Wedding Music Guidelines

The Sacrament of Marriage is a liturgical celebration. Therefore, one of the basic principles that should underlie your selection of music is whether the music is indeed liturgical music. Popular songs and secular music, no matter how meaningful they may be to your, have no place in the liturgy. They may be appropriately performed at your wedding reception. For the wedding liturgy you'll want to ensure the emphasis is on sacred music, which derives its contact form scriptural and liturgical sources, and by its very nature enhances your union within the liturgical rites being celebrate.

The parish Director of Music serves as organist and or principal musician at all Cathedral weddings. As principal musician for the wedding, the Director of Music is entrusted with the responsibility of determining the suitability of musical selections within the context of the Roman Catholic wedding liturgy, and must approve all music and musicians chosen for the ceremony. The Director of Music also bears the essential responsibility of ensuring the proper performance and timing of the various musical portions of the wedding liturgy.

If you are planning a full Mass with communion, a Cantor is required, and only experienced Cathedral cantors are permitted to serve in this capacity at weddings. This helps to avoid disappointment to the couple and their families since it insures a desirable continuity with the church's regular worship life, and protects the parish's mission in terms of high quality liturgy. It also helps guarantee that the service will go smoothly because presider, cantor, organist and instrumentalists are accustomed to working with each other as well as with the specific acoustical demands of the liturgical space.

instrumentalists (trumpet, violin, oboe, flute, harp, trio, quartet, etc.) may be used upon approval of, and arrangement with the Cathedral. Due to musical and liturgical requirements, only experienced Cathedral instrumentalists may play for weddings at the Cathedral. If individual instrumentalists are desired, the Cathedral will secure their services.