The matrimonial covenant, by which a man and a woman establish between themselves a partnership of the whole of life, is by its nature ordered toward the good of the spouses and the precreation and education of offspring; this covenant between baptized persons has been raised by Christ the Lord to the dignity of a sacrament. ~ CCC 1601

Welcome to preparation for Holy Matrimony at St. Stephen the Martyr Parish!

Please make initial contact with Teresa Wright, the Pastoral Assistant for Marriage at St. Stephen the Martyr at least 9 months prior to the month you desire to be married and prior to setting your date.  St. Stephen the Martyr has many events and so we ask that you make contact with the parish and confirm your wedding date before scheduling dates with venues for your reception and other events regarding your wedding.   During this unprecidented time, email contact is best.

Our initial meeting (via email) will include:

• Desired month, date, time, and celebrant for your wedding (wedding dates are not added to the parish calender until the Church Deposit is paid and your wedding date is not guaranteed until the parish scheduler approves)
• Brief assesment of couple and contact information for couple
• Anticipated number of guests (Church or Chapel)
• To-do list with timeline
• Acceptance of donations (made by US Mail or arrange to meet in person)
  • $200 Church Deposit - includes cleaning fee (refundable)
  • $300 Wedding Coordinator fee (includes Altar Server stipend)
  • $200 Administration Fee (class, Pastoral Assistant)
  • $100 Fee for live-streaming your ceremony (optional)

All couples asking to be married at St. Stephen the Martyr are required to contract with a St. Stephen the Martyr Wedding Liturgy Coordinators.   Teresa will assign your coordinator and she will contact you.

As an unfortunate side effect of the CoronaVirus, all weddings in the church are capped at 30 attending - including:  Bride, Groom, Best Man, Maid of Honor, Musicians (maximum of one soloist/cantor and one accompanist), photographer, other vendors, congregants.  Weddings in the chapel are capped at 8 - including: Bride, Groom, Best Man, Maid of Honor, Celebrant, Altar Server, Musician (maximum of one).

For information on marriage preparation contact:

Teresa Wright
sstm.baptism@gmail.com
253-631-6175 ext. 120