The Sacrament of Holy Matrimony
How to Schedule a Wedding at The Cathedral of St. Patrick Cathedral in Charlotte
Couples who are registered parishioners of the Cathedral of St. Patrick, must be active members of the parish for at least six months before they can start the marriage preparation process and set a wedding date. To be an active member means:
- Attending Mass at the Cathedral every Sunday,
- Supporting the parish financially,
- Verifying Mass attendance through the use of the parish’s stewardship envelopes and
- Between first registration in the parish and a wedding at The Cathedral of Saint Patrick, at least one full year must elapse.
Please note that no wedding dates will be scheduled until after the couple has had an initial meeting with the priest or deacon responsible for their marriage preparation.
Couples who are not registered parishioners of the Cathedral can hold their wedding at the Cathedral if one or both are registered members of another Catholic parish in the Diocese of Charlotte, if they are free to marry, and if proper permission is provided by the couple's Catholic pastor. To schedule a wedding date, the couple's Catholic pastor needs to mail a letter to the pastor of the Cathedral with the following information:
- A statement that the bride and/or groom are registered members of a Catholic parish in the Diocese of Charlotte.
- A statement that the pastor or someone he designates will complete the marriage preparation.
- A statement from the pastor providing his permission for the wedding to take place at the Cathedral on ________ date and ______ time.
- A statement from the pastor as to who will officiate at the wedding. If the clergy member who will officiate is not a member of the pastor’s parish, a separate letter must be sent to the Cathedral's pastor from the clergy member who will officiate. The letter must be received before the wedding can be scheduled.
- The letter should also include all the contact information (address, phone, email) for both the bride and the groom, including the address where the couple will be living after the wedding if that address is known.
Once the letter of permission is received, if the requested wedding date is available, a rental agreement will be emailed to the couple and a confirmation letter will be sent to the couple’s pastor. Once the deposit, the rental agreement, and the request from the officiant (if required) are received, then the wedding date will be added to the Cathedral’s wedding calendar.
For all couples marrying at the Cathedral of St. Patrick, at least one member of the couple be a baptized, practicing Catholic. Both the bride and groom must be free to marry (i.e., not bound by a prior marriage), psychologically mature, and capable of consenting to marriage. Catholics who have not yet received the sacrament of Confirmation are to receive the sacrament before being admitted to marriage if this can be done without grave inconvenience, and cohabitating couples must separate for at least six months prior to the wedding.
Church Offering and Wedding Fees
For registered, active parishioners of the Cathedral of Saint Patrick who meet the requirements described above, the Cathedral wedding fee is $1,000.00. For couples who are registered, active members of another Catholic parish in the Diocese of Charlotte and have the necessary permission from their pastor, the wedding fee is $1,600.00. In both instances, the wedding fee includes the use of the church and the services of the Cathedral's wedding coordinator and music director/organist.
The Marriage Preparation Process
The goal of the marriage preparation program is to help couples to be open to God's grace so that they can have a happy and fulfilling sacramental marriage. The marriage preparation process also seeks to foster a clear awareness of the essential characteristics of Catholic marriage - unity, fidelity, indissolubility, fruitfulness - and to help you discover the value of the sacraments and the experience of prayer. The program also provides education and support in the values concerning the defense of human life and the nature and importance of married sexuality, in keeping with the authentic teachings of the Church. In addition to meetings with a priest or deacon, couples who complete their marriage preparation in the Diocese of Charlotte are required to attend a one-day marriage encounter retreat. These workshops provide the couple a chance to explore various areas of marriage and family life and consist of presentations, panels, and small group discussions. While your wedding lasts a day; your marriage lasts a lifetime.
For more information about weddings at the Cathedral of Saint Patrick, please email us at weddings@stpatricks.org or call the parish office at (704) 334-2283.
