There are three things that last: faith, hope and love; and the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13

What is Marriage?

In the Sacrament of Matrimony, couples establish a partnership founded on love which will last for the rest of their lives:

“So then, what God has united, man must not divide.”
Mark 10:9

In doing so, the couple demonstrate their love for one another by committing to spend their whole lives together. They offer themselves and their wedding rings as signs of the bond they have established, and they promise to be open to God’s plan for their lives.

What to expect?

Catholic weddings usually take place within the context of the Mass. At Mass, Catholics gather to hear the word of God proclaimed from the Bible, and to celebrate the Eucharist. The Eucharist is when the substance of bread and wine is changed and becomes the Body and Blood of Jesus, which we are given to eat and drink following Jesus’ instruction at the Last Supper. 

Sometimes Catholic weddings take place outwith the context of Mass. In this case, there would be prayers and readings from scripture which will preceded the celebration of Matrimony itself.

The celebrant (a priest or deacon) will offer helpful direction throughout the Mass  or service, to help everyone present to understand everything that happens.

Marriage at St. Mary’s

If you would like to be married at St. Mary’s, please get in touch! Anyone can get married at St. Mary’s as long as both parties are free to marry and one of the parties is a Catholic. Catholic parishes usually require at least six months’ notice of your marriage, so please don’t delay getting in touch following your engagement!

Before getting married, couples need to complete a course of marriage preparation. More information is available from the parish once you have contacted us about your intention to get married.

The Catholic party/parties must produce a certificate confirming their baptism, which must be issued within six months of the wedding. To obtain this, you should contact the parish where you were baptised no earlier than six months before your wedding. Both parties will also be required to produce a letter of freedom, usually from a parent, stating that they have not been married before and are free to marry, or that they have been married before, have received the necessary writ of divorce/nullity and are free to marry.

You will then be supported by the parish in the preparation of the liturgy, such as in the selection of appropriate readings from Scripture and hymns.

We look forward to helping you prepare for your very special day!