SACRED HEART CATHOLIC CHURCH

1707 Bull Street

Savannah, GA 31401

FEES, REQUIREMENTS AND RULES FOR ALL PROSPECTIVE BRIDES AND GROOMS

· If either the bride or the groom (or parents) are current attending and financially contributing registered members of Sacred Heart Church, then you will pay the member’s fee of $200.00.

· If you are registered, but are not currently attending and financially contributing, you will be charged the non-contributor’s fee of $700.00.

· If you are not a member, you will be charged the non-member’s fee of $1,000.00.

o Fee for the rental of the church must be paid in full at the time of booking and can be paid via personal check. Cancellations that occur thirty days prior to the wedding, will receive a refund less $100.00 cancellation fee.

o Fees do not include music fees, a financial gift to the priest who prepares the couple for marriage and/or who celebrates the marriage.

o If organ music is desired, please contact Mr. Ken Yates, Sacred Heart’s organist at 912-897-5234. If he is available to play at your wedding, but you choose to hire an organist not on staff at Sacred Heart, you will then pay Mr. Yates a “bench fee” (set by Mr. Yates), and a separate fee to the organist of your choice. Should he not be available, then you are welcome to hire the organist of your choice and pay only his/her set fee.

· Church must be reserved twelve months in advance. Church is not available for weddings during Advent or Lent.

· Weddings may be scheduled on Saturday, at 12:00 p.m. or 6:30 p.m. Parish services have first priority.

· Non-parishioners are required to bring their own priest to celebrate the marriage.

· Visiting priests are required to provide a “letter of good standing” from the Diocese of their affiliation.

· Baptism Certificates are required of all Catholics who plan to contract marriage. The certificate must be a recent issue; that is, issued within the last six months.

· The Diocese of Savannah requires all couples to participate in a pre-marriage program to assist you in your personal preparation for your marriage. The Engaged Encounter Weekend or another Marriage Preparation conference, are present options of preparation available.

· All required church documentation, which must be completed in the presence of a priest, must be received at Sacred Heart Church no later than thirty (30) days prior to the wedding date.

· Both the wedding rehearsal and the wedding must begin on time.

· Sacred Heart is land-locked. Space is not available on site to be used as a dressing room. The church’s public restroom is not to be used as a dressing room.

· At the time of the rehearsal and the wedding all persons/guests are requested not to drink alcoholic beverages on the church property.

· At the time of the rehearsal the priest should be given the marriage license.

· Under no circumstances may anything in the sanctuary be moved or tampered with. Florist should protect the church carpet from candle wax.

o Noon Weddings - Decorations must all be taken away before the 4:30 p.m. service.

o 6:30 p.m. Weddings – Decorations will go on after the 4:30 p.m. service.

· Guests are requested NOT to throw rice or rose petals in the church, or outside the church doors. Birdseed is suggested for outside the church.

· Due to liability issues runners are not allowed on the aisle.

· The photographer should be made aware of the sacred nature of the marriage ceremony and should endeavor not to be a distraction. He/she should not, at any time, enter the sanctuary area immediately around the altar.

o At no time should anyone enter the sanctuary for video taping parts of the wedding.

Revised 11/11