Music for Weddings in the Roman Catholic Church

Music is an integral part of the liturgy and the Sacrament of Matrimony and must conform to the guidelines for liturgical sacramental celebrations. The Church of the Little Flower provides the highest quality sacred and liturgical music and strives to guarantee that your ceremony be beautiful and exemplary. All music for your ceremony must be planned directly through our Director of Music Ministries, Mr. Luis J. Cuza.

Before contacting our Director of Music, in order to better assist you, we ask for the following:

• Please read through the all the following Guidelines found below;
• Once you’ve read through the guidelines, feel free to listen to some of the music samples provided for you (see link below);
• Fill out and submit the “Wedding Music Selection Form” (see link below).

If you run into any issues and have any questions or concerns, we recommend that you attend one of our “Wedding Music Nights.” This event takes place twice a year and is designed for couples to listen to many options including song choices and additional optional instrumentation for hire as well. Throughout this presentation, our Director of Music Ministries

Selecting Music for your Wedding

By clicking the link provided above, couples can hear instrumental and vocal music works/songs to make their selections for their wedding. All music should be selected from the Wedding Music Selection Form, also linked above. The Music Selection Form is typically submitted approximately two month before the celebration of the wedding, in consultation with the Director of Music Ministries. If the selection form is not submitted, music for the ceremony will be pre-selected.

In various cases, certain songs not on the list provided can be used. However, this must be discussed with and approved by the Director of Music Ministries. All music must be sacred and have lyrics which express Christian values. The music should fit the part of the ceremony in which it is used and should not cause delays in the ceremony. The music must always be artistically high-quality music, sacred, classical/traditional in style, and the text should be a meaningful fit for the sacramental moment.

Secular music (non-sacred/ popular) should only be kept for use at the reception as it is not permitted during the Liturgy. Certain instrumental classical works are appropriate.

Musicians/Cantors

Our Music Ministry provides music for all weddings at Church of the Little Flower. Wedding music fees are already included in the church fees for weddings in 2024 & 2025. This includes a parish organist and soloist.

Effective 2026: The standard, non-refundable music fee of $500.00, which includes the organist and cantor, is due no later than 2 months prior to the scheduled wedding date and must be paid directly to the music director, via the Parish Office. This music fee is not included in the itemized church fees.

Church of the Little Flower maintains a roster of outstanding professional musicians. Therefore, no outside musicians are permitted to lead the music at weddings. However, with written request and approval, one outside/non-parish musician/singer is allowed to participate in one musical work/song within the Mass. (i.e. a relative may sing the Ave Maria during the Preparation of the Gifts or Presentation of Flowers to Mary). It is encouraged that any approved outside/non-parish musician be of the Catholic faith and/or is experienced in Catholic Liturgy. Please note that whether or not an outside musician is approved, a parish cantor and organist will be present. All outside/non-parish musicians/singers must meet with the organist no later than 15 minutes prior to the start of the ceremony. The organist has the right to turn away non-parish musicians if they are not prepared or if they do not show up with sufficient time for instructions.

Additional Guidelines

• For weddings with a mass, all mass parts/service music will be pre-selected. This includes the Responsorial Psalm, Gospel Acclamation, Sanctus, Memorial Acclamation, and Lamb of God.
• Solos should never be so long that they interfere with the flow or movement of the liturgy.
• Recorded music of any kind is not permitted.
• Musicians will not be attending the wedding rehearsal.