Wedding Guides

Offer these gifts during a Catholic mass to bless your wedding.

The offertory is a part of the Catholic mass to signify the start of the Eucharistic celebration. Brought to the altar by specific people chosen by the bride and the groom (usually family members from both sides as well as their close friends), these special gifts are presented to the priest and act as blessings for both the church and the couple being married.

For your upcoming church celebration, feel free to prepare some or all of these gifts:

Flowers

Pick flowers in your wedding colors. Keep in mind that the person who will carry this floral arrangement should be able to lift the flowers without too much effort. For example, if you want to offer a small bouquet of blooms, you can ask a younger relative to bring them to the altar. But if you’d like something big placed in front of the altar, a stronger and older guest should do the heavy lifting.

Candles

These symbolize the illumination of your path as a unified couple. Since these will be placed on the altar, choose white, cup-sized candles that are in glass containers so that the breeze or air-conditioning doesn’t accidentally blow out the light during the ceremony.

Fruits

A basket of fruits is a gift you can easily offer during mass. These fresh contributions signify the hope for abundant nourishment for the bride and groom.

Grocery items

Usually contained in a basket or case covered in cellophane, the items can include toiletries such as toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, and the like, which are then donated to the convent or seminary affiliated with the church.

Money

Aside from paying the church fees before your wedding day, it is also acceptable to donate money to the church during the offertory rites. This can be placed in a sealed white envelope or an ang pao (a red envelope which symbolizes luck for Chinese people).

Host and church wine

The most essential gifts presented during offertory are the host and the mompo which symbolize Jesus Christ’s body and blood. The church usually provides this set, but you will need to assign two people to present them to the priest.

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