Marriage
Celebrating the Sacrament of Matrimony at Saint Patrick Catholic Church
Preparing for Marriage at Saint Patrick
The matrimonial covenant, by which a man and a woman establish between themselves a partnership of the whole of life, is by its nature ordered toward the good of the spouses and the procreation and education of offspring; this covenant between baptized persons has been raised by Christ the Lord to the dignity of a sacrament.
Couples wishing to celebrate the Sacrament of Matrimony at Saint Patrick Catholic Church must begin marriage preparation at least six (6) months prior to the desired wedding date. Please do not finalize reception venues or wedding invitations before meeting with the priest or deacon to confirm availability on the parish calendar.
Parish Guidelines & Required Documentation
1. Initial Meeting & Wedding Coordinator
After submitting the initial questionnaire, you will meet with one of the parish priests or deacons to begin sacramental preparation. You will also work closely with our Community Life and Wedding Coordinator, Michelle Dawson (weddingsstpatrick@richmondcluster.org), to plan the liturgy and rehearsal.
2. Baptismal Certificates
Catholics must obtain an updated copy of their baptismal certificate (issued within the past six months) with all sacramental notations from the church of baptism. Non-Catholic Christians should provide a copy of their baptismal certificate.
3. Scheduling & Saturday Wedding Times
Because Confession and the Saturday Vigil Mass begin in the afternoon, the latest time a wedding may be scheduled on a Saturday at Saint Patrick Catholic Church is 2:00 PM.
4. Church Offering & Historic Preservation
There is no fee for the sacraments themselves. To cover wedding coordination and liturgy expenses, the parish requests a $300 offering from registered parishioners. For non-parishioners, an additional $300 donation is requested to assist with the ongoing maintenance and preservation of our historic church building. Musicians and vocalists are compensated separately in coordination with our Music Coordinator, Virginia Tilley (vtilley@richmonddiocese.org).