Marriage
It is a great joy to know that you desire to be married at St. David’s Church and we want to help make that desire a reality. It is the responsibility of the clergy, Wedding Guild, Flower Guild, and Organist to assist you and to ensure that all is done in accordance with your wishes, the laws of the Episcopal Church, and general guidelines for an act of worship as set down for this parish.
Belief in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and a faithful commitment to His Church are necessary prerequisites to any request for a marriage to be conducted at St. David’s. Holy Matrimony is not a private act but is a Holy Sacrament that takes place within an active, worshiping community of faith. Traditionally, either the bride or groom must be a member of St. David’s to be married here. It is only within a corporate community of faith that the public covenant of Christian marriage can be properly lived to the fullness and richness that is desired by God.
The first step in the marriage process is completing the Request for Marriage Form from the link below. You can also download the St. David's Wedding Handbook to help guide your planning.
The form below will take about 15 minutes.
Remarriage Petitions
If you are widowed or divorced, a Remarriage Petition must be completed and filed. All Remarriage Petitions must be submitted electronically at least 45 days prior to the proposed wedding date. The petition(s) must have the signature of the officiating priest. Be aware that the Bishop may request to review the original documents during the approval process.
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A petition must be filed for any person for whom a previous marriage was dissolved by civil authority. A petition must also be filed if the petitioner is no longer married due to the death of the spouse.
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When each person in the proposed marriage is divorced or widowed, a separate and complete petition must be filed for each person.
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Copies of the final divorce decree or death certificate must be attached to the petition.
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For a second marriage, the bishop requires a waiting period of one year from the date of the final decree.
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The date and place of the proposed marriage may not be publicly announced until the bishop’s consent has been received.
The Wedding Guild
The Wedding Guild is present at all rehearsals and weddings. We work in teams of three or four to assist the priest, the bride and groom, and the wedding party. Soon after the wedding date is set, we meet with the bride and groom and the bride’s mother (or other special person) to discuss wedding plans in detail, answer questions, and get to know the people that we will be helping on the special day. From that meeting onward, we are available to provide advice on wedding logistics.
At the rehearsal, we assist the priest in choreographing the wedding ceremony. We rehearse the ushers, attendants, readers, and all moving parts of the wedding. On the day of the wedding, we calm the nervous, cheer the melancholy, keep the groomsmen focused, help with inevitable clothing/hair/makeup issues, deal with the photographer, and serve as timekeepers to ensure that the wedding party is on schedule. We have an updated Wedding Handbook, a comprehensive planning guide to assist the bride and groom. The booklet is available online, through the church website for the thoroughly modern bride-to-be.
Volunteers (male and female) are always welcome to join this excellent ministry.
Contact Linda Puckett for more information.