Question for Catholic Brides!!!

jayandjenny Posted: Jul 02, 2007 03:14 PM

Question for Catholic Brides!!!

Hi there! Just out of curiosity.............
Does your Church include the singer and organist for your ceremony or is that extra? My church makes us pay for them even if I bring in outside musicians and/or singers. Does anyone else have to do that?

MnM52607 Posted: Jul 02, 2007 03:14 PM

Re: Question for Catholic Brides!!!

Mine was included in the fee for the church

melissankurt07 Posted: Jul 02, 2007 03:17 PM

Re: Question for Catholic Brides!!!

We had to use their pianist and pay her too. We could bring in our own soloist but the pianist is also a soloist and she charges the same to play the piano and sing as she does if she just plays the piano.

kabo0831 Posted: Jul 02, 2007 03:27 PM

Re: Question for Catholic Brides!!!

mine was extra

ewickens Posted: Jul 02, 2007 03:28 PM

Re: Question for Catholic Brides!!!

Posted by MnM52607

Mine was included in the fee for the church

Same here!

Cpt2007 Posted: Jul 02, 2007 03:29 PM

Re: Question for Catholic Brides!!!

Yep. They are extra at our church and must pay for them even if we bring in outside soloists. My family is friendly with our organist and songleader, so we aren't bringing in anyone else, but I agree, it is a bit annoying that one would have to pay for them even if not using them.

leshellem Posted: Jul 02, 2007 03:30 PM

Re: Question for Catholic Brides!!!

We had to pay for them whether we used them or not.

MrsQ-in2007 Posted: Jul 02, 2007 03:31 PM

Re: Question for Catholic Brides!!!

Posted by leshellem

We had to pay for them whether we used them or not.

Same here. We ARE using them for this reason and because, well, why not!

jayandjenny Posted: Jul 02, 2007 03:33 PM

Re: Question for Catholic Brides!!!

Posted by Cpt2007

Yep. They are extra at our church and must pay for them even if we bring in outside soloists. My family is friendly with our organist and songleader, so we aren't bringing in anyone else, but I agree, it is a bit annoying that one would have to pay for them even if not using them.

We know the musician and soloist, but it's still a bit steep

rkl1130 Posted: Jul 02, 2007 03:59 PM

Re: Question for Catholic Brides!!!

Posted by ewickens

Posted by MnM52607

Mine was included in the fee for the church

Same here!

Me too!

tricia3381 Posted: Jul 02, 2007 03:59 PM

Re: Question for Catholic Brides!!!

Posted by MnM52607

Mine was included in the fee for the church

mine too- $600 for everything.

znycgirl Posted: Jul 02, 2007 04:35 PM

Re: Question for Catholic Brides!!!

Our's is extra. The whole shebang will cost about $1000.

donegal419 Posted: Jul 02, 2007 04:41 PM

Re: Question for Catholic Brides!!!

Some churches differ with this, but most of the time it is included within the church 'donation.' I had outside friends come in and so I still paid for their organist and cantor even though I did not use them.

But, for those of you that may be a bit frsutrated with that... as a church musician myself, here's the reasoning. Most organists and cantors make a low salary... such is life when you work for a church. weddings are a way to supplement their income. imagine giving up almost every friday night and saturday to play/sing a wedding---it's not easy and so it's also only fair that you're compensated. also, if the church allows everyone to bring in outside musicians, the parish musicians 'lose out' because their regulary salary (outside of weddings) is not much--so on the flip side, it's only fair to compensate them for the money they should have been getting had the couple used the parish's musicians.... hope this makes sense! and trust me, we ALL appreciate the money that is received for our work at weddings....

JazzyT Posted: Jul 02, 2007 04:51 PM

Re: Question for Catholic Brides!!!

it was $100 added to the fee to use the organist

KRISTYRUSSELL Posted: Jul 02, 2007 05:11 PM

Re: Question for Catholic Brides!!!

We had to pay for all sextons, alter servers, coordinator that day, donation to priests, organist, outside trumpet players and a few others I think Plus all the church fees which were around 500.00 I think. Each Church is different

MattandTricia07 Posted: Jul 02, 2007 05:44 PM

Re: Question for Catholic Brides!!!

Good question- I will have to check and see.

But I am asking a family friend, who sings at church, to sing for our mass. Shouldn't be a problem- we're active in our parish and know the organist fairly well.

Mooshyboo Posted: Jul 02, 2007 06:58 PM

Re: Question for Catholic Brides!!!

we have to pay also!

Drv0716 Posted: Jul 02, 2007 07:09 PM

Re: Question for Catholic Brides!!!

We have to pay extra.

cestpaspossibile Posted: Jul 03, 2007 11:22 AM

Re: Question for Catholic Brides!!!

I was meaning to ask about this as well...my church is not only forcing me to pay for the musicians, but forcing me to USE them as well! Basically I am not being given the choice of who or what kind of musicians I want.

I am a professional musician (it is my career!) and since I have spent my whole life studying and making music, it doesn't seem fair to me that the music, which is obviously extremely important to me, is out of my hands. My experiences in orchestra have blessed me with tons of musician friends..and I have to fight for them to be able to play at my wedding! It is so heartbreaking to think that everything is being planned 'without me'.

Anybody else have an experience like this with her church? Any recourse I can use?