Weddings at St. Augustine’s Parish
God who created man out of love also calls him to love the fundamental and innate vocation of every human being. For man is created in the image and likeness of God who is Himself love. Since God created him man and woman, their mutual love becomes an image of the absolute and unfailing love with which God loves man. It is good, very good, in the Creator’s eyes. And this love which God blesses is intended to be fruitful and to be realized in the common work of watching over creation: “And God blessed them, and God said to them: ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it.’” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1604)
Christian marriage is celebrated within this community we call the Church. A priest, deacon or licensed lay minister presides at the celebration in an official capacity for the Church, but the bride and groom are the ministers of the sacrament. You have a responsibility to prepare yourselves to the best of your ability for a happy and lasting sacramental life. We offer these guidelines to help in your preparation.
Notification
Please call the parish office at (905) 628-2880 to set up an appointment with one of our pastor. It will give you an opportunity to introduce yourself and receive basic information regarding your upcoming wedding. You should notify the parish of your intention to be married at least twelve months in advance, and certainly before setting a date, enabling all concerned to make adequate preparations. A longer period may be required for various reasons, e.g. the date that you wish may not be available, one of the parties may have been in a previous marriage (and therefore requires permission from the bishop to proceed), etc.
Marriage Preparation Course
It will be necessary to take part in a mandatory preparation program. This program is designed to nourish the love relationship you share as a couple. Commitment, Communication and Conflict Resolution: these are the three top attributes of couples married happily for more than 25 years. The function of marriage preparation is to provide you with the tools that will help you live your marriage with all three of these components being strong and healthy. The course, led by married facilitating couples, covers a variety of topics including the sacramentality of marriage, effective communication, conflict resolution, intimacy and sexuality in marriage, finances and family of origin. Much of the course time is spent with the two of you talking to each other. This is a chance to move away from the stress of the wedding plans and learn or freshen up the skills you will need for a happy marriage. The Marriage Preparation Course is offered by the Family Ministry Office of the Diocese of Hamilton. Please contact the Family Ministry Office of the diocese at (905) 528-7988 for further information, dates, and to register, or go online (www.hamiltondiocese.com). Courses run on Friday evenings (approximately 7:00–9:30 pm) and Saturday (approximately 9 am–5 pm). Cost: around $125.00 per couple (includes course materials, snacks and lunch Saturday).
Additional to this, couples are asked to take an online survey: Prepare/Enrich, from which a profile of the couple is derived. This will be the basis for a conversations with the pastor. The expectation is that you will have a series of conversations with the pastor to review the profile and discuss its contents.
Rehearsal
All the wedding party, parents, readers, eucharistic gift bearers should be present for the scheduled rehearsal, on time, and respectably dressed. While this is not a liturgy, those attending should be mindful of the sacred nature of the space.
Confession
We strongly suggest that you make the effort to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation the Saturday before your wedding. Confession is encouraged in order to open our hearts to the graces God wants to confer upon you on your wedding day.
Required Documents
Sacramental record
Catholics must present a sacramental record issued less than one year before the wedding date. This is not simply a baptism certificate, but a record of all sacraments the individual has received. Catholic parish offices are accustomed to these requests. Simply inform the office that the record is for the purpose of documentation for a wedding. For baptized non-Catholics, a photocopy of their baptismal certificate is sufficient.
License
A marriage license must be secured by the couple and delivered to the Parish Office at least two weeks before the ceremony.
Name Change
Since April 1, 1987, the bride does not automatically take the groom’s family name upon their becoming husband and wife. For a change of name, an application with supporting documents must be submitted to the Ontario Marriage Registrar following the wedding.
Inter-church Marriages
If yours is an interchurch marriage (i.e. a Catholic marrying a non-Catholic) you must know the following:
a) The non-Catholic party is not required to become a Catholic and should not be pressured by anyone to do so.
b) The Catholic party must promise to do whatever is possible to have all children born of this marriage baptized and raised in the Catholic faith.
c) The non-Catholic party must be informed of the promise made by the Catholic party.
d) In an interchurch marriage, the custom is to have the wedding liturgy only, without the celebration of the Eucharist. However, this may be discussed further with the priest.
Weddings outside the parish/non-parishioner weddings
If you are registered or reside within the boundaries of St. Augustine’s Parish and plan on getting married in another church (Catholic or otherwise) anywhere in the world, the marriage documentation must be completed here, at your parish of residency. This parish will be responsible for getting the documentation to the church of the wedding. There is a $50 fee to process the paper work. Well in advance of the wedding date, contact the priest/minister of the Church where you are getting married, to plan your wedding ceremony and set a date for the rehearsal; and contact this parish to begin the paperwork. Conversely, if you are not registered with the parish, or reside outside its boundaries, the required documentation must be done by your home parish. Non-parishioner weddings are done for pastoral reasons and a reference from the home parish is expected.
Wedding Liturgy
It is the couple’s responsibility to help prepare their wedding liturgy with the priest or deacon who will preside. Booklets are available to guide you through the service and assist you with selecting the required readings and prayers. The wedding rehearsal takes place at a convenient time with the presider—at least two weeks prior to the day.
The Bridal/Wedding Party
Two witnesses (usually the maid/matron of honour & best man) are required. Additional bridesmaids and groomsmen can be then be chosen, but you are encouraged to keep the wedding party reasonably small. All, including bride & groom, should be respectfully dressed—shoulders covered, and hemlines below the knee. Please do not change the witnesses at the last minute as that demands a change in documents that have already been prepared.
Honorarium and Fees
The fee for marriage at St. Augustine’s is $650 for parishioners (those registered with the parish and those who live within the geographic bounds of the parish); $950 for non-parishioners. This fee is for the use of the Church. The cheque should be made payable to St. Augustine’s Parish—not to the clergy. There is a $25 honorarium for each of two altar servers, and it is customary to provide an honorarium for the wedding celebrant for his discretionary use (the generosity of the bride and groom determines the amount of this gift). All fees and honoraria are to be given to the parish at least a week before the wedding rehearsal.
Flowers and decorations
The responsibility for flowers and other decorations is yours. You are asked to be prudent and exercise restraint. Nothing is to be placed on the altar. Arrangements should be in place well before the ceremony.
CONFETTI / RICE / BIRD SEED: These, and those things similar, are not to be thrown anywhere on the church property.
Photographs & Videos
May be taken as the wedding party enters and leaves the church. During the actual ceremony, pictures and videos may be taken ONLY by authorized photographers from previously assigned areas. The sanctuary (the raised area where the altar and tabernacle are located) is off limits.
Music
From the start of your preparation for marriage, you will want to think about the choice of music for the occasion. Remember that your wedding is a Catholic Liturgy. Popular songs from movies, Top 40 Hits, etc. are not appropriate choices. To avoid disappointment, consult early regarding your choices. Parish musicians are available to provide music for your wedding and have right of first refusal (the option of playing at weddings is part of their overall compensation under their contracts). It is the responsibility of the couple to arrange for the services of musicians. The fee for parish musicians is an initial $250 for the principal musician, $125 for the cantor and $125 for each additional musician. If arranging for musicians from outside the parish, be sure to discuss this with the priest or deacon who will be presiding.
Receptions
While invitations to the presider at your wedding are appreciated, he is not often available due to other commitments (e.g. Saturday vigil mass).