Weddings at Saint Paul's Church

Information for Prospective Brides and Grooms

The Sacrament of Marriage (Holy Matrimony) is a solemn public covenant between a man and a woman in the presence of God. At Saint Paul’s, at least one of the parties is expected to be a baptized/confirmed member in good standing. Marriages should be scheduled at least six months in advance and premarital counseling is required. If a person has been previously married, the Bishop of the Diocese must grant permission but in no event can the actual ceremony take place before a year has elapsed from when the divorce decree became final.

Initial Coordination

A couple desiring to be married at Saint Paul’s should contact the church office and fill out a wedding information form. The Rector will review the form, the proposed date, and make arrangements for an initial interview. The couple needs the permission of the Rector before announcing the date of the wedding.

Premarital Counseling

The church asks that couples prepare prayerfully and thoughtfully for their wedding and marriage. This preparation typically takes place during an engagement of six months or more. In no case will a wedding take place with less than thirty days notice to the church.

It is necessary that each couple participate in a minimum of four sessions of premarital counseling, and in cases involving the remarriage of divorced persons, additional sessions may be required. Divorced persons must obtain the permission of the Rector and the Bishop before any public announcement of a wedding is made. The parish clergy will discuss this with you.

The Service

The Celebration and Blessing of a Marriage in The Book of Common Prayer (1979) of the Episcopal Church is the rite that will be used. The inclusion of the Holy Eucharist in this worship service, while not necessary, will be discussed by the clergy and the couple as part of the preparation for the wedding. (Printed bulletins may be prepared by the church or by an approved printer. Ask the clergy for guidance well in advance.)

Church Music

Once the Rector approves a date for the wedding, it is your responsibility to schedule an appointment with the Music Director of Saint Paul’s. The Music Director or Music Assistant will serve as the primary musician at the wedding and will handle all arrangements pertaining to the music including their fees, which are in addition to the facility fee. Permission must be obtained from the Music Director before any invitations are issued to other musicians to participate in the wedding ceremony. The arrangement of singers and/or instrumentalists, as well as their fees, will also be handled through the Music Director. During the initial meeting with the Music Director, various options for wedding music will be discussed.

The music must be appropriate to the worship of the Church and must possess a level of musical integrity consistent with that of the regular parish music program. The texts of vocal music must originate in the Scriptures, The Book of Common Prayer, or Hymnal and must be concordant with the theology of the Episcopal Church. There is a great variety of appropriate music available for weddings and the Music Director will be pleased to play examples for you.

The Wedding Guild

The Wedding Guild is composed of members of Saint Paul’s Church who assist the clergy with the wedding. Members of the guild will be present at the rehearsal to help position the bridal attendants, to pace the procession and to assist in preparation on the day of the ceremony. Outside wedding consultants are not permitted to assist at the church. Once you have had the initial meeting with the Rector, a member of the Wedding Guild will contact you.

The Wedding Party
Please provide the clergy with a list of the names of all persons in the wedding party no less than 10 days prior to the rehearsal. The list should include the names of the bridal party, ushers who will seat parents and grandparents and those reading lessons. It is customary for an acolyte to serve at the ceremony. The church will make these arrangements.

Requirements and Fees

The Marriage License should be obtained at least two weeks prior to the wedding.

A minimum fee for use of Saint Paul's Church by members of the parish is $750. This non-refundable fee does not include music, and is due once a wedding date has been set by the Rector in order to reserve the date and the church.

The $750 fee includes:
    Facility Usage
    Wedding Guild
    Sexton
    Acolytes
    Bulletins (optional)

The liturgy and music are at the Rector's and/or officiant's discretion. The Music Director will discuss the fee schedule for singers or instrumentalist during your appointment with him.

There is an additional fee of $150 for the reservation of the Mitchell Tyler Room (the Old Parish Hall) (upon availability) for a reception.

No church member will be refused the services of the church due to inability to pay the costs of the wedding music, sextons, building use, and so on.

Receptions

The Mitchell Tyler Room (the old Parish Hall), the River Room, and the Berlin Room are available for receptions (as are the lawns surrounding the church in the Spring and Fall.) In deciding to hold a reception at Saint Paul's, remember that space is limited and that the Mitchell Tyler Room can accommodate no more than 150 persons (standing). Information about the capacity and pricing of the River and Berlin Rooms can be found on the facility rental information page.

Receptions are to be booked at the same time as the wedding. Caterers must agree to abide by the rules and regulations set forth for use of the facility; a contract will be required. No birdseed, rice or other objects are to be thrown.

Additional Information

It is important that all members of the wedding party arrive promptly for the rehearsal. This is a most important preparation for the wedding ceremony and lasts about one hour. The rehearsal will not begin until all members of the wedding party are present. The consumption of alcoholic beverages is strictly prohibited. It is strongly suggested that alcoholic beverages not be consumed at home or in other places prior to the rehearsal or wedding.

Smoking is prohibited in the buildings.

On the day of the wedding, the bride and attendants are requested to be ready to dress when they arrive at the church. The groom and his attendants should arrive dressed.

All members of the wedding party are to be at the church one to one and a half hours prior to the ceremony (depending on instructions from the Wedding Guild.)

Photographers and Video

Because the wedding is a sacramental service, taking photographs (and making videotapes) of the ceremony are strictly controlled. Only photographers approved by the church will be allowed. Pictures may be taken in the dressing area prior to the liturgy, but no items are to be moved into that area to accommodate such photographs. Flash pictures are prohibited during the ceremony. One professional photographer may take pictures from the rear gallery. Photographs may be taken after the worship service is concluded. This photography session is limited to thirty minutes. Video cameras are permitted in fixed positions provided they are remotely controlled. Hand-held video cameras are prohibited.

Flowers and Candles

It is church policy that flowers or greens may be placed only at the sides of the altar. No flowers are to be placed in any area except those specifically designated and may no exceed the length of the altar cross. Only florists approved by the church will be allowed. There will be no more than two arrangements of flowers and no petals will be permitted to be tossed in the aisles. All floral arrangements become the property of the church at delivery and may not be removed from the church for other purposes. Floral pew markers or ribbons may only be used to designate reserved seating for the family. No arrangements are permitted in the baptismal font. No artificial flowers may be used in the church. No candles may be used in the church with the exception of those at the altar, which are provided by the church. Unity candles are not permitted.

Exceptions to this policy

On rare occasions, the Rector has allowed other parishes to conduct marriages at Saint Paul's Church. For example, another Episcopal Rector whose building is too small for a planned wedding may contact the Rector at Saint Paul's to request an exception. In such cases, the fee for the use of the church is $1500.


	home worship ministries services events youth music history donate news visitors galleries contact directions tour facility rental shop

Worship Services


	Sunday 8:00 - Rite I 10:00 - Rite II Beginning September 20 7:45 - Rite I 9:00 - Rite II 11:00 - Rite II Wednesday Noon - Rite II in Chapel