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Haven't seen all of them yet cos me at work now. Hehe... can't indulge too much. Btw, where's Holy Cross?
 
BinBin,
We didn't decorate the church door since we thought it's not necessary. Will send you the link to my pics anyway. There are some which show the church door and it's bare
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leeds,
Yes, I'm indonesian
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That's why not many guests in the church, most are relatives who flew in from Indonesia. We were also quite worried at first since none of them know the songs/readings used here and we had to rely on the choir. But it turned out alright. So don't worry
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Holy Cross is in Clementi. We used to stay there for 3 years when we were still studying. Been to several other churches in Sg but still feel at home there.
 


Rhs,

same for me… Not all my relatives would be coming from Indo, so a bit worried that the church would be quite empy. But in your pics, the church looks really full! Can't even see any empty seats.
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