Great question! Please park at Blossomwood Elementary School (1321 Woodmont Ave SE, Huntsville, AL 35801) and walk a short way to the reception. If you are physically unable or have small children, feel free to park on the street closer to the reception. However, we’d like to limit street parking as much as can be helped as a curtesy to our neighbors.
The ceremony you will attend is a full Catholic Mass within which the rite of marriage will also be celebrated. This means you will get to experience all the beauty of the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist. The Mass is structured to build up to and crescendo at the priest’s words when he blesses the communion gifts offered and they transform into the body, blood, soul and divinity of Christ Jesus. On the day of the wedding, we will provide a program with which you can follow along at each point.
Fonts of holy water can be found at the entrances of the sanctuary. This is blessed water that Catholics use to bless themselves whenever they enter or leave the church. It is also a reminder of our baptism into Christ’s death and life. Statues of Jesus Christ and the saints are found in the sanctuary to aid prayer and devotion. After communion, the Bride and Groom will place flowers at the statue of Mary inside the church. They will petition Mary for her prayers for them as a couple and ask her blessing over their marriage. Genuflecting is the reverential act of bending a knee to the ground. Catholics do this action (or a deep bow) when entering the sanctuary to acknowledge the Presence of Jesus Christ reposed in the tabernacle of the church.
We are so happy to have all of the little ones present for the Mass. We don’t mind hearing babbling or crying, but if you would prefer a separate space or if your child is getting restless, feel free to accompany them out of the sanctuary until they get some energy out. The church does have a cry room so you can participate in the service with your little ones.
There is a short amount of down time after the ceremony and before the reception. Feel free to grab a coffee, take a short walk, or take a quick nap during this time, and then be ready to party when 4:30p comes around. * Please note that there is a 25 minute commute time between the ceremony and reception venues.