Welcome!
The wedding feast at Cana in Galilee (from St John's Gospel 2:1-11, depicted above) symbolises the very special importance of weddings - they are special and joyful times for brides and grooms, and their families. We are especially pleased that you would like to celebrate your wedding in our Parish.
There are many details that will demand your attention prior to your wedding day. Please read these pages carefully, especially the documentation requirements.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Setting the Date & Paperwork
Couples are normally expected to contact the Parish Priest of Holy Spirit Parish, Bangalow-Byron Bay, no later than six months in advance of the date on which they hope to celebrate their wedding.
If from another Parish
When couples live outside this parish (Holy Spirit), the paper-work and preparation for the marriage will be completed by the Parish Priest of the Parish in which the Catholic party resides.
For example, a Catholic wishing to be married in St Finbarr's Church, Byron Bay, who lives in Camberwell, Victoria, must approach the Parish Priest of Our Lady of Victories' Parish, Camberwell, to complete the paperwork and preparation.
Firming the booking
Only the Parish Priest of Holy Spirit Parish may enter the date of the wedding in the parish calendar. Dates will be entered normally only after the priest has met with the engaged couple (or spoken personally with them) and has had an opportunity to explain the process of preparation leading up to the wedding day.
It is the responsibility of the engaged couple to secure the date with the church before making commitments with caterers, reception halls, country clubs, etc.
The Catholic Rite
Catholic priests are registered to perform marriages only in accordance with the Rites of the Catholic Church. This means that the ceremony must follow the formal liturgy of the Church for Catholic marriages, using approved Scripture Readings and appropriate Church music.
Location of Marriage
In Accordance with Church Law and diocesan regulations, marriages are not permitted in any place other than in one of the parish churches: St Finbarr's or St Kevin's.
Scheduling the Time
Weddings are generally scheduled on Saturdays between 10:00am and 3:30pm, no later. Weddings are not scheduled on Sundays. In exceptional cases, a wedding may be celebrated on another day of the week. Marriages are not conducted on Easter Saturday.
Marriage Preparation
The Parish (on behalf of the Catholic Church and Commonwealth Government generally) requires that all couples participate in some type of structured preparation before marriage. Details will be provided by the Parish where the papers are filled out. The preparation program usually takes the form of either:
Centacare Marriage Preparation program; or
The Engaged Encounter weekend; or
Parish-based Marriage preparation program.
During the initial meeting with the priest, these options will be explained.
DOCUMENTATION
A] Official Certificates to be presented:
The following documents are required by the Church and/or the Commonwealth of Australia:
1) If Catholic, a recent copy of one's baptismal certificate, dated within the last SIX months, will be required -- you can obtain this by writing to the Parish Priest of the Parish in which you were baptised. If a baptized non-catholic, any dated copy is acceptable.
2) A full Birth certificate is required from the bride and groom. A passport will suffice for overseas visitors.
3) If one party is non-catholic, permission to marry will be sought from the Bishop; this is a simple formality.
B] Official Documents to be completed:
1) "Notice of Intended Marriage" form
Notice of Intended Marriage (a Commonwealth Government document) is to be completed within 18 months prior to the date of the marriage and at least one month and one day prior to the date of the wedding.
... if from overseas
Australian citizens living overseas, or persons living in foreign countries who are not Australian citizens, may obtain, complete, and have witnessed this Notice of Intended Marriage at the Australian Embassy or Consulate in the country in which they are residing.
Or: notice of intention to marry will be deemed to be received as of the date the Celebrant of the marriage receives a copy of the Birth Certificates of both parties. The form will then be completed by the Celebrant and signed later by the parties.
2) "Pre-Nuptial Inquiry" form
Pre-Nuptial Inquiry form (a Church document) is to be completed with the priest of the parish in which the Catholic party resides.
... if from overseas
Australian citizens living overseas, or persons living in foreign countries who are not Australian citizens, may complete this Prenuptial Inquiry form with the priest of the parish in which the catholic party is presently living.
LITURGICAL PREPARATION
The bride and groom need to determine if the wedding will take place during Mass (ie. within a Liturgy of the Word and Eucharist) or during a Liturgy of the Word alone. The order of celebration is similar for both.
The Priest will assist you in the preparation of a wedding liturgy that expresses your uniqueness as a couple and preserves the beauty of our tradition.
Liturgical foundations
Our celebration of the Sacrament of Marriage is always rooted in listening to Sacred Scripture so that we can be nourished and strengthened by God's word, and when appropriate the Eucharist. These celebrations are incomplete unless they are filled with prayerful gestures, music, and with silence in which we hear the voice of God in our lives.
Ministers for the Celebration
The sacrament of marriage involves a variety of ministries during the wedding celebration.
The bride and groom are the actual ministers of the sacrament. The priest's or deacon's ministry is to serve as the official witness for the Church and Commonwealth and to preside at the Liturgy of the Word and/or the Liturgy of the Eucharist.
Priest Celebrant
Ordinarily, the Parish Priest will preside at the wedding. A couple is free, however, to invite another priest (with appropriate approval) to preside. If the couple elects to invite a priest from outside the parish to preside, that priest will be responsible for ensuring the completion of all paperwork, directing the rehearsal, and obtaining delegation from the parish priest.
Music Ministers
Since music is such an important part of the wedding liturgy, the bride and groom will be given guidelines for planning this during the initial meeting with the priest celebrant.
The couple should contact the musician as soon as possible to reserve the date and make arrangements to meet with the musician no later than three months before the wedding date. Due to laws governing Copyright, taped music or music on CDs cannot be used.
Ministers of the Word - Readers
Usually, the couple will want to ask family members or friends to serve as ministers of the Word (Readers) for the wedding. The couple is encouraged to consider well the talents necessary to proclaim the Word reverently and effectively when inviting people to serve in this ministry. It is particularly helpful if the Reader is already a dedicated Reader in a Parish.
Environment for Worship
Flowers are an important part of the environment for the worship space. The parish secretary will provide the name of the person to contact to assist you in planning floral arrangements (phone 02 6685 6260). It would be appreciated if flowers used at the main altar were left as a gift to the parish community to continue to enhance the sanctuary during the Sunday masses.
Safety Regulations
To avoid any hazard to the safety of others and the environment, and to comply with Occupational Health and Safety Regulations, the throwing of rice, confetti, birdseed, rose-petals etc. is not permitted.
Photography & Videotaping
Capturing the beauty of your celebration on film and/or videotape will enable you to relive the memory of your wedding for years to come. Photographers and those videotaping, however, should be able to work artistically during the liturgy so as not to intrude or distract from the solemnity of the moment. They are NOT free to roam about the sanctuary during the wedding liturgy.
Protocol
The bridal party is to inform photographers that they are to speak with the celebrant prior to the wedding. They are also to insist that photographers not delay the commencement of the ceremony. It is not considered a ‘tradition' that the bride arrives late.
Agreement
IF YOU ARE HAPPY TO AGREE with the above-mentioned details and wish to confirm the date, time, and Church for the wedding, please contact the Parish Priest either by phone (02 6685 6260) or by email on stfins @bigpond.com
Donation
A donation for the use of the Church and the services of celebrant is normal. As a guide, Catholic Churches in this area normally suggest as a minimum approximately $150 (this does not include music).
