St. Mary's Catholic Church

Marriage preparation Information.

Steps for preparation

The date for your wedding will be set after the priest receives your Information form and completes the "Prenuptial" questionnaire with you. The Church Secretary will contact you to set the date for your marriage. Do not select  the date for the wedding venue until the wedding day is set. 

The Couple information form must be filled out and sent to St. Mary's via submitting the form before any dates are set.

Information form.

To begin preparations you will first meet with the pastor after we receive the information form to discuss the process of receiving the Sacrament of Marriage. 

You will need to obtain an updated Baptism Certificate from the church where you were baptized. All additional sacraments received must be listed on the back of the Baptism Certificate even if they were received in a different parish.

If one of you is not Catholic – please obtain a baptismal certificate or letter of Baptism from your home church.

 

MARRIAGE FEES

Please call the office at 979-836-4441 to make a deposit and to schedule the fees.

The deposit holds the church date for you. The rental deposit will be refunded to the Wedding Couple two weeks after the Wedding Ceremony, if all the wedding items have been removed that were brought in, such as: programs, flower petals, pew attachments, etc.

MARRIAGE PREPARATION

If you live within the boundaries of St. Mary’s parish, you have the option of being prepared here. Or if you work or reside in the boundaries of another parish you have the option of being prepared there.

As part of your marriage preparation you will need to take an Engage Encounter weekend retreat and a natural family planning class. Sometimes the NFP class is offered as part of the retreat. These are offered at different parishes in the Diocese but not here in St. Mary’s. If you need assistance in locating these classes we will be glad to help. We urge you to register for these classes soon as they tend to fill quickly.

To learn more about NFP please Visit here..

To learn more about Engage Encounter and to locate the weekend dates please Visit Here.

 

Congratulations on your engagement!

 We want to make this process as smooth as possible for you both so please let us know if we can help you with anything.

979-833-4441

 

Photographers, Flowers and Rehearsal guidelines.

Photographers may move discreetly to the front of the aisle during the procession.  They must back up to the column area for the Mass.  They are not allowed in the sanctuary.  They may go up to the choir loft if they wish to get some shots from up there. 

Photographs must be finished so that the wedding party can clear the church by 4:00 at the very latest, please.  Confessions start at 3:30 pm. 

Flowers:

All Flowers around the Sanctuary and Altar must be Real Flowers.  Silk Flowers can be used for the Bouquets and Boutonnieres.  Silk Flowers must be used when spread down the main aisle, they cannot be real.   Please call Sharon Johnston to discuss any Flowers wanted for the Main Altar or Blessed Virgin Mary.  She is in charge of our Weekend Flower Calendar.  Call the Office to get her phone number.

Rehearsal and Ceremony:

Rehearsals are Friday evening.  We encourage the wedding party to attend our Daily Mass at 5:30 pm. 

Our Wedding Coordinator runs the Rehearsal and ensures the Sacrament of Marriage follows the Catholic Teachings and the Diocese of Austin instructions.  Your Wedding Coordinator is welcome, but cannot change any aspect of the Marriage Sacrament Ceremony.  Any question, please see our Wedding Coordinator. 

Final Note:

 Once the Wedding is concluded and the pictures are finished, please make arrangements for someone to do a sweep through the church, and make sure everything you brought (flower vases, etc.) are taken out.  Also that tissues, programs, trash, debris, etc. are picked up out of the pews, off the floor, and in the Cry Rooms and in any other Buildings used. 

If our Wedding Coordinators have to pick up any areas of the Church or additional rooms rented, your deposit will be in jeopardy.

 

Please let us know if you have any further questions.  Thank You for choosing St. Mary’s for this important Sacrament.  May God Bless your New Family~~