Celebrating Marriage
Policies and Guidelines
for
Wedding Couples
St. Stephen Martyr Catholic Church
In Foggy Bottom
2436 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20037
Telephone: 202 785-0982
Fax:
202 785-1574
Email: [email protected]
June 2016
Table of Contents
Your Catholic Wedding
2
The Clergy of St. Stephen Martyr Catholic Church
2
Who May Marry at St. Stephen Martyr?
3
Scheduling the Date and Time of the Wedding and Wedding Rehearsal
3
Marriage Preparation Program
4
Ministers of the Celebration
4
Monsignor Paul Dudziak, Pastor:
4
Father Klaus Sirianni
4
Deacon John Liu
5
Other Presiders of the Celebration
5
Preparing for the Liturgy
5
Preparing Spiritually for the Sacrament of Marriage
6
Sacred Music
7
Civil Marriage License for Couple
8
District of Columbia Clergy License for Visiting Clergy
8
Documentation
8
Offering for the Church
9
St. Stephen Martyr Wedding Coordinator
9
Wedding Party Rehearsal
9
Receiving Line
10
Environment and Flowers
10
Photographers
10
Facilities for the Disabled
11
Parking and Hotel Accommodations
11
Mass Transportation (Metro)
12
A Recommended Wedding Couples Check-List
13
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Your Catholic Wedding
Dear Friends,
We are delighted that you are preparing to be married and that St. Stephen Martyr Catholic Church is
included in your wedding plans.
This booklet is presented to you in order to assist you in planning your celebration of marriage. Wedding
preparation and arrangements are certainly necessary and important. Your sacramental marriage is a sacred
sign of your love for each other in Christ. Jesus abundantly blesses your love and in this sacrament enriches
and strengthens you so that you may assume the duties of marriage in mutual and lasting fidelity.
The directions in this booklet reflect the policies of the Church, St. Stephen Martyr faith community and the
District of Columbia government. We hope that the information we provide helps you prepare for the
wedding of your dreams—a celebration of joy, reverence, grace, and beauty.
Please accept the best wishes and prayers of our parish community for your happiness in marriage.
May God bless you always!
The Clergy of St. Stephen Martyr Catholic Church
Rev. Msgr. Paul M. Dudziak, Pastor
[email protected]
Rev. Klaus J. Sirianni, Parochial Vicar and George Washington University Hospital Chaplain
[email protected]
Deacon John Liu, [email protected]
Priest and/or Deacon friends from outside the parish are welcome.
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Who May Marry at St. Stephen Martyr?
Parishioners of St. Stephen’s may marry in the parish church. Parishioners include all who live
within the parish boundaries, whether registered or not, provided there are no other obstacles to the
marriage.
We also serve many persons who live outside our Parish boundaries. These include:
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Persons who regularly worship with us, on Sundays or weekdays
Persons who have family connections to the Parish
Foreign Service Officers who attended here but are now stationed abroad
Former active members of the George Washington University Student Center or students
who attended Mass here.
Persons who wish to use a nearby reception facility
Persons not living in Foggy Bottom or the West End typically need permission of their residential
pastor, which is not a problem. We usually help secure this for you.
All couples planning to marry at St. Stephen’s are asked to contact one of the clergy no less than six
months in advance. Please do NOT book a reception before securing a date for your
wedding from the Parish, as the church may not be available. The couple should review this
Parish Wedding Guidelines booklet carefully, noting any questions they have about parish policy.
The pastor or another clergy of the parish will meet with the couple to discuss the marriage
preparation process. If another priest or deacon is part of the Archdiocese of Washington he can
begin the process after calling the Pastor of St. Stephen Martyr for what the Church calls
“delegation”. Otherwise the clergy at St. Stephen’s will complete the Prenuptial Questionnaire with
the couple; inform the couple what other documentation is needed, and review the wedding
guidelines to help with the preparation of the marriage liturgy. At this point, a wedding date may be
put on the calendar. Only the parish clergy may set a date after they check the parish calendar.
Scheduling the Date and Time of the Wedding and Wedding Rehearsal
Because of several Masses, the church is not available for weddings on Sunday.
Monday through Friday: The clergy or parish staff will check the availability of the church . We
have noted an increase in Friday evening weddings.
Saturday: Weddings may take place at 1:30pm or 3pm. There are no morning weddings because of
Mass and devotions. The ceremony and photographs need to be completed by 4:30pm because
Confession begins at 4:30pm and the Saturday evening liturgy begins at 5:30pm.
Rehearsals: Rehearsals are normally scheduled the evening before the wedding. The wedding
coordinator will work with the couple to schedule a time that is both convenient for the participants
and possible for the church. We are careful not to conflict use of the facilities with other parish
activities. Clergy may not always be present for the rehearsal, but will have worked carefully with the
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St. Stephen Martyr wedding coordinator who will conduct the rehearsal for the couple and the
clergy.
Marriage Preparation Program
The Church requires celebrants to have a moral certainty that the marriage at which they officiate is
expected to survive. The requirements for this “moral certainty” can vary with individual clergy.
Their expectations are below:
Marriage Preparation
One of these four options is required:
Three to Get Married:
Our Lady of Bethesda www.bethesdacfd.org
7007 Bradley Blvd.; Bethesda, MD 20817
301-365-0612
The Retreat House schedules weekends once, sometimes twice, a month. The program includes the
FOCCUS marriage preparation tool (FOCCUS stands for Facilitating, Open, Couple,
Communication, Understanding, and Study. http://www.foccusinc.com/
Catholic Engaged Encounter: Place this heading into a search engine to look at your options.
You may attend this weekend in D.C., Maryland, Virginia, Baltimore or anywhere in the country or
world that is convenient for you. From either program you will receive a certificate of completion
which becomes part of your wedding file.
Go to http://adw.org ; click on Marriage and Family; click
on Marriage Preparation Schedule. You may book the sessions on line. For specific questions you
may call: Father Richard Kramer, Director of Family Life and Pastoral Resource Development
[email protected] 301.853.4546
Archdiocese of Washington:
Marriage Preparation for those living far apart, especially in different countries.
Marriage Ministries has provided a comprehensive online Catholic marriage preparation program
that is available to couples (and parishes) anytime, anywhere. www.catholicmarriageprepclass.com
Twenty-six different presenters discuss nineteen topics. If couples are local, we much prefer the
Bethesda Retreat houses or Engaged Encounter experiences.
Ministers of the Celebration
Monsignor Paul Dudziak, Pastor:
The Church has worked hard to provide you with the best possible preparation program for
marriage. While it may seem like an inconvenience, couple after couple can attest to the benefits of a
high quality weekend program and what it has meant to their relationship. We urge you to sign up
soon since these weekends are popular and can fill up quickly.
Monsignor Paul also encourages a discussion of Myers Briggs Type Indicator. This is a helpful
but non-threatening instrument which has No symptomatic categories. You would take this
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instrument on line at www.humanmetrics.com. Please do pay an extra $6 for their discussion of how
your two temperaments fit together, and predictable adjustments you can expect in an on-going
relationship. Couples have especially enjoyed this insightful conversation. You receive these results
on line directly and are encouraged to discuss them between yourselves before meeting with
Monsignor.
Monsignor also likes to initiate the relationship with an “engaged encounter” by going to dinner
together when they meet or soon afterwards.
Father Klaus Sirianni
The initial meeting with Fr. Sirianni is to get acquainted and set the course of marriage preparation.
Fr. Sirianni meets with the couple several times to discuss the FOCCUS inventory and other
concerns, as well as completing the various forms and setting a date and time for the wedding at St.
Stephen’s.
Deacon John Liu
Deacon John invites the couple to meet with him to discuss the pre-nuptial questionnaire, review
their FOCCUS inventory, the wedding ceremony and other related arrangements for their wedding.
Other Presiders of the Celebration
The bride and groom minister the Sacrament of Marriage to one another. A priest or deacon and
two witnesses are also required to be present. A guest Catholic clergy with whom you have a
special relationship is welcome to preside at your marriage. Please inform the Pastor and have the
priest or deacon contact him soon after a date is set.
District of Columbia law requires that the cleric who hears the exchange of consent be registered
with the District and licensed to officiate. (See District of Columbia Clergy License for Visiting
Clergy). Non-Catholic clergy should call the Pastor soon in the process and are welcome to
participate in the ceremony along with the priest or deacon. The presiding priest or deacon and
visiting clergy should discuss the ceremony beforehand. Appropriate adaptations will be made in
accordance with ecumenical guidelines.
Preparing for the Liturgy
In preparing the liturgy, couples will be urged to incorporate elements which will encourage the
active participation of those who gather for the celebration. This will include participation through
song and prayer. Assistance will be provided from the clergy and the Director of Music so that the
couple may prepare their own program to help wedding guests participate fully.
Accordingly, with the priest or deacon who will preside at the wedding, the couple will determine if
the marriage is to be celebrated at Mass or in a Liturgy of the Word. The determining criteria will
center on what form of liturgy enables the wedding assembly to more fully celebrate with the bride
and groom. In the case of mixed religions, especially when the non-Catholic party is not familiar
with Catholic worship, a simple ceremony without Mass is recommended. Since the Catholic
Church does not permit intercommunion, it can be awkward when only Catholics take part in the
Eucharist. The “simple” ceremony is dignified and elegant.
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Weddings celebrated at St. Stephen’s Parish are celebrated according to the worship books of the
Roman Catholic Church: the Sacramentary, the Lectionary, and the Rite of Marriage. The couple
will be provided with a booklet, Together For Life, to help select scripture readings, prayers, and
blessings to assist them in personalizing their wedding. It is best to plan the ceremony after the
marriage preparation weekend.
In addition to the scripture selections, the couple will choose readers for the ceremony. It is a very
good idea to give the readers a copy of the scriptural texts in advance so that they can prepare. It is
also recommended that the readers practice their readings at the rehearsal. This is especially
important so that they can familiarize themselves with the sound system and be heard throughout
the church. Local and ethnic customs may be incorporated into the liturgy as appropriate and in
keeping with church practice. The ancient custom of a bride presenting flowers to Our Blessed
Mother is a recommended option. A Unity candle is optional.
Preparing Spiritually for the Sacrament of Marriage – Already Living Together?
If we ask couples if they would be satisfied with an average amount of happiness in their marriage,
couples say they are expecting more than that. After all, fifty percent of marriages break up; even
though nobody enters marriage thinking that’s a possibility! So, if you want a better than average,
fulfilling marriage, you may not want to do what “everybody else is doing”, the common practices in
our secular society. Living together before marriage, for instance, is not the Jesus path. Jesus said,
“What God has joined together, let no person separate.” (Mark 10:9). You are coming to the altar so
that God may join you together. You may wish to ask yourself if living together before marriage is
God’s plan for your happiness. The wisdom of this world is “Live together; see if the relationship
works”; but “God made the wisdom of this world foolish” (1 Corinthians 1:20). You will be
immensely wise if you follow the Scriptural advice, “Do not conform yourself to this age, but be
transformed by the renewal of your mind; that you may discern what is the will of God, what is
good and pleasing and perfect” (Romans 12:2).
A Celebratory Gift to the Poor
The spirituality of a sacramental marriage involves a couple’s commitment to make the love of God
more present in this world. A starting point as a couple comes from the common Scriptures
(Leviticus 23:22) which asked farmers not to so completely harvest their fields that nothing was left
for the landless. The motivation was that when the farmer’s family was celebrating their harvest
festival meal, the poor would also have a reason to celebrate. From this came the idea that whenever
we are enjoying a major celebration, it is a holy intention to also give the poor a reason to celebrate.
Therefore, you will be blessed a couple if together you do something for the poor and marginalized
in preparation for the celebration of your marriage. Is it required? No. Is it necessary? No. Is it an
ingredient in an exceptionally fulfilling marriage? Yes.
You may wish to consider serving once in the Grate Ministry which brings food and hot coffee on
weekends to the homeless. This and other volunteer opportunities can be found in the Catholic
Links Section of our web site.
A favorite blessing before you leave the altar takes up this theme: “May you be witnesses in the
world to God’s charity, so that the afflicted and needy who have known your kindness may one day
receive you thankfully into the eternal dwelling of God.”
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Confession
Making a good confession is part of preparing for a Christian marriage. Confessions are heard at St.
Stephen Martyr every Monday through Friday at 11:30am to Noon; and on Saturdays at 4:30pm to
5:15pm. A Catholic can go to confession in any Catholic parish. We pray that you want to be sure
to approach the altar in a state of grace, in tune with God’s plan.
Staggering amounts of money are now spent on weddings, especially on the receptions; all at the
behest of what has become a wedding industry. We are in the process of completely renovating our
parish hall into an elegant space and are willing to work with you in controlling the costs of your
reception, especially when this venue is finished. You may wish to take a look at it.
Eloping
Eloping is not a sin, nor against the law of the Church. It violates no conscience to schedule a very
small Church ceremony, though family dynamics need to be taken into account before such a
decision.
Sacred Music
St. Stephen Martyr Parish aspires to the very highest standards in both liturgy and music. In order
that the music at your wedding may be of the same high quality, and for your own reassurance that
everything will work smoothly and efficiently for your wedding liturgy, we require the use of St.
Stephen’s approved organists, vocalists, and instrumentalists. Male and female vocalists are available,
as are instrumentalists. With the permission of Neil Weston, our Director of Liturgical Music, a
vocalist friend or family member may sing at your wedding.
The Director of Music is responsible for the musical life of the parish, including all weddings. As
such, he approves all music chosen for the ceremony, determining whether your selections are
appropriate to serve the needs of the liturgy. He will also ensure that the liturgical music chosen is
performed well and at the appropriate time. The Director of Music is also responsible for choosing
and engaging all musicians and singers who will play or sing at your wedding. This not only prevents
disappointments due to poorly performed music, or confusion and embarrassment owing to
unfamiliarity with the building, but also protects the parish’s responsibility to see that prayer is
carried out according to the highest standards. Requests for “outside” musicians (such as a close
friend or relative of the couple) should be discussed directly with the Director of Music.
The Director of Music will work closely with you to assist you in choosing the music for your
ceremony. He will meet with you at your convenience to discuss the music, and he will be happy to
send you links to a special website with mp3s of musical excerpts to aid in the process of making
musical decisions. He will also provide you with a Music Planning Form which you should complete
and sign. Experience has convinced us that for the beauty of your service a Cantor is required.
People will enjoy your wedding much more if they sing. The Responsorial Psalm is always sung
antiphonally with the Cantor. Please go to our website for link to Liturgical Music Ministry
Certain music is clearly inappropriate for Church use. Music with no religious significance is not
allowed before or during a wedding Mass or ceremony. Follow the general rule that just as religious
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songs are inappropriate at your reception, so popular romantic songs are inappropriate at a religious
wedding ceremony. Prerecorded music is not appropriate since the liturgy is the living prayer of a
particular assembly of the Church. Church regulations require that the “Our Father” be sung or
recited by the entire congregation; therefore, it cannot be a solo piece during the ceremony.
Music Fees
Fees for musicians are due no later than two weeks prior to your wedding ceremony. The Director
of Music will inform you of the names of the musicians providing music at your wedding, and
checks should be made out individually to each musician and sent to the Director of Music at the
Church Office. Please note that all the musicians reserve the right not to provide music for a
wedding ceremony if fees have not been received. The fee schedule is as follows:
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Director of Music and Organist: $350 - this includes all consultation, meetings with the
couple, attendance at the wedding rehearsal, as well as playing the ceremony, and the
provision of music at least 30 minutes prior to the ceremony.
Cantor (required): $200.
Instrumentalists (if required): $200.
Please contact the Director of Music, Neil Weston, [email protected] , at your earliest
opportunity, so you may begin the planning process with him regarding the music, and so he can
send you the music planning materials.
Civil Marriage License for Couple
Regardless of where the couple resides, a civil license from the District of Columbia must be
obtained. You may apply for this license at:
The Marriage License Bureau
500 Indiana Avenue, NW, Room 4485
Washington, DC 20001
Telephone:
202- 879-4840
Office Hours: 8:30 am—5:00 pm, Monday through Friday.
There is a cash fee of $45.00 for the marriage application. The license cannot be issued until five
days after the application. Go to www.dccourts.gov for more information. Both persons will need
to be present (which they do not explain beforehand).
The clerk of the court will ask for the name of the officiating clergy to be placed on the license. The
license will only be issued if the officiating clergy, priest or deacon, is registered in the District of
Columbia.
District of Columbia Clergy License for Visiting Clergy
If a visiting priest is to witness the marriage, he must be registered in the District of Columbia. Up
to a month may be necessary to receive a license for the clergy so he should not delay in applying for
it. The registration form for the witnessing clergy is obtained at the same place as the marriage
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license. There is a fee for the registration. A visiting priest or deacon must have his application
notarized.
Documentation
The officiating priest or deacon is responsible for all the necessary paperwork for a couple’s
wedding.
Baptismal Certificates are required of all Christians who wish to marry in a Roman Catholic
ceremony. For a Catholic, the baptismal certificate must be issued within the last six months and
may be obtained from the church where the baptism took place. A record of the baptism of a nonCatholic Christian may be dated anytime.
Other documents will be explained by the priest or deacon and represent no special burden.
To insure the safe-keeping of the civil license, it is best that the couple present the license to the
officiating priest or deacon no later than at the rehearsal. The clergy will sign the document after the
wedding and return one copy to the couple, while a second copy will be mailed from the rectory to
the D.C. Government. The third copy will be retained in the couple’s marriage file at the Church.
Offering for the Church
It is customary to make an offering to the Church on the occasion of the celebration of a marriage.
The offering helps the church to maintain its facilities. A recent engineering study, for example,
recommended that we find $500,000.00 to place into a fund to maintain all the systems and
structures of our buildings.
Your donation should be made to the church and not to the clergy. We ask that in making your
offering you consider the time spent in preparing you for a lifetime of marriage by the priest and
staff as well as the surprisingly large costs associated with running and maintaining our facilities.. For
non-parishioners the donation should be no less than $1,500. Parishioners who have been
contributing to the church for at least two years should make a donation of no less than $1000.
The offering for the church must be given to the priest at least a month before the wedding. If you
pay by check please make the check payable to St. Stephen Martyr Church.
Any gift which you might wish to make to the priest or deacon is considered separate from your
offering to the Church. A gift to the priest should be given to him and made payable to the priest or
deacon.
St. Stephen Martyr Wedding Coordinator
The St. Stephen Wedding Coordinator, as the representative of the church, conducts the rehearsal as
directed by the clergy, and is on hand on the wedding day to be of help to the wedding party. The
Wedding Coordinator will be most happy to meet the couple and assist with the details related to the
church for the wedding. A fee of $200 must be paid to the church’s Wedding Coordinator, also to
be given at the time of the rehearsal at the latest. This check should be made payable to the wedding
coordinator.
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Wedding Party Rehearsal
Rehearsals are usually scheduled and conducted by the Wedding Coordinator. All established
church policies and procedures for the rehearsal and wedding are explained to the wedding party by
the wedding coordinator. Couples should remind their wedding party and families to arrive
punctually for the rehearsal. Traffic in the downtown Washington area during the late afternoon is
notoriously heavy. Rehearsal participants should plan accordingly.
Visiting clergy are expected to be present for the rehearsal in order to familiarize themselves with the
church. Rehearsals are normally conducted within a period of one hour.
Two witnesses are required. They are usually the Best Man and the Maid or Matron of Honor. The
number of Bridesmaids and Groomsmen is up to the couple. If you will be using flower girls or ring
bearers, it is recommended that they be at least five years old. Facing the altar, the Bridal Party is
seated in the front pew on the left and right side of the center aisle.
The Bride’s family normally is seated in the second pew behind the Bridesmaids on the left and the
Groom’s family is seated behind the Groomsmen in the right.
Receiving Line
In order to ensure the smooth flow of the liturgy and to allow time to prepare other liturgical
celebrations and events following your wedding, St. Stephen’s requests that receiving lines be held at
the reception and not at the church.
Environment and Flowers
Arrangements for flowers may be made with any florist. Questions regarding the placement of
flowers and the availability of stands, vases, and other props, may be directed to the Wedding
Coordinator who will help you make the arrangements you wish. Flowers are considered a gift to
the church for use at the liturgies after the wedding. Please only place into the Sanctuary flowers
you are prepared to leave.
Pew bows are permitted, as long as they are clipped to the pews; tape is not permitted as it removes
the wood finish and can easily mar the pews. Candelabra are not permitted due to the fire code.
The pew bows, as well as programs and flower boxes, should be removed by someone in the
wedding party after the ceremony and taken to the sacristy for disposal.
In compliance with insurance regulations, and to avoid any hazard to safety and to minimize
custodial work, the throwing of rice, birdseed, or confetti is not allowed; the blowing of bubbles is
also considered a safety hazard. Rose petals or dried flowers are not permitted to be strewn by the
flower girl.
Photographers
You may have the photographer/videographer of your choice record the wedding ceremony. As a
rule of thumb, photographers should be respectful of the congregation and not block their view.
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The photographer should introduce himself to the priest or deacon well before the ceremony
begins.
Some couples choose to have friends photograph and/or video their wedding as a generous gift to
the couple.
Photographer “Do’s” include shooting from the side or rear of the church. If a moment calls for a
photo from the front, the photographer should stay low and out of the center aisle so as not to
become a center of attention.
Photographer “Don’ts” include not walking across the front of the church; not standing in the front;
not shooting from the center aisle except in the back of the church; not shooting from the pews or
in front of the pews blocking the view of the congregation; and not standing in the aisles during the
distribution of communion. Photographers may never enter the sanctuary, and they may not use
flash.
Photographs may be taken in front of the altar after the wedding ceremony. On Saturday
confessions start at 4:30 pm so all photos will need to be completed by that time.
Restrooms
The Church’s public restrooms are located on the basement level, a ladies room near the parish hall,
a men’s room one flight above the parish hall—both are accessible through the double doors at the
front left of the church.
Facilities for the Disabled
There is a restroom on the basement level to the immediate right of the elevator. A wheelchair is
available upon request. Ask the Wedding Coordinator to guide the person to the elevator, which is
located in the Rectory.
Our Parish Hall Not Yet Named
Our Terrace level hall will soon be completely renovated. It will be made available to weddings and
can offer the benefits of elegance and significant cost savings. The sound and video systems will be
top notch, and you may negotiate with your own chosen caterer; or even have friends put on the
reception for you. The extra insurance for these two options are minimal. Pre-recorded music is
perfectly acceptable. We will post pictures and additional information when the renovation is
complete.
Parking and Hotel Accommodations
There are 22 hotels within easy walking distance of St. Stephen Martyr Church. Here is a list:
Melrose Hotel – 2430 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, 955-6400
Avenue Suites – 2500 Pennsylvania Ave., 333-8060
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One Washington Circle – 1 Washington Circle, 872-1680
Ritz Carlton – 1150 22nd St. NW, 835-0500
Four Seasons Hotel – 2800 Pennsylvania Ave, 342-0444
Hilton Garden Inn Washington, 2201 M St., NW, 1-800-690-5247
Georgetown Suites – 1111 30th St.NW, 298-7800
Georgetown Suites Harbor, 1000 29th St NW, 298-1600
The Ritz Carlton Georgetown – 3100 South St. NW, 912-4100
Georgetown Inn – 1310 Wisconsin Ave. NW, 333-8900
Best Western Georgetown Hotel and Suites – 1121 New Hampshire NW, 457-0565
Renaissance Hotel Dupont Circle – 1143 New Hampshire Ave. NW, 775-0800
St. Gregory Hotel – 2033 M St. NW, 530-3600
Washington Marriott Hotel Georgetown– 1221 22nd St. NW. 872-1500
Embassy Suites – 1250 22nd St. NW. 857-3388
Park Hyatt Hotel – 1201 24th St. NW, 789-1234
Fairmont Hotel – 2401 M St. NW, 429-2400
The Westin Georgetown Hotel – 2350 M St. NW. 429-0100
River Inn – 924 25th St. NW, 337-7600
Residence Inn Foggy Bottom – 801 New Hampshire Ave. NW. 785-2000
State Plaza Hotel – 2117 E St. NW, 861-8200
Hotel Lombardy – 2019 “I” St. NW, 828-2601
Hotels will often negotiate special pricing. For instance, we are next door to the Melrose Hotel and
Parking Garage. They will arrange a group code, and discount. We encourage you to negotiate with
any hotel and its parking garage.
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Mass Transportation (Metro)
The Metro Station is FOGGY BOTTOM-GWU (Blue or Orange Line) at Pennsylvania Avenue and
23rd Street. From the Metro exit, walk to the left up to Washington Circle, and continue toward the
left on Pennsylvania Avenue, and up to Pennsylvania Avenue and 25th Street. The church is on the
left side of the street.
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A Recommended Wedding Couples Check-List
□Read the St. Stephen Martyr “Celebrating Marriage! Policies and Guidelines for
Wedding Couples.”
□Make appointment with Clergy and complete Prenuptial Questionnaire and Prenuptial
Witness Affidavits. Schedule date and time of wedding and wedding rehearsal with Clergy.
□Provide current copies of Baptismal certificates and all other required documentation, as
directed, by Clergy.
□Schedule and attend approved marriage preparation program and provide certificate of
completion to Clergy.
□Contact Wedding Coordinator and Director of Music.
□Submit church offering.
□With clergy, prepare for the Liturgy and select scripture readings. The “Together for
Life” booklet with readings and other information will be provided for your assistance and
guidance. You may do this through e mail.
□Meet with Wedding Coordinator.
□Meet with Director of Music to select music, discuss program, and other details related to
the ceremony and music.
□ Choose your time to go to confession, the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
□Select readers and give them copies of scripture texts.
□Apply for the District of Columbia Civil Marriage License.
□Do something compassionate for the poor.
□Submit musician and cantor fees directly to the Director of Music and submit Wedding
Coordinator fee to the Wedding Coordinator.
□Breathe! “Beloved let us love one another, because love is of God; everyone who loves is
begotten by God and knows God.” (1 John 4:7)