The Marriage Rite is a Sacrament of the Church, a solemn exchange of vows between a bride and a groom, and an act of worship on the part of all those present to offer thanks and praise to God and to ask for blessings on the couple’s life together. All of the music before, during and after the wedding liturgy, reflects the Christian meanings, reverence and faithfulness of the Marriage Rite, and is therefore sacred in form.
Sacred music is sung prayer. Simply put, it is music which has been created in petition or thanks to God. It is important to present sacred music for your wedding liturgy, while reserving music selections that are secular or popular, for your wedding reception.
To begin planning your wedding music, please contact Lauren McCaul, Cathedral Music Administrator at 714-620-7912 or [email protected]. The Cathedral Music Staff hosts monthly wedding music meetings for couples to attend. In preparation for your meeting, please review the information below. We look forward to assisting you in planning beautiful music for your special day.
For your ENTRANCE PROCESSION you can choose one selection from either the Processional Marches or Hymn & Introits listed below
PROCESSIONAL MARCHES
| Canon in D | Johann Pachelbel |
| Musique Royale | Richard Delalande |
| Procession Alegre | Gary Cornell |
| Rigaudon | André Campra |
| Te Deum | Marc Charpentier |
| Trumpet Tune and March | Henry Purcell |
| Trumpet Tune in D Major | David Johnson |
| Trumpet Voluntary | Henry Purcell |
HYMNS & INTROITS
HYMN – God of Love and Joy and Laughter (can be sung to Ode to Joy)
Verse 1
God of love and joy and laughter,
Calling us to fruitful days.
May we be the echoes after
Church and people sing your praise.
Your love calls our love to being,
Grows, surrounds, up-builds and holds,
Clears our eyes for keenly seeing
All the world your love enfolds.
Verse 2
When we join in celebration,
Grateful for abundant gifts,
Send again that revelation
Of your grace that heals all rifts.
Grant us love that’s deeper, stronger,
As the days turn into years,
Wisdom fuller, patience longer
Faith and hope through joy and tears.
Verse 3
Now we ask your benediction—
Blessing, challenge, all in one.
Calm our stress, but use its friction
That, through us, your will be done.
Keep our hope as fresh as morning.
Keep our zeal warm as the sun.
Keep our joy, as spring aborning
Cheers the hearts of everyone.
Text: 87 87 D; Jane Parker Huber from A Singing Faith ©1987
The Westminster Press, Philadelphia, PA
HYMN – God, Who Created Hearts to Love (can be sung to Lasst Uns Erfreuen)
Verse 1
God, who created hearts to love,
Show’ring all blessings from above,
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Give these who come to you with praise,
Peace, love and laughter all their days.
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Verse 2
Jesus at Cana gave a sign,
Turning the water into wine:
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Sign that continues as he said
Love, living, risen from the dead.
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Verse 3
Spirit of God, be at their side:
Wisdom and comfort, guardian, guide.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Make of their hearts a resting place;
In ev’ry trial, gentle grace.
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Verse 4
Sing, friends and fam’ly gathered here,
Voices in witness ringing clear;
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Here is the mystery begun:
Woman and man becoming one.
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Text: LM with alleluias; M.D. Ridge, © 1992, M.D. Ridge. Published by OCP. All rights reserved.
Music: Auserlesene Catholische Geistliche Kirchengesänge, Cologne, 1623
God is in his holy dwelling place; the God who causes us to dwell together, one at heart, in his house; he himself will give power and strength to his people. (Ps 68 (67): 6, 7, 36)
God is in his holy dwelling place; the God who causes us to dwell together, one at heart, in his house; he himself will give power and strength to his people. (Ps 68 (67): 6, 7, 36)
God is in his holy dwelling place; the God who causes us to dwell together, one at heart, in his house; he himself will give power and strength to his people. (Ps 68 (67): 6, 7, 36)
I will bless you day after day, O Lord, and praise your name forever and ever, for you are kind to all, and compassionate to all your creatures (E.T. alleluia).
At a Wedding Mass the Penitential Act is omitted & the Gloria in excelsis Deo (Glory to God in the highest) is sung.
The Responsorial Psalm & Acclamation Before the Gospel will be sung during the Liturgy of the Word.
After the Exchange of Consent, a short acclamation will be sung before the Exchange of Rings.
For those who are having a RITE I Wedding (a full Mass), the Mass continues with the Liturgy of Eucharist. You will want to choose a song for the PREPARATION OF THE GIFTS and a song for the COMMUNION PROCESSION . You can choose songs from the Options in English, Latin or Spanish (some of these selections are better suited for the Communion Procession. Those specific selections are marked with an asterisk *) or from the Hymns which are listed above. For the Communion Procession, you can also choose from the Communion Antiphons.
OPTIONS IN ENGLISH
| *Eat This Bread | Jacques Berthier |
| *Gift of Finest Wheat | Robert Kreutz (can be bilingual ENG/SP) |
| I Have Loved You | J. Michael Joncas |
| Let the Bright Seraphim | George F. Handel |
| *Love One Another | James Chepponis |
| May Love Be Ours | Michael Joncas (Not for Tongues of Heaven’s Angels) |
| May the Grace of Christ our Savior | Johann S. Bach (Jesu Joy of Man’s Desiring) |
| Servant Song | Richard Gillard |
| *Taste and See | James Moore |
| The Call | Ralph Vaughan Williams (Come My Way, My Truth, My Love) |
| The Call | Randall Stroope |
| The Gift of Love | arr. Hal Hopson |
| Thy Perfect Love | John Rutter |
| Where There is Love | Johann S. Bach |
| Whither Thou Goest | Flor Peeters (The Wedding Song) |
OPTIONS IN LATIN
| Ave Maria | Bach-Gounod |
| Ave Maria | Franz Schubert |
| Ave Maria | Philip Stopford |
| Laudate Dominum | Wolfgang Mozart |
| *Panis Angelicus | Cesar Franck |
OPTIONS IN SPANISH
| Amar | TRADICIONAL |
| Dios te Salve María | Pablo Sosa |
| Donde Hay Amor y Caridad | Pedro Rubalcava (can be bilingual ENG/SP) |
| El Amor Nunca Pasará | Eleazar Cortés |
| Juntos Para Toda la Vida | Estela Garcia-López & Rodolfo López |
| Si Yo No Tengo Amor | TRADICIONAL |
| Te Seguiré | Estela Garcia-López & Rodolfo López |
| *Pan de Vida | Bob Hurd (can be bilingual ENG/SP) |
| Ubi Caritas | Bob Hurd (can be bilingual ENG/SP) |
COMMUNION ANTIPHONS (SUNG IN ENGLISH)
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God; blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God; blessed are those who suffer persecution for the sake of justice, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Mt 5: 8, 9, 10)
Seek first the kingdom of God, and all the rest will be given to you in addition, says the Lord. (Mt 6: 33)
Christ loved the Church and handed himself over for her, to present her as a holy and spotless bride for
himself (E.T. alleluia).
I give you a new commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you, says the Lord (E.T. alleluia).
I will bless the Lord at all times, praise of him is always in my mouth. Taste and see that the Lord is good;
blessed the man who seeks refuge in him (E.T. alleluia).
As the Wedding Liturgy concludes, a RECESSIONAL march will be played. Please choose one selection from the options below.
RECESSIONAL
| Hornpipe | George Handel |
| Ode to Joy | Ludwig van Beethoven |
| Psalm 19 | Benedetto Marcello |
| Rondeau | Jean-Joseph Mouret |
| Toccata | (from Symphony V) Charles Widor |
| Trumpet Tune | Henry Purcell |
| Trumpet Tune | John Stanley |
DOWNLOADS
Wedding Planning Sheet for Couples
The Order of Celebrating Matrimony Within Mass Rite I
The Order of Celebrating Matrimony Without Mass Rite II
The Order of Celebrating Matrimony Between a Catholic and A Catechumen or a Non-Christian Rite III
Frequently Asked Wedding Questions