Marriage Preparation

The Diocese of St. Petersburg requires a period of six months to prepare for the Sacrament of Matrimony. 

A Sacramental Marriage is the cornerstone for a Catholic family life. Because the Church wants couples to form lasting marriages and strong families, they have established a Common Policy for Marriages, which includes a couple’s participation in a marriage preparation program. Our Lady of the Rosary offers a parish based, “Joined in Christ Marriage Preparation Program”.

Our parish based program consists of three phases:

1. Investigative – to determine a couple’s freedom to marry in the Catholic Church
2. Enrichment - a time to examine each other’s suitability for a lifelong relationship
3. Liturgy Planning – an opportunity to focus on your ceremony; choose from a selection of prayers and scripture readings to customize your wedding ceremony.

Offering

The following offering fees helps defray the costs of marriage preparation materials, administrative service, utilities and other expenses incurred by the parish in the processing of documents required by the Diocese of St. Petersburg.

Pay Online

For those couples wishing to be married at Our Lady of the Rosary:

$100.00 - Deposit to hold date.

$200.00 – Marriage preparation cost, this fee is due at the time the couple meets with the Marriage Preparation Coordinator. Checks should be made payable to Our Lady of the Rosary. Should the wedding be cancelled, a refund in the amount of $150.00 will be returned by check to the payee.

$175.00 – Services of the Music Director and Cantor at your wedding liturgy. The costs of outside soloists, extra music rehearsals, additional musicians and/or requests for special musical arrangements are in addition to this fee. The fee is payable to the Music Director at the time the couple meets to plan the music for their wedding liturgy.

$100.00 - Services of the clergy presiding at Marriage Rite.  The gift is payableto the priest or deacon at the time of the wedding rehearsal.

$25.00 - Services of the altar server assisting at Marriage Rite.  The gift is payable to the altar server at the time of the wedding rehearsal..

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$600.00 - Total Cost to be married at Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church.

For couples celebrating their marriage at another Catholic church:

$200.00 - Marriage Preparation cost at Our Lady of the Rosary Parish, this fee is due at the time the couple meets with the Marriage Preparation Coordinator. 

After the successful completion of the assessment phase and all parish fees are paid in full, a wedding date can be finalized and recorded on the parish calendar or written notification/notice sent to another Catholic church. Registered parishioner(s), experiencing financial hardships, should contact the Pastor.