Sacrament of Matrimony
“For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and cling to his wife, and the two shall be made into one.” (Ephesians 5:31)
Marriage Preparation: Diocesan law requires a six-month period of preparation for a wedding. This preparation will include the following:
- A pre-marital inventory administered by the priest or deacon with subsequent counseling if indicated.
- Participation by the couple in an approved Sponsor Couple Program, or an Engaged Encounter Weekend, or Diocesan Retreat Day.
- This preparation is also required when permission is obtained for the wedding to take place in a non-Catholic church of the bride or groom.
- Couples who are unable to participate in this preparation at St. Paul must have certification that they have completed an approved Catholic marriage preparation program elsewhere.
- Professional marriage counseling may be required by law or by the judgment of the priest or deacon in some cases.
Wedding Dates and Times:
- Weddings may be scheduled for any day except Sunday, during Holy Week and a few liturgical celebration days.
- Weddings are discouraged during Lent, and will only be held for a very good reason. In the event of a wedding during Advent or Lent, please note that the church decorations, altar cloth colors, etc. cannot be changed.
- Weddings times are Saturdays at 12:00 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. These times are for the start of the ceremony itself, not the musical prelude.
- Wedding rehearsals are ordinarily held the evening before the wedding. Rehearsal times are scheduled at 5 p.m. or 6 p.m. and typically take one hour. All members of the wedding party, plus the readers and parents, should be present for the rehearsal. The civil marriage license, the planning sheet for the ceremony, and all fees must be brought to the rehearsal.
- Weddings times on other days will be scheduled with the priest or deacon.
- Wedding times may never interfere with regularly scheduled church services.
Scheduling a Wedding Date:
- Contact the parish office at (330) 499-2201 for church availability.
- If the date is available, a temporary hold will be placed for that date and time.
- The wedding date cannot be confirmed until the couple has completed the Wedding Information Form by calling the parish office and approved by the pastor.
For all wedding guidelines, please click here: Wedding Guidelines booklet PLEASE NOTE: Wedding Guidelines have been updated as of January 2024. Please read over them carefully–changes are in bold print.