Holy Matrimony

Reservations and Preparation to receive the Sacrament of Marriage:

To reserve the church for a wedding, you may verify with the parish office if the date is available. Please be sure to confirm the date and the time with the pastor of the parish. Marriage preparation must begin no less than six (6) months before the wedding. Marriage preparation will entail: 1) Initial meeting with the pastor and Prepare marital inventory 2) Class on the Sacrament of Marriage 3) Strong foundation program on relationships 4) Meeting with the priest celebrating your wedding to plan the liturgy. All couples receiving the sacrament of marriage here at Sacred Heart must follow the parish’s wedding policy regarding preparation.

Fee:

There is a $350.00 fee for the use of the church for all who are not registered members of the parish, actively participating in the life of the community and contributing to the collection on a regular basis for the past year. If you have an immediate member of your family who is doing this, like your parent, then there is no fee.

Times:

Saturday weddings: A daytime or afternoon Wedding Mass on Saturday will be no later than 1:00 PM. in the winter and 2:00 PM in the summer. For evening Wedding Services on Saturday the earliest will be 6:00 PM winter, 7:00 PM summer. The wedding policy for Sacred Heart Church is that any wedding on Saturday that takes place after 4 pm will be a wedding service with no mass. If you would like a priest to come celebrate your wedding here at Sacred Heart Church you must get the pastor’s permission, and the pastor must grant him delegation. The pastor must approve the date and the time the visiting priest would come to celebrate your wedding.
Weddings during Lent: Any weddings scheduled during the season of Lent must be completely toned down and simple due to the penitential nature of this liturgical season. No flowers or decorations.

Decorations and Flowers:

The church may be decorated for the wedding in a tasteful manner. You are welcome to use the silk flowers of the parish to decorate for the wedding or you may provide your own flowers. Please verify with the Pastor what is allowable and where it may be placed. No candles are allowed in the church or on the pews. Aisle runners will not be allowed since it is a trip hazard. The church must be returned to the same condition it was in before the wedding by those using the church. That is to say, all decorations must be taken down, any flower petals or debris pickup off the floor, program and used tissues removed from the pews and all personal items removed from the church, so the parish community may celebrate the Sunday liturgy in a clean church.

Music:

You may use instrumental classical pieces for the processions in your wedding. Any songs must Catholic songs from a Catholic Hymnal, no exceptions! There will be no secular songs sung or played in the liturgy for a Catholic wedding at Sacred Heart Church. All songs for the wedding must be approved by the Pastor one month before the wedding rehearsal. If the songs are not approved by the Pastor you can not use them at your wedding. The use of the church organ is only with the approval of the Pastor.

Unity Candle

If you would like to use a unity candle for your wedding ceremony, the lighting of the unity candle must take place after the final blessing when the Catholic rite of marriage is completed. The parish has a unity candle stand that you may use.

Photographer & Videographer:

One photographer and one videographer will be allowed to move around during the wedding. Be sure to inform them they are not allowed to move around in the sanctuary, since this is sacred space in the church and is distracting to the liturgy. Please have them check with the pastor regarding where they can be. Pictures may be taken in church after the ceremony.

Wedding Rehearsal:

The wedding rehearsal may be in the church on Friday evening. On First Fridays of the month there will be an evening Mass for the devotion to the Sacred Heart at 6 PM, therefore the rehearsal may begin anytime afterwards. Please be considerate of the priest who has a very busy schedule, and therefore insist that everyone comes at the scheduled time. The order in which people will process in needs to be determined before the wedding rehearsal begins. The couple will need to bring their marriage license to the rehearsal.

  • If the wedding party is excessively large, the pastor may require that the procession begin early. The way the wedding party processes in must be in good taste and approved by the pastor.

It is customary to receive the sacrament of reconciliation before receiving the sacrament of marriage. You may make arrangements to go to confession before the rehearsal or you may ask the priest to hear your confession at the rehearsal.

It is our sincere prayer here at Sacred Heart that your wedding day will be a most blessed spiritual experience as you come to receive the sacrament of marriage in the parish.

Revised by the Pastor August 22, 2012

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