ST MARY'S
INVERNESS
Marriage
The Marrige Preparation Course
Please note that for all marriages the Diocese asks that you give at least six months notice in order to give adequate time for preparation.
To arrange a marriage at, St Mary’s, Inverness or St Columba’s, Culloden, please contact the parish office using the following e-mail address stmarysinverness@btinternet.com or telephone 01463 233519
The Marriage Preparation Course is for any couple that want to develop foundations for a healthy marriage that will last a lifetime.
During the course you will have the opportunity, as a couple, to discuss and explore the following topics with one another. Please be aware that there will be no group discussions and you will not be asked to share the outcome from any exercises you do, other than with your partner.
Topic 1: Communication
Topic 2: Commitment
Topic 3: Conflict
Topic 4: Keeping Love Alive
Topic 5: Shared Goals & Values
Topic 6: Teaching of the Church on the rights and obligations of marriage
Please confirm attendance to the Course Coordinator; Deacon Patrick Darbyshire at patrick.darbyshire@btinternet.com or telephone 01456 450154
GETTING MARRIED LEAFLET
Arrangements and Preparation for your Wedding Day
Download Wedding Leaflet.pdf
Booking the date
We normally require at least six months’ notice.
Weddings on Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday are not permitted. Check your dates before finalizing them.
You should check your dates with the Parish Priest BEFORE you book your reception arrangements. This is most important; there may be other weddings booked at the Church.
Only the Parish Priest can confirm bookings; all other arrangements made with other clergy are provisional.
Civil Requirements
By civil law you will need to see the civil Registrar at least eight weeks before the wedding date.
The Registrar will issue you with a document- “The Schedule”, without which the marriage cannot take place.
Preparatory Course
The first thing to be done is the Prenuptial Enquiry. Catholic partners will need to have records of baptism and confirmation. Both parties need Letters of Freedom showing that they are free to marry. Usually we like letters from both sets of parents, indicating freedom to marry. For a Catholic, Letters of Freedom are required from the Church at which his or her Baptism was conducted and entered in the Parish registers. These should be sought within three months of the date fixed for the Wedding.
Marriage Preparation Course
During the course you will look at the Catholic teaching about sacramental marriage and other issues.
Wedding Service
If both parties are Catholic there is normally a Nuptial Mass. In a marriage between a Catholic and a non-Catholic the Marriage Service may be celebrated without a Mass.
Catholics are encouraged to use the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession) as a preparation for their wedding day.
Rehearsal
A Rehearsal for the Service will normally take place the day before the Wedding, usually at the same time as the Wedding.
Music
It is your responsibility to provide an Organist, although with appropriate notice it may be possible to engage one of the organists who play in the Parish. The recommended organist fee is £80, but some charge more.
Flowers & Confetti
We have a very good Flower Arranger called Heather Taylor who will prepare the sanctuary flowers at a very reasonable price. She charges the cost of the flowers you require and a donation to cover the work and any extras involved. It is an excellent service to high professional standards. We do not generally approve of other external florists.
Heather Taylor should always be consulted.
Contact: (01463) 794911
Confetti is NOT permitted within the Church buildings, nor adjacent to them. Please be mindful of not causing a mess that others have to clean up afterwards.
Cameras
The use of cine cameras, video recorders and other cameras is not permitted during the Service by members of the congregation. If you have engaged, or nominated, a photographer to make a film or take photographs, then he or she must make contact with the Officiating Priest before the day of the Service.
It is expected that the photographer should be unobtrusive. He or she should not move about during the Service.
Flash photography is not permitted during the service.
At the Signing of the Registers there will be an opportunity for the designated photographers to take photographs. During the Exit of the Wedding Party photographs may be taken freely.
Parking
Parking is difficult in the streets adjacent to the Church. There is a small car park behind the school, in King Street. The spaces in front of the Church, indicated by markers, are to be kept free for the bridal and other cars.
If you intend to hire a bus or buses, or if you expect a large number of cars, it is your responsibility to notify the local Police in order to minimize inconvenience to neighbours and other road users.
It is not only a politeness, but also it is a legal responsibility to ensure that the roads are not obstructed.
There is strictly NO PARKING on the pavement beside the Church.
Charges and Fees
There is no charge for the Sacraments of the Church.
A stipend may be given to the officiating priest.
Charges are made to cover the use of the Church, being contributions to its maintenance, heating and lighting and the expenses of office in preparing documentation.
If one of the parties is a member of the Parish community the charge is normally £100.
If both parties are from outwith the Parish then the charge is £300.
Payment may be in cash or by a cheque (payable to St Mary’s Inverness) and should be made at or before the Wedding Rehearsal.
Charges for flowers and Organist’s fee
Payments for the Organists and for the flowers should be made (in cash) in clearly marked envelopes, and given to the Organist and the Flower Arranger the day before the Wedding.
For all wedding related enquires please contact The Parish Priest:
St Mary’s Presbytery
30 Huntly Street
Inverness
IV3 5PR
jassbell @ btinternet.com
Tel: 01463 233 519