Divine Redeemer Catholic Community
Marriage Guidelines
Table of Contents
Introduction
Marriage Preparation
Required Documents
Rite of Marriage with Mass/without Mass
Wedding Day Regulations:
Bridal Room
Time of Ceremonies
Reception of Holy Communion:
For Catholics
For Other Christians
For Non-Christians
Photographs
Flower
Church Environment
Music
Alcoholic Beverages
Rehearsals
Concerns
Nuptial Mass or Not?
Catholic Witnesses?
Including Young Children
Fees and Offerings
Congratulations! We are delighted with your choice to celebrate the Sacrament of Matrimony in the Catholic Community of Divine
Redeemer. Your future marriage is a Sacrament in the faith tradition of the Roman Catholic Church.
While the excitement of this time can be wonderful, it is also a time of anxiety, worry, and stress. The months prior to your actual
wedding date can, unfortunately, be filled with tension and turmoil. Frequently, couples end up preparing for their wedding day rather
than preparing for their marriage and life together. The many details, such as flowers, photographers, rehearsal dinners, and
receptions, become prioritized above the need for God, who should be the center of all things.
Your decision to marry is the most important decision you will ever make in your life. At Divine Redeemer we want to make certain
you have given this decision serious thought and prayer. We also want you to understand the Catholic Church teaching on the
Sacrament of Matrimony, which has evolved over many centuries and is often in conflict with secular notions or other religious
traditions. Thus, in the Diocese of Colorado Springs, there is a Diocesan requirement that the marriage preparation process begin six
months prior to your wedding date.
Before You Do Any Planning:
You may have made some essential wedding planning decisions. In order for your wedding to be a rich, faith-filled experience, it
might help to step back and look at your wedding ceremony as a whole first. Going slowly on some of the details and giving time to
the bigger picture will help you better organize and choose among those many details. Hold off counting the bridesmaids before you
read on. Here are three “big picture” considerations:
Make your wedding Prayerful: Your marriage is celebrated in a church setting because we believe it is a sacrament, a sign that
expresses the reality: YOU ARE ONE IN THE LORD!
The reason your wedding is celebrated in church to begin with is to touch base with what God is doing for and with you. Prayer puts
you in touch with God as a “partner” in your relationship. Your wedding will be prayerful if you begin to pray together now. Please
make a conscious choice to practice your Catholic faith, including regular and faithful attendance at Sunday Mass and reception of
Holy Communion. One should also celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession). We would also hope that those of other
faith traditions who contemplate marriage would be sincere in their own particular faith commitments.
Plan well: Planning takes time. Pray and reflect on the kind of ceremony you would like to have. Consider all the elements, not just
the dresses, tuxedos, and flowers. Pray over the Scripture readings. Good liturgy does not “just happen”. It takes planning.
Know what you want and why: Many couples have created ideas for the wedding ceremony but, unfortunately, do not understand
the purpose for this or that custom. Customs must be proper to the rite of marriage. They must convey what the liturgy itself
expresses.
Thus, it is often difficult to incorporate secular wedding customs into the wedding liturgy. We encourage you to challenge wedding
customs and to create new ways to proclaim boldly what you are about in your Church wedding.
Example: The custom of the father escorting his daughter down the aisle came from a past time when the bride’s permission to marry
and financial matters were male-controlled. More fitting in this day and age is to have both bride and groom escorted in by their
respective parents. Then their joining with each other at the altar says to the assembled guests that, having been reared in their own
families, this bride and groom now “leave father and mother and cling to each other and become one,” (Genesis 2:24) that is, a new
family in the Lord. Naturally, you are free to follow the old custom for sentimental or other reasons.
Two rules to remember:
1. What is special and meaningful to you as a couple may be baffling to your guests.
2. If a custom is just “another thing to do,” without really expressing what you both are saying about your relationship with Christ
and the Church, why include it?
Marriage Preparation: The Diocese of Colorado Springs has some of the most extensive marriage preparation requirements of any
diocese in the nation. Couples are asked to call for an appointment to see a priest or deacon one year prior to desired marriage date.
At this first interview, the couple will begin a process of assessing readiness for Christian marriage, receiving required instruction on
the
nature
of
the
Sacrament
of
Matrimony.
The
Diocesan
requirements
can
be
found
at
http://www.diocs.org/DepartmentsMinistries/MarriageandFamilyLife.aspx. There is a “Related Information” box with an option
of Marriage Prep Step by Step. You are asked to participate fully in these ventures as they can only benefit your future marriage
in the Church.
Required Documents: Certificate of Baptism: The Catholic Party (parties) must obtain a new certificate of Baptism issued not more
than six months prior to the wedding date. Original copies of certificates of Baptism do not meet this requirement but are useful in
obtaining current certificates. For those who were baptized at Divine Redeemer Church, no Certificate of Baptism is required. To
obtain a Certificate of Baptism, write or call the church where you were baptized.
Freedom to Marry Testimony: Each person getting married must provide a document of freedom attesting to his or her freedom to
marry. This document is provided by the priest or deacon and is to be signed by a close relative. The document must be signed in the
presence of the priest or his delegate.
Marriage License: A marriage license must be obtained within 30 days prior to the wedding. The license must be presented to the
priest or deacon on the evening of the wedding rehearsal. No wedding or rehearsal is to take place without a Marriage License. A
marriage license may be obtained by contacting the County Clerk’s Office at Centennial Hall, 200 S. Cascade, Colorado Springs.
Mixed Marriage Dispensation: The mixed marriage (Catholic marrying a non-Catholic) requires a promise by the Catholic party
signed in the presence of the priest or deacon. This is a statement of responsibility of the Catholic party to continue his/her practice of
the Catholic faith and to provide for the Catholic baptism and education of the children of the marriage.
Expectations: The teaching of our Church is that “living together” prior to marriage is wrong and is sinful. Moreover, each party to
the future marriage must demonstrate a certain freedom to marry. Marriage is a free choice. Couples already “living together” may
have difficulty making this free choice as they are already enjoying the benefits of marriage without any of its obligations. Couples
are encouraged to separate prior to beginning the preparation process. This period of separation afford the couple the opportunity to
freely choose the Sacrament of Matrimony as a vocation offered them by God. What a wonderful sign value to your family, friends,
and wedding guests for them to know how seriously you have spiritually prepared for your wedding day.
The Rite of Marriage: There are two options for the Rite of Marriage: The Rite of Marriage with Mass/The Rite of Marriage
without Mass
It is important to note that the wedding liturgy is complete whether or not there is a Mass. Both options are equally valid. At present,
Catholics and other Christians do not have shared communion. A Mass with communion would exclude non-Catholic guests. This
creates a symbol of disunity and the consequences can be problematic. Please do not be afraid or ashamed to discuss this issue with a
priest or deacon. When both parties are Catholic, a Nuptial Mass is recommended. When either party is baptized but not Catholic, we
strongly advise that the couple choose the Rite of Marriage without Mass. When either party is unbaptized, we will celebrate the Rite
on Marriage only.
Wedding Day Regulations: Bridal Room. We have no bridal room. Wedding party participants are requested to arrive at church
already dressed. We apologize for this inconvenience but we are confident that you can make alternate arrangements.
Time of Ceremonies. Weddings are usually held on Saturdays. The nuptial Mass takes about one hour. The wedding ceremony,
without Mass, takes about 30 minutes. Sunday weddings are scheduled only as part of a regularly schedules Mass. Weddings on
weekdays can be arranged for sound pastoral reasons. The wedding party will be allowed into the church no earlier than one and a
half hours prior to the wedding.
The Nuptial Mass on Saturday does not fulfill the obligation to attend Sunday Mass with the parish community. Catholics attending a
Nuptial Mass are invited to participate more fully by receiving Holy Communion. Obviously, non-Catholics should not receive. In
order to avoid embarrassment, we ask that you speak with your non-Catholic guests before the wedding about reception of
Communion. The following guidelines are issued by the United States Catholic Bishops regarding the reception of Holy Communion:
For Catholics: Catholics fully participate in the celebration of the Eucharist when they receive Holy Communion in fulfillment of
Christ’s command to eat His Body and drink His Blood. In order to be properly disposed to receive Communion, communicants
should not be conscious of grave sin, have fasted for an hour, and seek to live in charity and love with their neighbors. People
conscious of grave sin must first be reconciled with God and the Church through the sacrament of Penance.
For Other Christians: We welcome to this celebration of the Eucharist those Christians who are not fully united with us. It is a
consequence of the sad divisions in Christianity that we cannot extend to them a general invitation to receive Communion. Catholics
believe that the Eucharist is an action of the celebrating community signifying a oneness in faith, life, and worship of the community.
Reception of the Eucharist by Christians not fully united with us would imply a oneness which does not yet exist and for which we
must all pray.
For Non-Christians: We also welcome to this celebration those who do not share our faith in Jesus. While we cannot extend to them
an invitation to receive Communion, we do invite them to be united with us in prayer.
The responsibility for preparing couples for marriage rests with the local parish priest. When the priest or deacon and the couple
arrive at a decision for marriage (at or after the first interview), only then may the date be set for the wedding and the more formal
immediate preparations begin.
Photographs: Under most circumstances, your photographer may take photographs during the ceremony. Your photographer must
check with the celebrant prior to the ceremony. The photographer may go quietly anywhere in the church except the raised area near
the altar. He/She should work as quietly and unobtrusively as possible. Videotaping is permitted. The video technician must consult
with the celebrant prior to the ceremony and abide by the same guidelines pertaining to photographers. Floodlights are not permitted
in the church. Group pictures after the wedding are permitted in the church but are limited to 30 minutes in consideration of other
church events.
Flowers: The use of fresh cut flowers is encouraged to enhance the beauty of the marriage liturgy. Artificial flowers are not
permitted.
Church environment: NO ONE is permitted to rearrange tables, chairs, etc., anywhere in the church unless they first get the
approval of the priest or deacon.
Bird seed, rice, and confetti are unbecoming a place of worship and have no place in the wedding liturgy. They are NOT to be used
either in the church, at the church doors, or anywhere on church property.
Music: All arrangements for music must be approved by the Divine Redeemer music coordinator. Couples are encouraged to meet
with the coordinator soon after the wedding date is approved.
Daniel is the music coordinator. He can be reached at the Parish Office by dialing 234-0351. See page 7 of these guidelines for fee
structure of Divine Redeemer musicians if you choose to use them.
Alcoholic beverages: Use of alcoholic beverages during a wedding rehearsal or before a wedding on church property is prohibited.
The wedding is jeopardized by intoxication of any members of the wedding party.
Rehearsals: The rehearsal is the final practice before the wedding. It is necessary that the entire wedding party be ON TIME for this
practice. Failure to be one time may jeopardize the rehearsal. The priest or deacon may have other commitments. The church is in
demand for other uses. The time of rehearsal is set by the party, and priest or deacon, and the office manager.
Concerns:
Should we have a nuptial Mass or a marriage ceremony?
The law of the Roman Catholic Church requires a baptized Catholic to be married before a Catholic clergyman and two witnesses.
The celebration of your marriage either within a Mass or outside a Mass (ceremony only) satisfies the law. Either the Mass or the
ceremony results in the same sacramental marriage in the eyes of the Church.
When one of the parties is non-Catholic, sensitivity suggests a ceremony without Mass. We strongly encourage this alternative. All
marriages are usually celebrated in the parish church.
Do our witnesses need to be Catholic?
Though your witnesses (the best man and maid of honor) need not be Catholic, they should be examples of good Christian living.
Marriage witnesses are representatives of the entire community. They attest to your readiness and confirm that the marriage has
occurred by signing the marriage license. Witness need not be the same sex as the one for whom they are witnessing. All that is
essential is one witness for the bride and one for the groom.
Are young children allowed in the wedding procession?
Please do not ask a young child to be a ring bearer or flower girl if you are not reasonably certain that this will be a happy experience
for the child. Very young children can become frightened and may cause unnecessary confusion. If you do choose to have young
children as part of your wedding party, they may process is with the wedding party, but will then be dismissed to a responsible family
member in the pews immediately after the opening prayer and should remain there until the recessional unless actively involved in the
rite (e.g. ring bearer).
Fees and Offerings:

There is a $300 administration fee for all couples being married at Divine Redeemer. All fees must be paid 30 days in advance
of the wedding date.

Parishioners registered for one year are not charged a fee for use of the Church. Being a registered parishioner means you have
officially registered with Divine Redeemer, are actively attending Mass, and involved in stewardship. Anyone 18 years of age or
older should be registered separate from their family.

Non-Parishioners fee for Church use:
$300.00

Community Center
$250.00
Receptions for both parishioners and non-parishioners. Includes set-up of tables and chairs. Guidelines for Using Church
Facilities must be followed.

Kitchen Use (for Receptions): Clean up is expected. A clean up fee will be charged if the facilities are not in order.
$250.00

Soloist
$150.00

Instrumentalist (per Player)
$200.00

Priest or deacon (no charge). Free will offering will be accepted.
If there are any questions concerning the fee schedule, please discuss your situation with the pastor or deacon.