Can I get married at St. Mary of Redford if I am from another parish?

In case of conflict, preference is given to couples from St. Mary of Redford or who have some connection to the church. However, St. Mary of Redford is happy to welcome couples from outside the parish as well.

Is there a charge for getting married at St. Mary of Redford?

For couples who are registered in the parish, there is no charge for the church, although we gratefully accept free will offerings. If the couple asks another priest besides Fr. Athanasius to say the wedding, that priest may require a Mass stipend. The couple is responsible for speaking to that priest about whether and how much his stipend for the Mass is. The only other charge directly related to the wedding is for the organist, which comes to $150. For couples who are not registered with the parish, we charge $700 to cover the organist, maintenance and administrative costs.

Do I have to be Catholic to be married at St. Mary of Redford?

Either the man, the woman (or both) must be Catholic in order to be married in a Catholic Church. If both are Catholic, it is standard to have a Mass at the wedding. If only one is Catholic, it is called a mixed marriage. The marriage can still take place and the wedding is done with great festivity, but there is no Mass during the ceremony. In a mixed marriage, the Catholic must promise to raise the children Catholic.

Both the man and the woman must also be free to be married according to the laws of the Church. This means that if either were previously married, the previous spouse must have either passed away or the marriage was annulled. If this applies to you, please speak to us. We can talk to you about next steps.

What if my spouse and I were civilly married but never married in the Church?

Sacramental marriages and civil marriages are related but different. While the Church recognizes that non-Christians can contract natural marriages, she does not recognize the validity of marriages outside the Church for Catholics without proper dispensation. Fortunately, so long as both spouses are free to be married, the situation can be quickly rectified. This is called a convalidation. Please contact us and we will be in touch soon about next steps.

When do weddings usually take place?

Weddings typically take place on Saturdays. At St. Mary of Redford, we have an 8:00 AM Saturday Mass but can schedule weddings from roughly 10:00 AM onward.

I have a proposed date for my wedding. How soon will it be before I hear if the church is available?

As soon as we can. Once we have the marriage inquiry form (found on this website), we will call you and ask to meet. Once we know that you are free to marry and have a chance to get to know you a little, we will talk about possible dates. Couples often schedule weddings about a year in advance. If at all possible, we will try to accommodate your requests. Please know however that weddings are reserved on a first come, first serve basis.

What are my next steps?

1) Fill out the marriage inquiry form

2) Schedule a meeting with the wedding coordinator at St. Mary of Redford (we will reach out to you)

3) Consider whether you want to go through the betrothal ritual (description found here.) It is not required, but it is a traditional way of solemnizing your engagement and asking God’s blessing on this stage of your journey towards marriage.

4) Plan on beginning marriage preparation classes. You may either do them here at St. Mary of Redford or if you are from another parish, you may do them there. Simply let us know what you plan to do.

5) Keep close to God in prayer and ask Him to form your heart so you can be the spouse He wants you to be for your future husband or wife.

Who do I contact if I have questions?

Use the Contact Us link found on the menu bar of this website. We will get back to you shortly.