The Church

It seems to be all the rage these days to have a wedding in a comfortable location (like one's backyard or sun room) or someplace that makes a social statement (like a soup kitchen, homeless shelter, or under a bridge).  If one really must go religious, the pastor can be invited to any one of the places mentioned above... or to someplace inclusive like a non-demoninational church.  But Eric and I have chosen the church you see pictured here -- a tall, whitewashed religious icon from over a century ago.  Even it's shape says "square."  

So... why'd we do it?  Afterall, the interior is illuminated with distinctively-Catholic-style stained-glass windows and candlesticks... and decorated with (*gasp!*) statues of saints.  Are we just begging our non-Catholic guests to feel awkward? 

When making our selection, St. Patrick Cathedral appealed to me on many levels.  For one, it is -- believe it or not -- my home parish.  As a little girl I remember taking off my shoes so I could feel the wooden floor boards viberating as centuries-old fugues were played with real religious intensity by the organist.  And I recall watching in horror as my little brother -- altar boy that he was -- accidentally spilled burning incense coals all over the gorgeous church carpet during Mass.  They are like church-memories that belong in another century, but these and so many other childhood rememberances have endeared Saint Patrick Cathedral to me over the years.

On a more idealistic level, picking a Catholic Church allows Eric and I to honor the centrality of the Catholic religion in our personal lives and in our relationship.  One way for us to do this is by actually having our wedding ceremony woven into a Catholic Mass.  In this way, we are also experiencing (and sharing with our guests) a very traditional Catholic service -- complete with Scripture readings, kneeling, hymns, and Communion -- and participating ourselves in the "sacramental graces" offered to the couple during a wedding Mass.  We hope that our guests who love the Catholic Church will be edified by this ceremony, and that those unfamiliar with it will enjoy the unique experience of a wedding Mass in all its traditional simplicity and beauty.

For me, though, the most tangible reason for choosing this particular church has less to do with my memories or my ideals -- and a whole lot to do with its stunning artistic qualities!  Yes, it's wide-eyed statues and large crucifixes may be unfamiliar to many... but each niche is home to a slightly different art style or religious scene.  In fact, the stained-glass windows throughout the church are a made with a particularly luminous  glass no longer available on the market today; the famous art critic, Sister Wendy, traveled all the way from England to see and photograph these windows.  

So, Eric and I hope you'll enjoy our wedding.  To some, it may seem a boring inability to use our creativity.  We hope our guests will look beyond this to the beauty and religious symbolism of a wedding-location particularly near and dear to our hearts.