We are happy to cooperate with you in the Church celebration of your wedding. We believe as you undoubtedly do, that God has a very important part in the lives of married couples, and therefore it is of the utmost worth to begin your married life with His solemn blessing.

We believe that there are three areas of sensitivity and responsibility to every wedding. They are the Spiritual, the Civil and the Social. The Spiritual, the Sacramental Celebration of Matrimony is our primary concern. We reserve that to ourselves to be worked out with you as the bride and groom. The Civil we leave to you and the State of Pennsylvania to work out. The Social is a continuation of the celebration, therefore, we leave that part to you and your family and friends.

The following provides you with some basic guidelines in regards to preparation for Matrimony.

PREPARATIONS: Couples desiring to be married in the church community must notify their parish priest six months in advance of the proposed wedding date. This notification should precede any definite arrangements concerning the date and place of the wedding reception. This longer period is to allow for sufficient time for proper assessment and adequate pre-marriage instruction and preparation.

Diocesan policy requires that engaged couples participate in a Pre-Matrimony program especially designed to provide proper instructions toward an adequate understanding of Matrimony; such as, the four week lecture series sponsored by the Diocesan Adult Education Bureau or the Catholic Engaged Encounter, or a local program.

CEREMONY: The Sacrament of Matrimony is a celebration of the sacred covenant between the bride and groom. The atmosphere is one of prayer and joy. The nature of the ceremony requires the deepest reverence and respect . To assure this proper atmosphere we must insist on the following:

The WEDDING PARTY should conduct themselves as gentlemen and ladies before, during, and after both the wedding rehearsal and the wedding ceremony, as long as they are in church. The conduct of the wedding party will set the example for the guests, too.

PROMPTNESS is the indicated good taste for both the rehearsal and the ceremony. We arrange our schedules for weddings in such a way as to give each wedding a sufficient time. While we certainly allow the fashion experts to tell you how you should dress and walk, we do not welcome interference by such people in the rehearsal before the wedding or in the wedding itself. The clergy who preside will handle this.

PICTURES are the perpetuation of an event and so they do have a place in the wedding. However, the good photographer is present in the church without attracting attention and certainly without disturbing the religious ceremony. The photographer for your wedding must meet with the clergy sometime before the ceremony.

MUSIC chosen for your wedding should reflect the sacred and solemn character of the event. An important part of the planning for your wedding is the selection of appropriate and beautiful music. It should be celebrational, prayerful and meaningful. All music must be coordinated with our music minister for which there will be a separate consultation fee.

FLOWERS purchased to decorate the altar by the couple are at their discretion. The length of the center aisle is 50 feet The throwing of rice and birdseed is prohibited.

Suggested stipends are as follows: Organist: Jennifer Persuitte, 412-596-8511. Make individual financial arrangements with her directly. Church: $500.00 stipend Altar servers(2): free will offering; Priest: free will offering.

General Information 1. To be married in our Church, at least one party must be a practicing Catholic, and both must be canonically free to marry. Only the Catholic Sacrament of Matrimony can be performed, and one of the parish clergy must be contacted at least 6 months prior to a proposed wedding date. This is Universal Canon Law and diocesan policy. 2. There is a stipend of $500.00 for use of the church . 3. Parishioners have the right to the use of the services of parish clergy for their weddings. A parishioner is defined as someone who has been actively on the rolls, attending services here, and regularly using envelops for at least a year prior to the ceremony. Otherwise, they fall into the next category. (Past membership doesn't count, only current.) Outside Catholic clergy in good standing are not only permitted but encouraged to celebrate at the couple's invitation. Specific requests for which of our parish clergy preside will try to be accommodated, but cannot be guaranteed. 4. Parishioners will be asked for a $50 deposit to reserve the date. Only one date can be scheduled at a time. This is because a number of times people have moved, called off their weddings or gone elsewhere and not told us, tying up a date needlessly. Our music minister must co-ordinate any music, under a separate financial understanding, but we do welcome other musicians under her direction. The Church will provide altar-servers, but others are welcomed if requested. 5. Non-parishioners may be accommodated under the condition they arrange for their own Catholic clergy to perform the service. Only a Catholic clergyman can schedule the wedding. After a priest or deacon has contacted the rectory, a $500 stipend must be forwarded to reserve the date. Financial arrangements with said clergy are the couple's responsibility. 6. Weddings can be performed any day of the week except Sundays and Holy Days. The usual times for a Saturday wedding are: 10:00 AM, 12:00 Noon, 2:00PM. No other Saturday starting times! Rehearsals may be scheduled 6 weeks prior to the wedding date. Weddings scheduled on Saturday afternoons are allotted a two hour time frame: 9:30 to 11:30; 11:30 to 1:30; 1:30 to 3:30. There is a parish Mass at 4:00 PM and no accommodation can be made for any wedding participant whose vehicle is blocked in the parking lot. Weekday wedding times are negotiable.

Due to the number of weddings and phone call we receive, we ask that only the bride or groom contact the office with inquiries about wedding matters.

These policies deal with scheduling only, there are other rules.

Some restrictions apply. Subject to change without notice.

Wedding Policy Acknowledgement Return this signed form to St. John of God.

Acknowledgement of Agreement for Use of St. Catherine of Siena Parish Contact: Due to the number of weddings, the bride or groom and the clergy involved are the only people who should contact the church for any wedding information. The mother of the bride or groom, family members or friends should not contact the church for any reason. Please have all others contact the bride, groom or their clergy with any concerns. Do not call the office before 9:00 a.m. on weekdays and the office is closed on weekends. Times: You are allotted two (2) hours on your wedding day for the preparation, ceremony and photographs and one (1) hour for the rehearsal during the preceding week. The normal time frame is ½ hour before the ceremony and ½ hour after the ceremony with the ceremony taking one (1) hour. Rehearsals are scheduled no more than six (6) weeks before the date of your wedding. Weddings on Saturday at 2:00 PM. must leave the church and parking lot by 3:30 p.m.

Decorations: You are allowed to tastefully decorate our church for your wedding; however nothing may be attached to any fixtures in the church using tape, glue, nails, thumb tacks or any other fastening device. (Bows can be attached to the pews using elastic or a similar material). You may leave flowers on the altar at your discretion. The use of altar pillars is not permitted, nor are any candles utilizing flame except for the Matrimonial Unity candle. All decorations must be removed after the wedding. There will be NO throwing of rice, birdseed or flower petals. The moving of church furniture is not permitted. After the service: Please do not plan to have a receiving line at the church following your wedding. Reserve the receiving line for your reception. In all instances, the decision of the pastor (or his delegate) is final. We acknowledge the receipt of this letter and agree to abide by its terms:

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Bride

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Groom