Marriage is not to be entered into unadvisedly or lightly, but reverently, deliberately, and in accordance with the purposes for which it was instituted by God.


Christian marriage is a solemn and public covenant between two people in the presence of God. In the Episcopal 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 this Church.

A priest or a bishop normally presides at the Celebration and Blessing of a Marriage, because such ministers alone have the function of pronouncing the nuptial blessing, and of celebrating the Holy Eucharist. When both a bishop and a priest are present and officiating, the bishop should pronounce the blessing and preside at the Eucharist. A deacon, or an assisting priest, may deliver the charge, ask for the Declaration of Consent, read the Gospel, and perform other assisting functions at the Eucharist. Where it is permitted by civil law that deacons may perform marriages, and no priest or bishop is available, a deacon may use the service which follows, omitting the nuptial blessing which follows The Prayers.

It is desirable that the Lessons from the Old Testament and the Epistles be read by lay persons.

In the opening exhortation (at the symbol of N.N.), the full names of the persons to be married are declared. Subsequently, only their Christian names are used.

If Banns are to be published, the following form is used:

I publish the Banns of Marriage between N.N. of ____________ and N.N. of ___________. If any of you know just cause why they may not be joined together in Holy Matrimony, you are bidden to declare it. This is the first (or second, or third) time of asking.

The Celebration and Blessing of a Marriage may be used with any authorized liturgy for the Holy Eucharist. This service then replaces the Ministry of the Word, and the Eucharist begins with the Offertory.

For the Ministry of the Word it is fitting that the two people to be married remain where they may conveniently hear the reading of Scripture. They may approach the Altar, either for the exchange of vows, or for the Blessing of the Marriage.

It is appropriate that all remain standing until the conclusion of the Collect. Seating may be provided for the wedding party, so that all may be seated for the Lessons and the homily. The Apostles’ Creed may be recited after the Lessons, or after the homily, if there is one.

When desired, some other suitable symbol of the vows may be used in place of the ring.

At the Offertory, it is desirable that the bread and wine be presented to the ministers by the newly married persons. They may then remain before the Lord’s Table and receive Holy Communion before other members of the congregation.

  • Book of Common Prayer 1979

 

Six steps to help you with your church wedding:

  1. Meet with the Priest and get on the church calendar.
  2. Make arrangements for your Premarital Counseling.
  3. Meet with the church Wedding Coordinator before making final arrangements with your wedding service providers, (florist, photographer, etc). You can arrange this by contacting the church office 614.766.2664, church@pats-dublin.org
  4. Meet with the church Music Director about music for the service. See below for more information. You can arrange this by calling/emailing the church office.
  5. Pay all Fees/Donations at the time of Rehearsal. See below for more information.
  6. Feel free to call or email the church with any questions you have.

Policies and Procedures

Weddings at St. Patrick’s Church are sacred and sacramental services. Therefore, all ceremonies will be conducted in accordance with the Book of Common Prayer and the Canons of the Episcopal Church. The Rector of the Parish, by Canon law, has full responsibility of determining the appropriateness of all arrangements.

Who may be married at St. Patrick’s Episcopal Church?
Christian marriage is a solemn and public covenant between two people that is entered into in and supported by the presence of God and the community of faith. The sacrament of Holy Matrimony is the liturgical expression of that relationship.

Marriages solemnized in the Church continue to be nurtured within the community of the Church as a lifelong process. Those who come to the church seeking God’s blessing on their relationship should do so with a clear intention of maintaining an active participation in the life of the Church. It should be considered normative that marriage take place in the church where the couple intends to worship.

The Episcopal Church requires that at least one of the parties be a baptized Christian, the ceremony be attested to by at least two witnesses, and that the marriage conform to laws of the state of Ohio and the canons of this Church. Couples will be required to sign a Declaration of Intention stating that they

  • desire to receive the blessing of Holy Matrimony in the Church;
  • do solemnly declare that they hold marriage to be a lifelong union;
  • believe that their union in heart, body, and mind is intended by God for their mutual joy; help and comfort in prosperity and adversity; and, God willing, for the procreation of children and their nurture and in the knowledge and love of God.

Before setting a date
Call St. Patrick’s to request an appointment with the Rev. Stephen Smith, rector, or another clergyperson employed by the parish.

Meet with the rector, or other person appointed, to discuss feasibility, availability of date, wedding policy, review the Church’s financial policies, and to sign the Declaration of Intent. A date cannot be set without a meeting with a church clergyperson. Weddings are not usually performed in the seasons of Lent or Advent. Weddings can begin no later than 7:00 p.m.

Premarital counseling
Premarital counseling is required by the Episcopal Church. There is a minimum of three sessions required and additional sessions may be recommended. Normally, premarital counseling is conducted by the officiating priest. All sessions should be completed at least 2 months from the wedding date scheduled. Counseling at St. Patrick’s is done using the PREPARE/ENRICH Program. Fees associated with this program are the responsibility of the couple. No announcement of the wedding should be made, or invitations mailed until after at least two of these sessions are completed.

If the bride and/or groom is living out-of-town, the couple may wish to make arrangements for counseling to be done by an Episcopal priest near them. This should done as early as possible, and with consent of the officiating priest. An evaluation from the priest conducting the counseling must be forwarded to the officiating priest at least 2 months from the wedding date scheduled. Failure to participate in premarital counseling will result in the postponement or cancellation of the wedding date.

Re-marriage
Canon law requires clergy to obtain consent from the bishop before solemnizing the marriage of anyone who has been divorced. At least one year from the date of the final decree of divorce is the norm for re-marriage. It is the policy of the Diocese of Southern Ohio that in the case of re-marriages, at least one person must be an Episcopalian. Our bishop requires a minimum of 30 days in which to respond to requests to solemnize such marriages. The couple must have given the priest photocopies of their divorce decree(s) no later than 60 days before the wedding date.


Additional Policies and Procedures

Marriage License
It is required that the parties wishing to marry comply with all the laws of Ohio. Such compliance is indicated to the officiating priest by the presentation of a marriage license. The license is issued by the Franklin County Courthouse. The license should be brought to the Church office at the wedding rehearsal. The priest cannot officiate without the license. The priest will return the license to the courthouse/Vital Statistics office after the wedding.

Dates/Times
Dates and times for weddings are on a first-come, first served basis. Weddings are usually scheduled on a Saturday. If there is more than one wedding on a given date, there must be a minimum of four hours separating the ceremonies.

Vendors
All florists, photographers, videographers, caterers, bridal consultants and other vendors associated with the wedding must discuss services with the St. Patrick’s coordinator assigned to the wedding. Photography/videography must be done with available light (no flash photography). Videography must be done from no more than two stationary positions. Time allowed for photography before and after the service depends on the number of weddings scheduled for the day and should be scheduled with the coordinator. If you wish a picture taken with the priest, please do that as the first pose as a courtesy to his/her schedule. Outside bridal consultants are not permitted to direct the rehearsal or the wedding. Vendors may not arrive more than 2 hours before the service.

Rehearsal
The purpose of the wedding rehearsal is to familiarize the wedding party with the service so that they will be at ease during the wedding itself. The couple will participate fully in the rehearsal. The officiating clergy, with assistance from the Altar Guild, will be responsible for the actual conduct of the rehearsal.

The rehearsal should last about one hour. They are normally scheduled for the day before the wedding. No rehearsal will be scheduled to begin after 6:30 p.m. The entire service, including the ushering in of relatives and the procession, will be rehearsed. IT IS IMPORTANT FOR ALL MEMBERS TO ATTEND AND FOR EVERYONE TO BE ON TIME.

The Wedding
The ceremony will be conducted by a priest of St. Patrick’s. Upon request, the priest may invite an Episcopal priest from another parish, or a person from another denomination to assist in the ceremony. The liturgy is from the Book of Common Prayer and usually includes Holy Eucharist. When the Eucharist is celebrated, all baptized Christians will be invited to share in the reception of the sacrament. Lessons from the Old Testament and Epistle can be, and are encouraged to be, from the families of the couple getting married.

Music
The couple must contact St. Patrick’s Organist/Choirmaster for consultation at least six weeks before the wedding. The Organist/Choirmaster will play at all weddings with music. Musicians in addition to the Organist/Choirmaster are welcome. However, they and the music selections must be approved by the Organist/Choirmaster. Music that does not have as its chief end the praise of God is best left for the reception. The Organist/Choirmaster has first right of refusal with regard to music selections. Some suggestions for music include:

Decorations
A wedding is a worship service and we seek to worship God with beauty and simplicity. When two or more weddings are scheduled for the same day, it is recommended that the flowers be coordinated so that unnecessary expense may be avoided. Please be aware that floral arrangements will be placed on the floor in front of the altar. As in all church decorating, everything should be arranged to direct attention to the altar.

Wedding flowers become the property of the church and will be used for worship services the following Sunday. The Sunday bulletin will acknowledge that the flowers are given in thanksgiving for the marriage.

The liturgical color for a wedding is white, the color of celebration. Altar candles and torches are the only candles. Extra candelabra or unity candles are discouraged. Aisle runners are not permitted. Aisle candles pose a fire hazard and are not permitted.

Furniture
There should be no attempt made to move furniture to accommodate displays. Pew bows, if they are used, are to be secured with a band of elastic or floral tape. Any rented items are the responsibility of the couple. Arrangements must be made in advance for removal and pickup.

Guest Book
A guest book may be displayed and signed in the narthex before the service. After the service, the guest book should be taken to the reception site.

Traffic
If the size of the wedding requires a traffic officer, one can be obtained by calling the Dublin Police Department. The cost of the officer is the responsibility of the wedding parties.

Rice, etc.
Rice, birdseed, balloons or confetti are not to be used on church property. They are difficult to clean up and dangerous to wildlife. You may use bubbles.

Flower petals
Silk flower petals only are permitted inside the church.

Dressing room
A room will be provided two hours before the service.

Bulletins
If you wish to have a bulletin for your wedding, please check with the rector. The printing of the bulletins and their delivery to the church are the responsibility of the wedding parties.

Smoking is strictly prohibited within the premises.

Reception
The St. Patrick’s Parish Hall is available for receptions and should be scheduled at the same time the wedding date is scheduled. Consumption of alcohol is permitted only in accordance with diocesan policy. Hard liquor is not permitted. Non-alcoholic beverages in equal quantity and prominence must be provided where alcohol is served. Renting the Parish Hall for your reception assumes that the wedding parties agree to bear all responsibility for liability concerning their guests and hold harmless St. Patrick’s Church and its employees and volunteers from any liability for injury or death due to negligence.

There are St. Patrick’s congregation members with severe allergies to peanut products. Please do not serve peanuts at your reception in the Parish Hall.


Fees/Donations

It is expected that all fees will be paid no later than when the marriage license is brought to the church.

  • Premarital Counseling: $35 (check payable to Prepare/Enrich)
  • Rehearsal Deposit: $50
  • Use of Church (Pledging members): no fee
  • Use of Church (Nonpledging members): $1,200 (half due when church is booked, half at rehearsal)
  • Use of Parish Hall (Pledging members): no fee
  • Use of Parish Hall (Nonpledging members): $500

Receptions in the Parish Hall may be cancelled up to two weeks (14 days) before the scheduled date with a refund of 75% of the fee. Arrangements for catering, place settings, tables, linens, decorations, and so forth, are the responsibility of the wedding parties. The Parish Hall must be cleaned up and available for use by 8:00 a.m. the next morning.

  • Organist/Choirmaster: $250
  • Choir fees: to be negotiated
  • Music for Rehearsal: to be negotiated
  • Clergy gift: (generally $250)
  • St. Patrick’s Wedding Coordinator: (generally $100)
  • Altar Guild: (at your discretion, generally $100)