Wedding General Information

Date, Time and Required Deposit

Marriages are celebrated either at St. Paul Church or St. Mary Magdalen de Pazzi Church on any day. On Saturday we offer two time slots, 1 PM or 3 PM, and on Sunday we offer one time slot at 2 PM only. To secure a date for your wedding, please make a payment via Venmo (@StPaulSouthPhilly), by check (808 S. Hutchinson St. Philadelphia, PA 19147), or cash for $300.00.

Certificates and Documents

• Catholic parties are required to present recent Baptismal Certificates (not a copy of the original). They must be dated within six months of the wedding. If you were baptized at St. Paul or St. Mary Magdalen de Pazzi, we already have your baptismal record. The baptismal certificate is easily attained by contacting the church of your baptism and asking for your baptismal certificate for the purpose of marriage. No marriage can take place without this certificate.
• If you are marrying a non-Catholic, they should present a copy of their baptismal certificate if they have been baptized.
• Each party is asked to choose two people who have known them sufficiently long enough to give testimony of their freedom to enter into marriage. This is called a Pre-Marriage Witness Testimony, which is done by completing the witness form.

Marriage Preparation Workshop

A Pre-Cana Workshop is required for all engaged couples. The Pre-Cana Workshop is based on the four major aspects of marriage: Spirituality, Communication, Adjustment and Sexuality. Pre-Cana Workshops may be attended in any diocese. The Pre-Cana classes can be taken on-line or in person.

For information on workshops held virtually and those scheduled within the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, you may visit their website at: phillycatholiclife.org/marriage-prep or call the Family Life Office directly at: 215-587-3561.

When you have completed Pre-Cana, preferably several months before your wedding, please return the Certificate of Attendance to the St. Paul Parish Office.

Music for Your Wedding

The Sacrament of Marriage is greatly enhanced by the use of Sacred Liturgical music. Whether the bride and groom choose a Nuptial Mass or a Nuptial Ceremony, appropriate Liturgical music, properly placed, serves to focus the attention of the assembled and leads them to the source of love itself, who is God. We want you to have the best Liturgical music possible. Our Music Director is contractually responsible for the music and will guide you in choosing music. The Music Director must approve all music that is selected.

Musicians

Our Music Director serves as the principal musician for all weddings and will coordinate all musical selections with the couple. We will also provide a list of cantors who regularly sing in our parish. If the Music Director is not your musician and you choose to hire your own, the fee of $300.00 must still be paid since the Music Director is contractually obligated to play for weddings. If you wish to use your own cantor or organist, please inform the Music Director. The Music Director will also be happy to assist in the hiring of other instrumentalists (for example, a Trumpeter). In general, persons who are brought in for the day must be somewhat familiar with Catholic Liturgy and norms with respect to the Mass. In the event the person(s) is/are not familiar, the Music Director will be present to help guide them through the process.

Music Fees and Payment of Fees

• The fee for our Music Director (Musician) is $300.00.
• The fee for a Cantor is $250.00.
• Payment of music fees must be made directly to the Pastor prior to the wedding no later than the night of the rehearsal.

A Note About Parking

St. Paul Church has access to the parking lot across the street from the church; this lot is owned by the Christopher Columbus Charter School. Use of the lot must be arranged directly with the school. The parish wedding coordinator can provide contact information for the school.

Some Practicalities for the Wedding Day

Floral Arrangements

Floral arrangements are made by the couple. We recommend one arrangement on either side of the Tabernacle. Flowers may be attached to designated pews; however, tape or other damaging adhesives are not permitted to preserve the pews.

Aisle Runner and Flower Tossing

Our church floor is made of ornate ceramic tiles causing any type of runner to buckle, making it very dangerous to walk on, especially during processions. Since this is extremely hazardous, we PROHIBIT the use of an aisle runner in either church. Flower tossing (inside or outside) is also not allowed. These policies have been implemented for insurance reasons as well as for the safety of all concerned.

Candles

Candles of any kind are not permitted in the body of the church due to fire hazards.

Visit to the Blessed Virgin Mary Altar

The practice of the bride and groom visiting the Marian altar or shrine following the celebration of the Sacrament of Marriage should reflect sincere devotion to Mary, Our Blessed Mother. This is an optional practice.

Use of the Church After the Ceremony

To provide reverence during the time of Confession and allow enough preparation time for those attending the Anticipated Mass for Sunday on Saturday evening or our Sunday evening Mass (both starting at 5 PM), we ask that use of the church for wedding activities conclude by 4:30 PM. We also ask that everyone maintain the utmost respect for the Blessed Sacrament at all times.

Rehearsal

On the evening of your rehearsal, you are asked to bring with you the following items:

1. Marriage License

You must obtain a Pennsylvania license. Both parties must appear in person to apply. The couple can apply in any county. The license remains valid for sixty (60) days. Both parties must supply proof of identification and age through one of the following: driver's license, passport, birth certificate or Pennsylvania non-driver's license. If either party has been divorced or widowed, they must present a copy of the divorce decree or death certificate. Please check out https://www.phila.gov/services/birth-marriage-life-events/marriage-and-divorce/get-a-marriage-license/ for the latest information

2. Offering & Fees

Please put each fee in a separate envelope and list the recipient.

• Church: $1,000 (this is above the deposit fee and is assessed for parishioners and non-parishioners)
• Music Director (Musician): $300
• Cantor (Vocalist): $250 each
• Sacristan: $75
• Priest: an offering of your discretion

Our Pastor is always happy to officiate a wedding; however, he extends professional courtesy if you wish to have your own priest as the officiant. It is your responsibility to provide a separate and agreed upon stipend to the guest priest. If the guest priest serves outside of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, he would have to present our parish with a letter of suitability from his diocese prior to the wedding.

If you have any questions, we will be happy to answer them.