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Wedding Policies |
Logistics and Planning | Fees
We feel honored that you are considering St. Michael’s as the church in which
you wish to make your marriage commitments to each other and to ask God’s
blessings upon your vows.
St. Michael’s takes very seriously our role in preparing you for your wedding
day and doing all we can to make it special and representative of the love that
you have for each other and God has for you both.
The Episcopal Church
holds that Christian marriage is a solemn and public covenant between a man and
a woman in the presence of God. In the Church, it is required that one, at
least, of the parties must be a baptized Christian; that the ceremony be
attested by at least two witnesses; and that the marriage conform to the laws of
the State and the canons of the Church.
If you with to further pursue marriage at St. Michael’s, please read carefully
the rest of the attached policies and the fill out the attached information
sheet and send it to the parish office. Please follow up by calling the church
office to make an appointment with the rector to finalize and confirm the date
and time of the wedding and rehearsal. Please feel free to call us with any
questions you may have.
May you both be blessed during the very important period as you begin you lives
as a couple.
Wedding Policies:
First time marriages
The guidelines of our church require pre-marital counseling for all marriages.
This counseling, different from the wedding service planning, is for your
benefit and is designed to help you make a strong and lasting commitment.
The counseling can be completed in one of three ways.
1. A minimum of 3 sessions of 1 ½ hours each with the rector of St.
Michael’s
2. A weekend retreat of Engaged Encounter
3. Pre-marital counseling by the Episcopal priest of your home parish if you do
not attend St. Michael’s and live elsewhere. The priest must certify in writing
that the counseling has taken place.
Marriages when one or both parties have been divorced
For this category the above counseling options as well as section two
“Remarriage after Divorce” of enclosure #1. The rector can answer any
questions on these matters
Logistics and Service Planning
Church Description
Historic Church on the Green seats 225 comfortably. The isle is 54’ long.
Worship planning
Planning service using the marriage service as set forth in the Book of
Common Prayer p. 423. This work is guided by the officiating priest.
Clergy of other denominations are welcome to assist
Music Planning
Choosing the music for the service is to be guided by the church
organist. Please call Vesna Mehinovic (203) 787-0676 to make an
appointment. St. Michael’s choir director has the right of first refusal for all
weddings. Additional musicians and soloist may be used with the organist’s
approval.
All music in the wedding ceremony should be reflective of the
religious and sacramental context of Holy Matrimony.
Flowers
It is customary to have a pair of arrangements on the Altar in the church vases.
The basic arrangements cost $40.00 and you may request colors to coordinate with
your color theme. If you want anything else more elaborate, you may use our
florist, Terri’s Florist 729-2249 or use another florist of your choice. Our
vases do not leave the church, so arrangements will have to be made in a
container that will fit into our vases and a time will have to be arranged for
delivery. The altar flowers are a donation to the church and remain after the
service.
Service Bulletin
The Church office will print up a simple bulletin upon request. If you wish to
take advantage of this service, please call the parish administrator at least
four weeks prior to the wedding to make arrangements. Please call Kathy Carten,
parish administrator, at (203) 729-8249.
Rehearsal
The wedding rehearsal is usually
held on Friday, before a Saturday wedding at 4 or 5 p.m, all other times as arranged. All participants including readers should plan to attend. The rehearsal will take at least one hour.
THE MARRIAGE LICENSE MUST BE BROUGHT TO THE REHEARSAL. The wedding will not
take place if there is no license!
Wedding license
This can be obtained at the Naugatuck Town Clerk’s office (203) 720-7055 for
approximately $30.00. Application may be made up to 60 days but not less than 30
days before the wedding and bust be submitted on Connecticut forms. Both parties
must appear to sign the forms.
Fees:
For parishioners, there is no fee for the use of the worship space. For non-parishioners, there is an expected donation of $400* for use of the
building and to cover the time that the rector spends away from the parish
duties. Organist, $150 includes the planning session, rehearsal and wedding (made
payable to “cash”). Janitorial services $50 (made payable to “cash”). A donation of 200* to the Rector’s Discretionary Fund is encouraged. All financial arrangements must be completed one week before the wedding.
* These donations are negotiable, as we would not want this expense to prevent
you from celebration your wedding with us
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