Catholic Brides


Hello everyone,
=) My fiance and I just got engaged, both of us are Catholic so we were thinking of attending MPC soon. However because of financial reasons we are having a prolonged engagement and are thinking of a wedding date in september, 2009, so we were wondering if it is too early to attend MPC?
Also, although both of us are Catholic converts, both sides of parents' are not...so we're unsure of how to announce our formal engagement and why we want a church wedding but maybe not a banquet......Any ideas on how to break the news?
 
Hello Geraldine

First, congrats on your engagmement. No I dont think its too early to attend MPC as it will help provide a good foundation for yr R/s and marriage. Some ppl i know attend both MPC and EE. :p

As for annoucement of yr engagement, best for each of you to tell your parents individually first. When both parents give blessings, you can formalise your engagement over a small lunch or dinner party. I know of some friends who have a special mass for their engagement so go consult a priest if you want that.
happy.gif


If yr parents are open to your conversion inspite of not being catholics, I am sure they will respect yr decision not to have banquet but just church alone. My parents wanted a banquet too but I explained to my mom that we wanted things to be simple and the focus to be on the sacramental wedding celebration.

Hope this helps...
 
Hi! Thanks that did help =) I didn't know that priests actually give engagement masses! It's not really common practice right?
Oh my parents were alright with my conversion but my fiance's ones are still getting used to the idea that their son is Catholic (because they're buddhist), and he only just got baptised last year...
 
Hi Geraldine
Its not really common practise but yes it can be done if you want. Ask your parish priest or a priest whom you are comfortable with.

Another thing to note on the wedding celebration, if your parents( ie yours and FH's) are the traditional sort and really insist on a wedding banquet.. you might have to acquiesce to their requests esle they might be unhappy too. :p

Most of my friends who didnt want a banquet ended up having upon parents insistence..
Hope you dont have to go thru this :D
 
CG, i also do not wan a banquet. but ended up having one also upon parents' insistence

geraldine, in order not to make parents upset, is better to have a banquet. u can have a small scale one instead of an elaborated one
 
Hey faeryariella,
Congrats on your engagement! Well, it's never too early to attend EE or MPC. Since you have the "luxury" of time (hehs...), you can attend both!
happy.gif
FH and I attended both EE and MPC and we enjoyed both...

Well, there's time to slowly talk to them about your wedding plans...of course, at the end of the day, don't forget to pray about it.
happy.gif
 
Hey all, anyone getting married at SFX Dec next yr =P? Or has any idea how much the choir there costs? Totally forgot that they charge...always tot give ang bao can liao. but then again, it's kinda the same right? =P
 
Andrea, am getting married at St Francis Xavier this Dec. I have been told by the youth choir that the rate for next yr is $1000 at least. This year, they wanted to charge me $500 which i am not willing to pay. Instead, I will be enlisting the organist help instead & she will get be a soloist. and the charge is by way of angbao
 
"gulp" .. 1K for choir? Maybe there are many choir members singing..
Hmmm.. I m getting married at IHM and my choir of 8 members..will just expect angpow and of course I offered free lunch as well
happy.gif


Andrea,
You can also consider getting a choir from another parish, ie your own parish, to sing at SFX .
happy.gif

Cheers
C
 
OWCH...thanks diamond. Yeah, I wouldn't pay that much for a choir...Oww....oww oww...Luckily you told me.

CG, i actually was considering IHM coz my dad's ashes are there so tot it would be nice for him *grins* but too bad IHM only allows their parish ppl.

Yeah maybe will look at another parish.
*still in shock*

Thanks gals!

Btw Diamond, who are u getting to celebrate ur mass?
 
CG & Andrea, the youth choir is charging that kind of price b'coz it is an award winning choir.

Andrea, I am having a wedding service & Father Ho will be my soleminiser & celebrating the occasion for us. Actually, I have been told that there is no need to have a choir at all. That is why I approached the church organist for help. She even will help us do the booklet & she said if there are any "modern" songs that we like, we can use it, she will just change the lyrics to suit the occasion. She promised me that she will get a good soloist from the choir. Also, the organist is also the lector of the church. So, she can do the reading for us too. As for church deco, u can check with the church volunteer. I have not checked her out.. b'coz am thinking of getting Kriston as the caterer & as the same time, use its tie-up florist at $350:

1 fresh floral centerpiece for altar

2 fresh floral pedestal

24 points fresh pews with ribbon tie (no ribbon link) for guest bench

long and low floral centerpiece with ivy greens for solemnisation table

long and low floral centerpiece for reception table

small bag of loose rose petals

SFX is quite pretty already. Thus, these deco is good enough
 
Hey Andrea,
hmmm, it would be nice and meaningful for you to have it at IHM...have you tried to talk to the parish priest there about this? He might be willing to make an exception for you?
happy.gif
 
Hi Andrea
Not sure what you meant by " IHM only allows their onw people"?

I dont think its a problem for you to get married there even if you are not a regular parishoner. I for one, go to the East parishes for mass. My Fiancee goes to IHM. You can speak to Father Brian De Souza from IHM, if you wish.

If u really need a choir badly, I can recommend mine but I have to check with them first.
Let me know :-)

Cheers, C
 
Hi ladies, yeah my FH husband also told me it's coz they are an award winning choir *sigh*

The organist sounds like a real darling =P As for the soloist, my mom wants my brother to sing. Hahaha..the poor boy. Yeah SFX is pretty enuff but thanks for the heads-up, Diamond. I'm getting Father Ho too. Hahaha....my uni gf is getting married 2 weeks before me, at the same church, same priest. Hahaha....Poor Father Ho =P 24 pts meaning for 24 pews is it?

CG, awww you are so sweet. Thanks for the help about the choir. But maybe I'll do what Diamond did and talk to the organist. Am also going to see if my bro's choir can or not.

As for IHM only allows own ppl, coz I read in the conditions that they only allow their parishoners to hold their masses there. But he's in heaven and I'm sure he can "find" his way to SFX =P But thanks so much CG.

When's your big day?
 
Andrea, yes 24 pews. i was told can swap for other things. eg, 2 fresh floral pedestal may not be needed if u look at the layout of the church. just 1 at the alter will do.

Now, I need get a map of SFX for my church invite. anyone here has??
 
Hi Andrea,
My big day is in Nov this year and yea looking forwrad to it
happy.gif

When is yours?
Yea its good if your brother can help you sing. In fact I think that is lovely..
 
CG: Heh heh...more like having him at gun point (Orders from Mommy u see hahaha)

Mine is Dec 8th next yr! hahaha..way kiasu man me :P

Diamond: wish I had one, but i don't. But hopefully I can grab it from you when u get it. HAHAHA...:P
 
Hi CG, will be hvg mine in IHM in June next year. Can i check with you if u r taking the flower arrangement from the church? Cos its $350 and does not include pews etc..

Also which mass choir are u taking? (Sat 6.15pm?)Curious...
 
Hi chick
Yes I am taking the florists who is only gg to decorate the Sanctuary excluding pews. For pews, I am engaging an external florist who will also be decorating my guest tables for the reception at the multipurpose hall.

For choir, I am taking the 615pm Sunday choir of which I happen to know one of the singers.

Hope this helps..
cheers and God bless, C
 
Thanks for the info CG...I usually attend 6.15pm mass on Sunday and must say the choir is pretty good now...How much ang pow are u planning to give? My cousin had hers 3yrs ago and gave abt $200....Also, what time is your mass, which caterer are u using, how many hours are u booking the place for?

OOps...Sorry to bombard u with so many questions :-) I will be booking the canteen cos i'll probably have 80 or less ppl, my FH is not Catholic..Still cant decide on whether to go with the church florist, not planned the caterer either...
 
Hi Chick
I will prob give about that amount as the choir wil comprise 8 members including the organist. of course I will include lunch for them as well since it is a friend of mine.

My mass is 11am , caterer is Mums kitchen as they have done many receptions at IHM before hence familiar with the place. Food is also good. I am not using the canteen but the Multipurpose hall as I have more guests.

The church florist is pretty reasonable so I took them. I think commercial ones are more expensvie..
Hope this helps..
 
Hi Diamond,

I will be having my wedding in SFX as well. The florist that youm mention, where can i get their info? From the church?

And the choir, how do we go about engaging the choir? Can i get more info from the church?
 
Ello everyone, just came back from EE and was wondering if there are many brides here who also just got back from EE *looks around*

Hi Mish, when are u having ur wedding at SFX? I'm having mine next Dec =P
 
Hi Miaka
Not sure what kind of advice you need on OLPS..
I am a parishoner there. and I like the parish priests. I have attended many weddings at OLPS and I think they all turned out well. Alot of happy brides have wed there too :D
I wanted to get married at OLPS at first but my fiancee insisted on IHM,, whcih is just as nice as well. ;) U can check out this website:
www.lightedpixels.com --> weddings--> coffee table--> eddy & Lydia pictures. They got married at OLPS so u can have a good view of the church sanctuary. etc

Cheers, C
 
Mine is in Oct06. Next Dec?? You mean Dec 07??

I went for my EE a few mths ago. I tot its quite a gd session! Who hold your EE? Ours was Father Vaz.
 
hi CG, thanks for your reply.

cos i'm not having a wedding banquet in the evening, me and my hubby decide to juz have a simple buffet reception in the canteen after the mass. juz wondering if the canteen is big enough to accomodate 150 pple or so?
 
Hi Mish
Im having my wedding at SFX this nov and will be engaging their florist .you can contact their volunteer florist, vincent . SFX has their own team of volunteers who does floral arrangment every sat morning.

They are not very cheap ($500) but reasonable enough, i just prefer to engage someone more familiar with the church so that i dont have to worry about the florists on the actual day
happy.gif


Whats your email address?i will email you his contact and details of quote..
 
mish,
no prob, will email you details tonight when i get back home..

Yup have yet to work on the booklet, who is your priest? I asked Fr Gerrad and he passed me a mass booklet as a reference. Have you met your priest ?
 
Hi Adel,

Thanks Adel. We have not met the priest. Suppose to meet him this weekend. My priest is Fr Vaz.

Hmm.. Maybe I can check with him...
 
Hi Miaka..
yes I think the canteen downstairs, is most probably air conditioned.. However I think u better check if the buffet reception is going to be in the canteen itself or the area just outside it, where the guests can go take food.. and probably stand around or go back to the canteen to eat..

The area outside the canteen is of course not air conditioned..

The last couple of weddings I attended , I realised that the buffet reception was outisde the canteen where the guests go and get the food.

give yr parish secretary a call on this esp if yr wedding is nearing.

Cheers, C
 
Hi ladies,
I'm new to this forum, would just like to ask if anyone has attended EE when you just got engaged and subsequently MPC when closer to the actual wedding date?
 
Hi dat,

you only need to attend either EE or MPC. EE is a stay in weekend whereas MPC u meet up with your presenting couple (I think) over a series of 6 weeks and from what I heard, cannot miss any. Hope that helps! =)
 
hi Andrea,
yup, i know you're only required to attend one, but from what i read in the description of EE, it's for engaged couples, and couples that are planning to get married, not so much as pre-marital prep, so wondering if any couples took up EE then went for MPC again later on
happy.gif
 
Hi mish
You've got mail!
Yup better to ask your priest for advise in this area, he should be able to provide you with some samples of wedding mass proceedings.
happy.gif
 

Hi dat, I don't quite follow what u mean by pre-marital prep. I just went for EE and actually am not engaged yet, most of us who went haven't even chosen a date yet. But if your planning to go for both, the advise given was that u go for MPC nearer ur wedding date...
 

Back
Top