Wedding Preparation Process

Wedding Preparation Process at St. Bernard Parish

Three Major Sections of the Process of preparation:

1. Initial meeting with the Pastor to do the following:
1. Set the wedding date in union with securing the hall for the reception.
2. Complete all of the legal paper work of Church and the State of Wisconsin
3. Fill out the FOCCUS questionnaire
4. A wedding liturgy planning booklet will be given to you of completion.
2. A marriage preparation couple will be assigned to provide education relating to the questions of the FOCCUS questionnaire and the important areas of marriage facing the couple.  These meetings will meet the requirements of doing the FOCCUS questionnaire and the required diocesan marriage preparation meeting.
3. Prepare the wedding liturgy, in respect to the prayers, readings, songs ad wedding particulars.  The booklet “Together for Life” will be provided.  The Church’s beliefs about the sacrament of marriage will also be shared.

Financial Issues:

A.  The only payment given to the parish is for the preparation process, which is $75.00.

B.  Other areas that one might financially be concerned about are the following: music, flowers, wedding candle or other marriage ceremony activities.  These payments are handled by the wedding couple and the particular person(s).

* Special circumstances that might delay the marriage, such as previous marriage,  will be also looked into.

The priest will delay the preparation for marriage and the ceremony of marriage when certain conditions are present.    The most common of situations are being married outside the church and the person now wants to validate the marriage in the Catholic Church.  Another situation is when one needs an annulment, either because of a divorce granted in the State of Wisconsin or elsewhere.