mrs2be.ie

[Littlemisscupcake]

Ok so I am just wondering before I go on a rant has anyone been asked for a donation from the priest when they are getting their letter of freedom..

[BluefishJD]

No I wasn't asked personally by the priest for a donation when asking for the Letter of Freedom and to be honest I don't see why you should have to it's no more than a couple of typed sentences on church headed paper!

Now in saying that we have had to pay €250 for "the use of the church" and when i went to collect my documents/certs and letter of freedom I wasn't asked for any money or a donation but I presume that this would be included in the €250 we had to pay initially and would have caused a bit of a row to be honest if I was asked for anything further financially. I have been told that on top of the €250 we are expected to give a further donation to the priest and as I am still up in the air about bringing him to the meal or not I don't mind mind giving him something for his time in lieu of a dinner!

[sparkler83]

Neither me or H2B were asked for a fee for a letter of freedom, i would have probably laughed in his face if he did. Why how much were u asked for? thats crazy!!I dont mind giving the church a donation for the use of the church but defo not for a letter!!!

[SeptembersBride]

Hey littlemisscupcake,

I havent got all the papers yet but i've heard you have to pay a 'donation' and also give something on the day, i assumed it would be a few hundred, bit of a nusance alright, all these little bits add up. Dont know why they call it a donation, when you kind of have to pay it!! They should just call it a fee and be honest!!!

[jess_ohara]

Never heard of having to give a donation to get a letter of freedom. thats just crazy I have heard of giving a donation for the use of church and a donation to the priest for saying the ceremony but for just a letter with a few words that is just crazy.

[Littlemisscupcake]

Hi guys, I know I actually didn't know what to say. I asked the priest to post the documents out as I need confirmation cert ect and he said 'sure I will leave them here for you to collect and you can give us your donation when you collect them' I was taken aback and just said ok ill see you soon....

[BluefishJD]

I'm not surprised you were taken aback - it's a bit cheeky No? especially as it's only a letter of freedom and the fact that you now have to go and collect it yourself - if they were posting the letter I send them a stamp for their donation!

Sorry but come on I don't see why you should have to give a "Donation" for this letter if they are that hard up on printer ink or paper a handwritten letter (like the one we got from my B2B's church in Poland) would do! As I said before we were asked for no Donation but have paid the Church fee of €250 for light/heat electricity or whatever it is there reason is for asking for such a high price just to get married in the church which in it's self is something I still have an issue about and a rant for another day but basically if we didn't pay we couldn't use church! - I was always under the impression that the church is/would be free and then you leave a donation for it's use on day of wedding but the donation was your own choice and an amount that you could afford not a set fee!

- Is there anyone you know locally littlemisscupcake who may have got married recently and sus them out - to be honest I'd play "none the wiser" - call in, collect the 3 sentenced signed letter and go without mentioning a donation - like even a tenner in this case would be too much for what it is - I don't know may be I'm wrong? but this is my own opinion on the matter I tell ya all a money racket

[Littlemisscupcake]

Hi Bluefish, I think I am going to just call in and pretend that I didn't understand the donation part of it, as you say a tenner will do. I know I shouldn't say this but I find it infuriating that priests feel the right to demand this and that, I have read on here that some priest dictate the music that you have on your wedding day. Now the priest that is carrying out our ceromony has been lovely so far and hopefully that will continue but I do find it strange that in this day and age that there is a still a certain whatever they say goes in regards to a wedding. Sorry rant over...

[BluefishJD]

Rant away and you said it.. down right infuriating - when you add up all the costs involved just to get married in a church it's just mental and we actually considered a civil ceremony at the start on this basis - to include everything needed like church fee, courses/certs (that are a requirement by the church), donation etc we are looking at near on €650 compared to a civil ceremony at €150 - it's not as if the church don't have it when you go to shrines and the likes with their gold laden decor etc and I am not blaming our priest like that he is pretty sound and after talking to him the other night at our pre-nup thing he does seem sound - he did query the music as I do think they have an issue with secular music being used - hence our choice in priest, as our fella seems a bit more easy going and if we are having more "popular" music we might get it by him easier cause the other fella available to us (ridiculous aswell - only 2 priests available in our fairly large town for weddings) is known as really strict and bitter - like an example we will have Ava Maria but it's beyonce's version but we'll only tell him Ava Maria but sounds like you have an easy going priest so I hope all should be ok!