key important steps

1

Call To Reserve Your Date With Your Parish

Find a date open with your parish before reserving your hall, photographer, music, flowers, planner etc. Do this at least 9 months prior to your desired date.

2

Fill Out The M-1 Archdiocese Form

Complete and return this form to your respective parish office as soon as possible.

3

Fill Out The Diocesan Assessment Questionnaire

Complete and return this form to your respective parish office prior to your initial group meeting.

4

Schedule Your Initial Group Meeting

For newly engaged couples, these meetings are held at either Ft. Recovery or Coldwater. Schedule 6-9 months prior to your wedding date. Contact your respective parish office.

5

Schedule First Meeting With Priest Or Deacon

After you attend your initial group meeting, schedule your first meeting with your pastor or priest/deacon. Should be completed 6-9 months prior to your wedding date.

6

Book Your Organist

About 6 months prior to your wedding date, call to book your organist at your parish.

7

Attend the Genesis Pre-Cana

See events to find a date and register to attend this retreat. Once completed bring certificate or email to your respective parish office.

8

Complete The "Beloved" Video Series & Scavenger Hunt List

Find a mentor couple to begin the "Beloved" video series and scavenger hunt list. These materials will be handed out at the initial group meeting.

9

Schedule A Natural Family Planning Class

See events to sign up for either a live in-person class, or online class. A series of 3 classes over 3 months. This will need to be completed prior to meeting with the priest for a 2nd time.

10

Schedule 2nd Meeting With Priest

Once "Beloved" Scavenger Hunt List is completed, schedule to meet with your priest a 2nd time. Approximately 3 months prior to your wedding date.

11

Acquire Marriage License for State of Ohio

Acquire your marriage license within 60 days of your marriage. Please bring it the rehearsal.

12

Final Meeting with Priest

About 1 month prior to your wedding date, schedule to meet with your priest one final time.

marriage prep classes

The following are required classes to be completed

Newly Engaged Couples Group Meeting

Contact your respective parish office to schedule your group meeting. See bulletin for pre-scheduled dates.

Genesis Pre-Cana Retreat

Schedule your retreat here.

Natural Family Planning

Schedule your class here.

marriage preparation guide

For All Holy Cross Family of Parishes

General Policies

  1. Do NOT throw bird seed, rice, confetti, flower petals or other items following the ceremony.
  2. NO ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES are permitted on the Church premises prior to, during, and after the rehearsal or wedding.  Such beverages ARE permitted if the rehearsal dinner takes place in the church
    basement.
  3. SIGNS on all wedding vehicles must be in good taste – not vulgar or sexually explicit.   The parish staff reserves the right to ask for any inappropriate signs to be removed. Any such public display must keep in mind the sanctity and dignity of the Sacrament of Marriage.
  4. No wagons, strollers, pets, remote control cars etc. may be used in the procession.
  5. No aisle runner.
  6. Bride’s & bridesmaids' dresses must be appropriate.
  7. Only traditional couples may walk in the processional.

Church Decorations

Live or cut flowers are to be used in the sanctuary. Please leave live flowers/plants in the sanctuary after your ceremony.
Seasonal decorations in the Church, especially during Advent, Christmas, Lent and Easter should be incorporated into your decorations, and are not changed for weddings. No flowers during lent.

Music

The understanding of the sacramental celebration is that we are not mere observers, but, rather, active participants. We are gathered together as a visible sign of the Body of Christ, the church, united in prayer and praise to the Father. The participation of the gathered assembly in both sung and spoken prayer is essentially the nature of Christian worship.

The primary purpose of music in any liturgy is to support the communal, liturgical prayer of the Church.

The wedding ceremony is a liturgical rite and bears great similarity to the Sunday celebration. It must reflect standard liturgical practices and encourage the community to join the couple in entering the spirit of this occasion as a communal event. Music that does not do this contradicts and damages liturgical prayer.

Prelude music serves as a call to worship for the gathered community and invites the people to prayer. It is, therefore, not appropriate to use “popular” or secular music. Pre-recorded music of any type is not permitted.

The music selected for the wedding must be approved by the music coordinator who is in conjunction with priest/deacon one month prior to the wedding.


Photography

  1. The ceremony may be videotaped, but only from designated stationary positions in the front and rear of the church. Photographers and videographers should check with the priest/deacon before the ceremony.
  2. Professional photographers may take flash pictures as the bridal party processes up the aisle, but NOT from the front of the Church.
      Other pictures taken during the ceremony must be non-flash and be taken from the rear of the Church. ONE photographer may take a LIMITED amount of pictures from the choir loft, as long as he/she does not distract the musicians or detract from the sacredness of the liturgy. Motorized camera rewinders are not allowed.
  3. Photographs may be taken in the Church up to but not after 30 minutes before the start of the ceremony.
  4. After the ceremony, the photographer is responsible for remembering that he/she and the wedding party are in church and should conduct themselves accordingly. (Keep in mind that confessions will begin 30 minutes prior to the Saturday Vigil Mass and we ask that all pictures be completed by this time).
  5. Sanctuary is off-limits at all times for photographers.

Programs

The program printed for your wedding liturgy is to be designed as a worship aid, allowing the gathered assembly to more fully understand and participate in the liturgy. Programs must be readable with careful consideration given to font size and style.

Fees

The fee for a wedding is $100.00. The organist fee will range from $110 to $150 depending on the organist.  Cash or check for $100 to parish should be made payable to the parish and must be paid before the rehearsal. Give the Marriage License to the priest at the rehearsal. (At Holy Trinity one check for $210 will include the organist fee). The organist fee will include:
a) Meeting with the couple and planning the wedding liturgy,
b) One private rehearsal with the vocalist,
c) Playing the wedding. (If additional rehearsals are needed for the vocalist or other musicians, an additional fee may be charged and is to be paid directly to the organist.)
The fee for your vocalist is between you and your vocalist. The average fee is $50. If using parish servers, It is suggested the couple pay them $20-25 each following the ceremony.

helpful resources

Wedding Prep Checklist (Recommended)

A checklist to make sure you complete everything

Download

Wedding Guide Pamphlet

Preparing for your wedding ceremony pamphlet

Download

Music in the Wedding Liturgy

A guide to help you select music for your special day

Download