Checklist and Timeline for Marriage PreparationEach of the following steps must be completed before your wedding ceremony can occur. We recommend that you begin these steps one full year before your wedding date.1. Initial Interview with Priest or Deacon Complete six to 12 months prior to the weddingMarriage preparation begins with an interview with one of the priests or deacons at St. Michael's. The priest or deacon will gather general information about the couple and will make a preliminary decision whether there are any obstacles to the marriage. If no obstacles exist, the priest or deacon (not the parish receptionist) will reserve the church for a certain date and time. We also suggest that couples also schedule their wedding rehearsal at this time.Weddings are usually celebrated at St. Michael's on Fridays at 6:00 p.m. and on Saturdays at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. It may be possible to schedule an earlier time on Friday evenings. However, we cannot vary from these times on Saturdays, due to other scheduled liturgies. We discourage weddings during the season of Lent, because a wedding celebration does not fit into the penitential character of the season. There are some other days during the year when wedding Masses are not allowed. The priest or deacon will know which dates are available for weddings. Once the date has been set, we ask for a $100 non-refundable deposit.2. Information Meeting with Wedding Coordinator and Music Liturgist Complete at least six months prior to the weddingPlease attend our tour and required informational meeting with the Wedding Coordinator. Meetings are held in St. Michael's Atrium at 1:00 p.m. on the first Friday of each month. The Wedding Coordinator will conduct a tour of the Church and dressing area and discuss decorating options and what to bring to the rehearsal and wedding ceremony. It is our experience that this one hour planning meeting is very helpful, and we encourage you to attend early in your planning stage. Please reserve your spot by calling Julie at 439-4400, ext. 255 or e-mailing her at jterwey@costm.org. 2007 Meetings 2008 MeetingsJune 1 February 1July 6 April 4August 3 May 2September 7 June 6 August 1 3. Meeting with Sponsor Couple and Pre-Marriage Inventory Complete as soon as possible after initial meeting with priest or deacon but at least two months prior to the weddingAfter the initial interview, a married couple from the Church of St. Michael will arrange a time to meet with the couple preparing for marriage. This sponsor couple will administer the pre-marriage inventory, a questionnaire that examines major issues married couples may experience. The results of this inventory form the basis for reflection and sharing between the engaged couple and sponsor couple.4. Pre-Marriage Conference Complete at least two months prior to the weddingEvery couple intending to marry at the Church of St. Michael is expected to participate in a pre-marriage conference. Couples will receive information and a registration form at their initial interview.5. Natural Family Planning and Couples Retreat Complete at least two months prior to the weddingCouples celebrating the sacrament of Marriage in the Catholic Church are expected to know and understand the Church's teaching about openness to new life and the regulation of birth. Therefore, we ask couples to complete a four-session course about Natural Family Planning. Further information will be provided at the initial interview. For further information on the NFP classes available in the area go to http://www.archspm.org/family/human_sexuality_nfp_class.html We also ask couples to attend one of the couples retreats organized by the Archdiocese. These are held over five evenings or a weekend. For details of upcoming retreats go to http://www.archspm.org/family/mp_engaged_retreat.html6. Selecting Musicians Complete foursix months prior to the weddingCouples should discuss the types of music (e.g. piano or organ, strings, vocalists, trumpets, etc.) they want at their wedding ceremony and should begin planning their wedding liturgy and music as soon as possible after their initial meeting with the priest or deacon. Couples are responsible for hiring musicians and negotiating payments. Please consult Jayne Windnagel, Drector of Lturgy and Muic, at 439-4400 or jwindnagel@costm.org for assistance locating musicians. Non-parish musicians must contact Jayne at least two months prior to the wedding. See Guidelines for Wedding Music.7. Wedding Liturgy Planning Form and Decorations Form Complete at least two months prior to weddingPlease return completed forms to Julie Terwey at the Parish Office.8. Obtaining Necessary Documents Complete two to six months prior to the weddingCouples are responsible for obtaining the following documents:
9. Final Meeting(s) with Priest or Deacon At least two months before the wedding but after completing steps two through sixCouples are responsible for scheduling the final meeting with the priest or deacon. At this meeting, couples will fill out the pre-nuptial questionnaire, discuss the sacrament of Marriage and other issues and finalize their wedding liturgy.Couples will need to present these documents at the final meeting:
