FAQs

Question

When does the wedding start?

Answer

The wedding will begin at 11 AM sharp. In the Traditional rituals of the Catholic Roman Rite, the nuptial ceremony with the exchange of vows and blessing and exchange of rings takes place first (so don't be late or you'll miss it!), and it is followed immediately by the Nuptial Mass.

Question

What time should I arrive at the ceremony?

Answer

Seating will begin at 10:30. There will be a rosary starting at 10:30 AM, so if you would like to participate in that please plan to arrive a little earlier than 10:30.

Question

Is there a dress code?

Answer

Yes. Formal attire is expected, and the dress code for the church can be found here: https://materdeiparish.com/2014/05/reminder-mater-dei-dress-code/

Question

What is the Mass?

Answer

From the Saint Andrew Daily Missal: "First of all, we must never forget that the Mass is a Sacrifice, an act by which the Church gives to Almighty God, officially and in the name of all, worship of the highest kind, adoration or latria, which is due to Him alone, in virtue of the supreme excellence of His divine Being from which everything comes and to which everything must return. Therefore the Mass is offered only to the three Persons of the Blessed Trinity. What the priest offers to God as an acknowledgement of His sovereign dominion over all creatures, is none other than our Lord Jesus Christ, who, by His sacrifice on the cross has rendered to His Father an infinite act of worship, consisting of adoration, thanksgiving, expiation, and impetration. The sacrifice of the Mass, by placing on the altar the Victim of Calvary, enables us through Him to adore God in a suitable manner, to thank Him worthily for all His favors, to render Him full satisfaction by the offering of the Blood of Jesus, and to address to Him requests which are always heard because they are made in His name, who by the very act of showing His glorious wounds to His Father, intercedes unceasingly for us in heaven and in the Eucharist on earth."

Question

What does one do at the Latin Mass?

Answer

Don't worry if you don't know Latin - you don't need to! If you'd like to follow along with what the priest is doing, there are Red Missalettes in the pew which have the Latin side by side with the English translation. One way to participate is to pray the same prayers silently to yourself and move your will to the intention of the prayer (whether that be adoration, thanksgiving, contrition, expiation, or petition). But you don't even have to follow in the missalettes. Since the Mass is the unbloody representation of the same Sacrifice of Christ at Calvary, you may meditate upon the life of Christ, especially upon his Passion, to unite yourself to His sufferings. You may also spend time adoring the Holy Trinity, offering all of your own works and sufferings up to Him in union with Christ's works and sufferings, offer your Thanksgiving to Him for all His benefits, and ask him for graces and benefits for yourself and others. In other words, the Mass is a time for prayer, but especially prayer that is mindful of and connected to the Passion and Death of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

Question

More information about the Traditional Latin Mass:

Answer

Here is a helpful starting place for those new to the Traditional Latin Mass: https://materdeiparish.com/new-to-latin-mass/ For an in depth look at the Traditional Latin Mass, here is a fantastic video series: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mIM_CrCYY4&list=PLJtmt7uF3Sg9mgPS62Ngzn4XbEB4aySey

Question

Why can't I receive communion if I'm not a practicing Catholic in the State of Grace?

Answer

During the Mass, when the words of consecration are said by the priest, the mystery of transubstantiation occurs - ordinary bread and wine become really the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ; the substance of bread and wine is no longer there because it is now Jesus, even though the accidents of bread and wine (such as their taste and color) remain. In other words, Jesus is the substance hidden by what looks and tastes like bread and wine. Because of this, one's soul must be prepared to receive Jesus really present in the Eucharist. This is done by 1) receiving the Sacrament of Baptism to become Catholic/get sanctifying grace, 2) Sacramental Confession to forgive any mortal sins committed and restore the state of grace to the soul. Otherwise, one commits sacrilege against Jesus to receive Him in the Eucharist, not in the state of grace. As St. Paul tells us in First Corinthians 11:26-29: "For as often as you shall eat this bread, and drink the chalice, you shall shew the death of the Lord, until he come. Therefore whosoever shall eat this bread, or drink the chalice of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and of the blood of the Lord. But let a man prove himself: and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of the chalice. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh judgment to himself, not discerning the body of the Lord." Mater Dei has many confession times during the week where Our Lord eagerly awaits to forgive and restore the soul to grace. If you are a practicing Catholic who has mortal sins to confess, please go to confession before receiving Communion. If you have been away for a long time from practicing the Catholic Faith or are thinking of becoming Catholic, please do not receive Communion, but reach out first to a Catholic priest and they will be glad to help you in the process of returning home to the Catholic Church.

Question

Your wedding falls on the Feast of the Chair of St. Peter. What is the Chair of St. Peter?

Answer

"And I say to thee: thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatsoever thou shalt bind upon earth, it shall be bound also in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose upon earth, it shall be loosed also in heaven (Matthew 16:18-19)." During His time on earth, Christ declared that He would found His Church upon the Apostle St. Peter and give to him the keys of the kingdom of heaven. This feast, celebrated on February 22nd, is to celebrate the two chairs, one at Antioch and one at Rome, where St. Peter sat as Bishop and exercised his authority over the whole body of believers.

Question

Why did you choose to have your wedding on the Feast of the Chair of St. Peter?

Answer

We were looking for a significant feast day that fell on a Saturday towards the beginning of 2025, and this happened to be one of them. In our discernment, it seemed like God was leading us to choose February 22nd. Since then, Elizabeth and Jack have been meditating on the significance of the founding of the Church on St. Peter and its relation to marriage. If you want to know more about these thoughts, feel free to ask us!

Question

What is the role of Mary in the life of the Church?

Answer

Every good son considers it an honor to himself when his mother is honored, and Jesus, Our Lord, is no different. From the earliest days of the Church, Christ's followers have offered Mary due honor for her perfect cooperation and preeminent role among all creatures in the salvation of mankind through Jesus Christ. St. Paul says that Christ is the New Adam, and so "as by the offence of one, unto all men to condemnation; so also by the justice of one, unto all men to justification of life (Romans 5:18)." The Church Fathers recognized in Mary the New Eve, as St. Justin Martyr says: “[Jesus] became Man by the Virgin so that the course which was taken by disobedience in the beginning through the agency of the serpent, might be also the very course by which it would be put down. For Eve, a virgin and undefiled, conceived the word of the serpent, and bore disobedience and death. But the Virgin Mary received faith and joy when the angel Gabriel announced to her the glad tidings that the Spirit of the Lord would come upon her and the power of the Most High would overshadow her, for which reason the Holy One being born of her is the Son of God. And she replied: ‘Be it done unto me according to thy word (Lk. 1:38).'" Also, it is the express wish of Our Lord Jesus Christ that we take the Virgin Mary as our own Mother, which He made explicit when from the cross He told St. John, a figure of the whole Church: "Behold your mother (John 19:27)." As a child will go to his mother and she is happy to attend to his request or need, taking care to ensure that what is fulfilled is for the child's good, so Mary is a great intercessor for all of us to her Son when we come to her with our needs and she always, being the good Mother that she is, brings these petitions to her Son and brings us closer to her Son, Jesus. For more detailed explanations, we recommend the following videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDdFyjXpRzA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWyzrSeClr0

Question

Where are the bathrooms at Mater Dei? Where is the infant cry room?

Answer

There are 2 buildings at Mater Dei, one which contains the Sanctuary and the parish hall (the northernmost building with the steeple), and another which contains classrooms, offices, and the bathrooms (the southernmost building). Cry Room: When leaving the sanctuary take a left and walk through the double doors, across the covered walkway, and through the next set of double doors. The cry room (also called the St. Anne's room) will be immediately on your right. Bathrooms: follow the steps taken to get to the cry room, except when you enter the second set of double doors, walk forward and go down the hallway to your left. Then turn right down the next hallway and the bathrooms and a water fountain will be on your left.

Question

What's the best way to get to the reception?

Answer

We suggest driving, but horses or bikes might get you there slightly before it's over. :) If driving, here is a link to the directions going from Mater Dei to the Venue - Classic Oaks: https://maps.app.goo.gl/sxqAfw6yPko4Xqne6.

Question

Is there parking for the ceremony or reception?

Answer

Yes, there is plenty of parking at the church and at the venue. We do recommend carpooling if you can, and there will be a Mass letting out shortly before our wedding so please be patient with anyone still leaving the church or getting out of the parking lot.

Question

Will there be food there?

Answer

Yes! We know the Mass will take us well in to lunch time, and so we will have hors d'oeuvres and drinks available upon arrival at the venue. If you anticipate needing to eat before then, then we suggest bringing a snack for the drive to the venue. After the cocktail hour we will have a full buffet.

Question

I have a food allergy, can I make a special request?

Answer

Yes. Please send us an email at jackandelizabeth222@gmail.com.

Question

Should I silence my cell phone?

Answer

There's really no reason to bring your phone into the Church - we recommend leaving it in your car. If you do bring your phone in, please make sure that it is on silent before entering the church. Please do not use your phone during the nuptial ceremony - if there is an emergency, please step out into the vestibule.

Question

Can I take photos during the wedding?

Answer

Please do not take any before or during the Mass - we have a photographer who will take care of that. You are welcome to take pictures outside or at the reception, though our photographer will be there as well and we recommend spending as much time as you can just enjoying the company of friends and family!

Question

How do I two step/swing/waltz?

Answer

Two Step and Swing dancing are such fun ways of dancing with friends and family. We'll have lots of jazz and country music for you to dance the afternoon away! And waltz music too. If you don't know how, here are some tutorials: Watch this for swing (you can replace the triple step with just a simple step to the side as well): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3WmepkloY8&list=PLeZ__vwnEDu9rOLitOHQdRUGUk4SWe1cI Watch this for two step: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YORegW3-hOc Watch this for waltz: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ewZ4bWRkVo Alternatively, just ask some of the people already on the dance floor who seem to know how to!

Question

When should I RSVP by?

Answer

Please RSVP by February 1st to email: jackandelizabeth222@gmail.com.

Question

Can I bring a date?

Answer

Yes, but it must be on the calendar. :) In all seriousness, yes you may bring a date - please just let us know in your RSVP at jackandelizabeth222@gmail.com

Question

Are kids welcome?

Answer

You are welcome and encouraged to bring your children! We love children and think they add so much joy to any occasion.

Question

Is there transportation to and from the hotels to the ceremony?

Answer

Yes, but you are the driver. And it must be your car. :) Alternatively, you may hire out someone else to drive you. :)