Florist Guidelines

PLEASE GIVE A COPY OF THESE GUIDELINES TO YOUR FLORIST OR CHURCH DECORATOR

• Please check-in with our parish Liturgical Wedding Coordinator upon your arrival. She will review our floral/wedding décor guidelines with you.

• Please designate your florist, a family member or a friend to pin and distribute flowers to those who will wear them. This is not the responsibility of the Liturgical Wedding Coordinator.

• Altar flowers are not required, but if they are used, they must be delivered and in place at least 25 minutes prior to the wedding liturgy.

• Altar flowers may not be placed on or in front of the altar (table) or placed in front or on the cantor podium.

• When flower stands are used, they must be placed only toward the back the altar platform under the cross to preserve necessary sightlines between priest, cantor, lectors and congregation.

• Pew-end Decorations may be used at regular intervals along the entire length of the aisle, 26 pews total (13 on each side), but they may not be attached by pinning, gluing, nailing, tacking, taping or stapling. Elastic bands, plastic pew clips or ribbons must be used instead.

• Pews may never be blocked by ribbons, cords, strings, etc.

• Aisle runners are not permitted. The slate floor is very slippery.

• Paper-maché containers are not permitted. You must use flower containers that present no danger of leaking.

• Sanctuary appointments such as the ambo (pulpit), sanctuary chairs, lectern, candle sticks, banners, altar cloths, advent wreaths, the paschal candle and any art or liturgical environment may not be altered or removed under any circumstances.

• Keep in mind that different colors are used in the church during the varying liturgical seasons throughout the year. This is a general calendar: Advent — dark violet; Christmas Season — white; Winter Ordinary Time — green; Lent — purple; Easter Season — white; Pentecost Weekend — red and Summer Ordinary Time — green. Expect to find some of these colors present in the church or in the sanctuary. These items may not be removed or altered. Questions regarding any seasonal colors being used on your wedding day may be directed to the Liturgical Wedding Coordinator.

• Rice, birdseed, confetti, flower petals, sparklers, balloons, birds, butterflies, bubbles, etc., may not be used, thrown or released in the church or outside the church. The church is in constant use, and because of safety, maintenance, and time concerns, these items are prohibited.

• The only candles permitted are those already in place by the church staff. Candles in the aisles or on pews are not allowed.

• All containers used for corsages, floral arrangements, etc., must be removed from the vestibule before leaving the church. This is the responsibility of the attending florist, not the church staff.

• No food or beverage is to be brought into the church. Alcoholic beverages are not permitted on church grounds. 

• It is the responsibility of the wedding couple to ensure that the florist and decorating personnel receive these policies and abide by them. 

• If you have any questions about these policies, they must be directed to the Liturgical Wedding Coordinator, and not to the deacon or priest. 

• Any violation of these policies will be immediately addressed. Continued violations will result in the removal of inappropriate decorations and the dismissal of the florist from the building.