Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist are sacraments of Christian initiation.  They ground the common vocation of all Christ's disciples, a vocation to holiness and to
the mission of evangelizing the world.  They confer the graces needed for the life
according to the Spirit during this life as pilgrims on the march towards the homeland.
Two other sacraments, Holy Orders and Matrimony, are directed towards the salvation
of others;  they contribute as well to personal salvation, it is through service to others
that they do so.  They confer a particular mission in the Church and serve to build up
the People of God.
                                                                                        -Catechism of the Catholic Church


Congratulations on your Engagement!

Congratulations on the decision to celebrate a commitment of life with each other in the Sacrament of Marriage. This is truly a major decision for you and your future. Weddings are a special time of joy and promise for you, your families and the entire parish community. Our Catholic faith tradition tells us that as the bride and groom administer the sacrament to each other, before the official witness of the Church, it is a time which foreshadows the great Marriage feast of the Lord in the Resurrection and eternal life.In view of this religious significance, above and beyond the legality of marriage, it is understandable that celebrating this sacrament in a faith context and church setting must be entered into with prayerful planning. As a Christian community, we want to provide you with the direction necessary to help you attain your goal ... not only a wonderful wedding day, but a happy and fulfilling life-long sacramental marriage. Therefore these policies have been prepared in order to help you solemnize your marriage at Saint Anne Parish.


Who May Celebrate a Wedding In Our Parish?

Either the bride or the groom must be registered, practicing members of the parish. By Canon Law, non-registered Catholic bridal parties must obtain a "letter of permission" from their own parish, or they must register with Saint Anne Parish for the celebration of a wedding. Please note that there is an additional fee for non-registered or newly registered members seeking to celebrate a marriage at Saint Anne Parish.

Some General Requirements.

1.  The prospective bride and groom meet with the parish priest or deacon a minimum of six months
     prior to the intended wedding date;
2.  With the priest or deacon, the couple fills out the Pre-Nuptial questionnaire which includes
     testimony of their intention to enter into a Christian Marriage according to the teaching
     of the Church;
3.  The Catholic parties, either the bride and/or groom, are required to:
           • Attend Mass in a Catholic Church regularly,
           • participate in the Toward Marriage Program or Engaged Encounter Weekend
           • meet with the priest, deacon or designated couple to discuss the FOCCUS
             (a marriage preparation tool), and finally,
           • meet with the priest to plan the actual ceremony.

What Documents will you need?

A newly issued baptismal certificate, dated within the past six months.  You may obtain it directly from the church of your baptism. Both the Catholic and non-Catholic parties need this documentation whenever there has been baptism celebrated.

In the case of a second marriage, please advise the priest or deacon of this reality. Proof of the previous marriage and legal divorce are needed. This applies to Catholic or non-Catholic equally.

• In many cases an Annulment will be required when a previous marriage has been celebrated.  A Formal Decree of Nullity is needed to set a wedding date. We  will assist you if such a decree is needed.

Finally, a Civil License must be obtained. You must both be present to apply for the license. No blood test is required in NH. The license is valid for 90 days. You may drop your license off to the Rectory anytime prior to the wedding, but no later than the time of the rehearsal.

What Dates and Times are Available?

Dates, times and locations are on a first-come, first-reserved basis.

A wedding, whether it is a Nuptial Mass or a Scripture Service may take place on Friday evenings or on Saturdays.  A Saturday wedding may begin as early as desired to as late as 12:30pm.  If you are seeking a Saturday evening wedding, because of the regular Mass schedule, it must be 6:00pm or later.  Our regular weekend schedule does not allow for us to schedule weddings involving a Mass between the hours of 1:00pm and 6:00pm.  Sunday weddings are also not currently available.

• Some dates may not be available due to civic holidays, parish activities or the priest's/deacon's schedule.

• A minimum of 3-hours is required between wedding start times when more than one is celebrated on the
  same day

• By tradition, weddings are typically not celebrated during the Lenten Season (Ash Wednesday to Easter
   Sunday).  While exceptions can be made, keep in mind the nature of the Lenten Season, as the churh   environment will be in purple and is not removed for the wedding, and music and flowers are kept at a minimum during this season.   Please consult the calendar in making your preparations as the dates of these seasons change each year.


The question of an Outdoor Wedding.

We are often asked if it would be possible to have a wedding take place outdoors.  Whether at a home, a resorts, a hotel facility or the ocean front, the option of celebrating a Catholic Wedding Ceremony Outside is not available.  This is the policy that has been set by the Diocese of Manchester, and is not  a practice we are free to change on the parish level.  Therefore, we are not at liberty to offer the celebration outside, either in total, or by participating in the ceremony officiated by another minister.

The practice of having a wedding take place in a Church is in keeping with our understanding of Christian community, our faith home, and the practice of "coming home" for the important and major events of our lives. 

A Full Mass or a Scripture Service?

It is presumed that all marriages between two Catholics that are in a position to celebrate and receive Eucharist will take place in the context of Mass.  Discussion about a Liturgy of the Word or Liturgy of the Eucharist should take place with the priest upon your first meeting.

The marriage ceremony should be a sign of all that unites the bridal couple.  When one person of the couple is not a Catholic, the marriage is normally celebrated as a Liturgy of the Word.

Aisle Runners and Pew Bows

Although we do not recommend their use, aisle runners are acquired from the florist. Double stick adhesive tapes are not allowed to attach the pew bows. Elastic bands or craft wires work best for pew bows.

Flowers

It is customary to leave the flowers from your wedding at the Church to provide the whole parish community the opportunity to share in the celebration of your wedding.

No flower petals, rice, bird seed or confetti is to be thrown in or around the church. It is your responsibility to inform your guests.

Visiting Clergy

A couple may wish to invite a guest priest or deacon to perform their wedding.  They are most welcomed. It is presumed that the visiting celebrant will adhere to the customs of the parish and will be present at the wedding rehearsal.  If the visiting celebrant is from out of state, he must obtain the written permission from the Secretary of State of New Hampshire to preside over the witness of vows.

A letter from the visiting priest or deacon is required when reserving the date and time confirming that he will be available for the rehearsal and the wedding, insuring there will be a celebrant.  When the parish priest or deacon is not scheduled to do the ceremony, other commitments may have been made by them making them unavailable for your ceremony. 

Photographers

Please inform your photographer that flash is discouraged during the ceremony, and to consult with the presider before the ceremony begins.

Reception Line

A reception line may be formed in the back of the church after the ceremony or outside by the statue of St. Anne, but needs to be arranged at the time of scheduling and planning the wedding, as it is possible another wedding may be scheduled on the same day following your own, and time needs to be taken into consideration.

Rehearsals

The rehearsal is usually scheduled for the evening before the wedding and normally is 30-45 minutes in length. Because more than one rehearsal may be scheduled on a given evening, it is important that everyone in your wedding party arrive at the scheduled time.

What are the Fees?

Couples who:

     • are (or their parents) currently registered and active members of the parish;
     • are (or their parents) currently regular contributors of record; and
     • are participating in parish life through involvement in parish ministry and programs;
       are asked a reservation fee of $250.00.

Couple who do not meet these three requirements
       are asked a reservation fee of $450.00.

Note:  The church & date are reserved only upon receipt of the reservation fee.  The reservation fees are non-refundable, as it makes the date and time unavailable to another couple.  "Members of the parish" is a status recognizing individuals or couples who have been registered for at least one year prior to the date they call to request a wedding.  Registering with the parish for the sake of securing a wedding date does not qualify under the members of the parish guidelines.  The year is the status before requesting the wedding date, not from the date of registering to the date of the wedding.

Personal Stipends/Gifts

Any personal offerings, gift or stipend for the priest/deacon who presides at your wedding, or for the servers who assist at your wedding is at the discretion of the couple.  Such a gratuity should be brought to the rehearsal with the other items you plan to use as part of your ceremony.

Music Fee

You privately contract with the musicians and soloists for your wedding.  Once your date and time have been reserved, we recommend making arrangements with your musicians.  The parish office can provide you with a list of available musicians and soloists in the area.

A couple wishing to use the services of musician other than those provided by the parish must obtain permission from the parish.

Music

Our parish musicians and soloists will, because of the sacredness of the event, work with you in choosing music.  Please note that the option of pre-recorded music is not available for use during the ceremony. Appropriate music must be approved in advance and must keep the sacredness of the celebration in mind.

Finally, our thanks to you!

Thank you for taking the time to review our wedding policy.  Please feel free to contact us at the Parish Office at 603-329-5886, and speak with either Fr. Marc or Deacon Bill at any time.  Again, congratulations on your wedding plans, and our prayers and best wishes to you for your future.

(Effective September 2016.  Subject to change.)