295 Huntertown Road

ST. LEO CATHOLIC CHURCH 295 HUNTERTOWN ROAD VERSAILLES, KENTUCKY 40383 859-873-4573 DECORATION GUIDELINES

DECORATIONS:

In planning decorations, we ask that you respect our existing church environment and the particular season of the Liturgical Year with its specific symbols, colors and arrangements. The church seats 450 people. The parish liturgist is available to assist you with appropriate suggestions relative to the liturgical environment.

Floral decorations should be genuine, simple and discreet in message. Flowers, plants or trees should never impede the approach to the altar or interfere with other liturgical actions. Flowers may be placed in front of the altar or the cross. Flowers may never be placed on the altar – not even for photos after the service. We encourage the couple to continue the tradition of leaving the flowers or plants as decorations for the weekend liturgies. If you wish, you may decorate the pews with flowers or bows, as long as elastic bands are used to attach them to the pews. Scotch and masking tape do permanent damage to the wood finish on our pews. Pew decorations need to be taken down following the wedding, since there is a Saturday night Mass at 5:00PM. Leased plants, etc, should be picked up by the following Monday.

The candles next to the cross are used for the liturgy. If you wish extra candles you must purchase or rent them yourself. You will also need clear plastic under the stands to catch the melting wax.

The Unity Candle, while a popular custom in the United States, has no official standing in the wedding liturgy. Two small lighted candles are symbolic of the separate histories of the bride and groom. They are used to light a central, larger candle which represents your ones in Christ. St. Leo does not have a unity Candle holder or a table.

PHOTOGRAPHY AND VIDEOTAPING

Videotaping of the wedding liturgy affords an active remembrance of this important moment in the life of the bride and groom, but should never be a distraction to the participants or interfere with the movement and dignity of the liturgy.

Pictures can be taken immediately before and after the liturgy, as long as it does not interfere with other community celebrations. (4:00PM – Reconciliation) The use of flash photography anywhere in the church is discouraged during the liturgy. There should be a limited number of portraits after the service. Because the church is a sacred space where a sacred action has just occurred, and not a photography studio, the arrangement of the sanctuary should be left undisturbed. Please inform your photographer of this beforehand. Photographers should be made aware that afternoon light streaming in the sanctuary windows behind the alter may impact photographs. Photographers should take appropriate sets when taking afternoon pictures.

Setup for the ceremony (placement of flowers, photography equipment, etc) should be done an hour before the ceremony begins unless it is the first wedding of the day, in which case you can begin at 9:00AM.

PRESENTATION OF THE BOUQUET

This is an expression of personal piety and is not a part of the wedding liturgy and is discouraged. Here at St. Leo we have a statue of Mary and Joseph in the Gathering Area. Should you wish to honor Mary and Joseph, you may wish to leave flowers at the end of the ceremony as you process out (Bride – Mary; Groom – Joseph)

PROCESSION

A procession is a liturgical action. All ministers and participants involved in the wedding should take part in the main procession. This includes the bride and the groom, the main ministers of the sacrament. Separation of the men and women in the procession is discouraged. It is an artificial separation of people who have been chosen to be partners for the day and it unnecessarily lengthens the procession.

1 OTHER DETAILS

We suggest that you reserve the custom of signing a guest book for your reception, since it delays the start of the wedding ceremony. The purpose of the wedding reception is to receive the congratulations of all the guests. A limited receiving line immediately after the ceremony in the church can be done, but we recommend this be done at the reception. Due to our concern for others using our building/entrance, the throwing of rice, confetti, rose petals, or bird seed is not allowed.

MISCELLANEOUS

1. Supplies, i.e. staplers, scissors, pins, iron; full-length mirror, etc. are not supplied by the parish.

2. The bride and attendants may dress in the Cry Room. If your wedding is in the evening, we suggest you bring newspaper and tape for the windows. The groom and groomsmen may use the conference Room #125. It is advised that you leave nothing of value in those rooms while the wedding is being held. Conference Room #125 would be better for the women and the parish office conference room for the men. Power outlets, etc are issue in the cry room.

3. Smoking is prohibited in all parts of our building at all times. Alcohol is permitted during wedding receptions with the proper paperwork, insurance and server. See alcohol policy.

4. Please have members of the wedding party or others you designate to: collect wedding programs, tissues, camera materials, etc. dispose of flower boxes, water bottles, paper cups from the church and the dressing areas before you leave the building. All needs to be clean and orderly by 3:15PM since we have the Sacrament of Reconciliation at 4:00PM.

5. During the summer months, the cooling system will be on in church. In order for the system to work efficiently, it requires that the entrance doors to the church space be kept closed. We also ask that you do not change the thermostats, since this will cause an unbalance in our system which will cause it to shut down.

6. If you have further questions regarding scheduling, please do not hesitate to call the Parish Office and ask for Patricia Prado- Ruiz, Administrative Assistant at 859-873-4573.

7. Any questions regarding music for your wedding, please contact our Music Director, Pam Dale at 859-552-8817.

8. Information regarding rental of our Parish Hall or Church, please contact our Event Coordinator, Lisa Freeman at 859-494- 1988.

We wish you the very best as you plan your wedding liturgy! A wedding ceremony in the Catholic Church is a memorable and joyful religious experience for all. After you have settled into your new home, please make every effort to register at St. Leo if you will be living in Woodford County. Become actively involved in your parish. The community of faith needs your presence and participation on a regular basis.

CONGRATULATIONS AND BLESSINGS!

2 REVISED: 2.10.2012/ppr