Wedding Guidelines at St. Brigid and St. James - The Sacrament of Matrimony - Requirements and Parish Process

Sep 24, 2026

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Wedding Guidelines at St. Brigid and St. James outline the Roman Catholic understanding of the Sacrament of Matrimony as a public act of worship, shaped by parish Sunday worship. The document sets eligibility requirements: baptized Roman Catholic status for one person, freedom to marry under Church teaching for both, and minimum age of 18. It details preparation timelines, Pre Cana initiation, and parish-controlled communication, scheduling, and approvals. It also covers ceremony planning: timing access, rehearsal, celebration options, Mass guidance for inter-faith couples, marriage license submission rules, presider responsibilities, lectors, and practical safety and decoration limitations.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryLetters

FormatPDF

Pages9

Reading Time3 min

AccessFree to download

The Sacrament-An Overview

Requirements

Common Answers/Issues

Setting the Time and Date

The Celebration

Marriage License

Officiant

Lectors-Ministers of the Word

Wedding Guidelines at St. Brigid and St. James The Sacrament-An Overview The Sacrament of Matrimony is an act of worship and although it has its own special quality, it should have those elements common to all acts of worship.The Sacrament of Matrimony is part of a wider parish experience of prayer. Therefore, the parish’s normal celebration of Sunday worship should shape what is done at weddings. A wedding liturgy is not a private moment for t he bride and groom and their families. The Roman Catholic Church teaches that the wedding liturgy is a public sacrament of the Church. Like all public worship services and sacraments, the Church provides us with rituals and guidelines which maintain the liturgy’s sacredness, dignity and Christ-centered prayer. Requirements In order to celebrate matrimony in the Roman Catholic Church, there are three requirements: ( 1 ) One of the two persons must be a baptized Roman Catholic person, (2 ) Both persons must not be currently married as understood by the Roman Catholic Church. (3) Both persons must be 18 or older. The three requirements establish a couple’s freedom to marry as understood by the Roman Catholic Church.The Archdiocese of Louisville requires a minimum of six months preparation time between the engagement and the marriage ceremony. Once the marriage date is negotiated and approved at the parish, the couple will need to initiate and complete the marriage preparation process ( Pre Cana) as required by the Archdiocese of Louisville, this parish and the celebrating priest or deacon. Common Answers/Issues ( more details in the corresponding sections) All communication between the parish staff should be directly with the couple. Outside secular coordinators will not be included in communication/ meetings. It is the responsibility of the couple to pass along any relevant information. The date and time of the ceremony noted on the contract is guaranteed. While we do try to accommodate requests, any changes to this can not be guaranteed and should be discussed with Elizabeth Lichtsteiner. (setting date and time) Any deviation from the Together for Life reading options, including providing your own petitions, must be approved through Elizabeth Lichtstiener and submitted no later than one ( 1 ) month prior to the ceremony. (the celebration) Visiting presiders are guests, and should respect the guidelines of the parish concerning the celebration of the Sacrament of Matrimony. ( presider) The Music Director for the parish will arrange all musicians/cantors. Outside musicians must be approved by the music director and arranged through him. ( music) Seasonal decorations, already in place, are not removed for the celebration of a wedding (environment/decorations) There are very specific places where flowers are allowed on the altar. Please see Elizabeth Lichtsteiner for more details. (environment/decorations) Nothing may be placed in the aisle on the floor, including but not limited to flower petals, aisle runners etc. (safety ) Setting the Time and Date Your wedding celebration may be scheduled as follows: At St. Brigid: Friday evenings up to 6 pm; Saturdays up to 1 pm. At St. James: Friday and Saturday evenings up to 6 pm. There is also the option of celebrating your marriage during the week or at the regularly scheduled Saturday evening or Sunday morning liturgies. You will have access to the church up to two hours prior to the ceremony. We allow one and a half ( 1.5) hours for the ceremony, followed by thirty (30) minutes for pictures afterwards. The default rehearsal time is 6 :00 pm on the day prior to the ceremony. This may be subject to change based on prior availability or upon request. The date and time of the ceremony noted on the contract is guaranteed. While we do try to accommodate requests, any changes to this can not be guaranteed and should be discussed with Elizabeth Lichtsteiner. The Celebration As a general rule a Catho

FAQs

What are the three requirements to celebrate matrimony in the Roman Catholic Church?

One person must be a baptized Roman Catholic, neither person may be currently married under Church understanding, and both must be 18 or older.

How much preparation time is required between engagement and the wedding ceremony?

The Archdiocese of Louisville requires a minimum of six months preparation time between engagement and the marriage ceremony.

What are the rules for scheduling the ceremony and rehearsal time?

The document specifies ceremony time windows at St. Brigid and St. James and allows church access up to two hours prior. The default rehearsal time is 6:00 pm the day before, subject to change based on availability or request.

Sep 24, 2026

Upload by Angel