“Where love is, God is.”

- 1 John 4:15

If you have clicked on this item on our menu, it probably means you are considering marriage or have become engaged.  Congratulations! 

We are delighted you are considering Blessed Sacrament Church for your wedding, and we look forward to helping you prepare for this very special day.

In the Catholic tradition, marriage is a sacrament.  The bride and groom contract their marriage in the presence of God and of the community of faith, and become a holy sign of Christ’s love for the Church and of God’s faithful love for the world. 

For a marriage to be sacramental, two baptized persons, at least one being Catholic:

• freely enter into a vowed commitment of respect, reverence and love
• make this promise for a lifetime
• promise fidelity to each other
• desire that their love be blessed with children and make the commitment to pass on the gift of faith to their children.

Thus the sacrament of marriage becomes a way of life and not just the ceremony on your wedding day.  God in Christ is the center of your relationship “in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health” (see the wedding vows).

Frequently Asked Questions 

How do we schedule a wedding at Blessed Sacrament?

Weddings are scheduled on Saturdays at noon and at 3:00 PM (except during Lent).  The engaged couple needs to discuss available dates directly with one of the parish priests.

PLEASE do not finalize plans for a reception site until you are sure you have a date set at the church. 

What do we need to do to prepare for our marriage?

Several things are helpful and/or required to be married at Blessed Sacrament:

1) pray with each other and for each other, and attend Sunday Mass regularly

2) an initial meeting with a priest to provide you with basic information, to determine your freedom to marry in the Church, and to finalize your wedding date

3) the Diocese of Savannah requires every couple to be married to participate in some formal program of marriage preparation, sometimes called “Pre-Cana.” 

These programs are designed to help a couple deepen their understanding of the essential human and Christian aspects of the marriage covenant.  To register, please contact the parish office.

A schedule of other marriage preparation programs around the area are available from the parish office or through the website of the Diocese of Savannah.

4) every couple is required to take the FOCCUS Inventory, a tool that facilitates couple communication and mutual understanding on a variety of topics related to marriage.  It requires an initial 45- to 60-minute session to take the Inventory, and then one or more follow-up meetings with a facilitator once a couple profile is generated from it.  Arrangements for this Inventory will be made with the priest at the initial meeting with him.

5) certain paperwork is required by the Diocese of Savannah as well, and will be completed in due time during the preparation process.

Given these needed steps, the parish has set a period of at least six months between setting a wedding date and the wedding ceremony itself.

What about planning our wedding ceremony?

Couples may plan to be married at either a Nuptial Mass or a Nuptial Ceremony.  Either celebration will be well-planned by the couple, in consultation with the priest or deacon who presides and with the Director of Music and the organist.

The wedding ceremony reflects the personal faith of the couple and the spirituality of their relationship.  If the Eucharist is a significant part of your life, it follows that the Nuptial Mass would be the appropriate context for your wedding ceremony.  If the Mass is not part of the way you pray or if there are circumstances in the religious life of your families that would make the Mass inappropriate, a Nuptial Ceremony may be the way to go.  Please talk this over with the priest or deacon who is presiding at your wedding.

If you wish to have another priest or deacon officiate at your ceremony, you are welcome to do so.  The marriage preparation process, however, is still arranged through Blessed Sacrament Church.

If one of you is of another Christian tradition or another faith, and you would like to have a minister or rabbi of your acquaintance be part of the ceremony, he/she would be most welcome.  Please mention this in the early stages of planning, so appropriate arrangements can be made.

The parish will provide you with a wedding ceremony planning book, entitled Celebrating Marriage.  This will assist you in making choices of readings and prayers that reflect the meaning of your wedding day and its commitment.  Within the liturgy, there are several ways for your family members and/or friends to participate: proclaiming the scripture readings, leading the prayers of the faithful or general intercessions, bringing the gifts of bread and wine to the altar, and serving as ministers of communion.

What about music?

Mary Alice Garvin is the organist for weddings at Blessed Sacrament, and she together with Joan McKee the Director of Music will assist you in selecting appropriate music for your wedding ceremony.  Additional musicians (trumpet, strings, harp, and so on) can also be arranged for, and Joan McKee will gladly work with them in preparing your wedding ceremony.

What are the fees?

The suggested offering for the use of the church is $150.00 for a registered parishioner, non-parishioner $300.  We also ask that you pay for two services provided by the church: the organist’s fee is $100), and the Director of Music $100   Please note that the priest or deacon who presides at your ceremony receives none of this fee, so a gift to him may be appropriate.   Fees for a marriage preparation program/Pre-Cana and for other musicians are arranged separately. Also, in appreciation to the wedding  organist, and/or cantor for exceptional service, gratuities may be given at your discretion. 

Anything else we should know?

You should know that we do not make any arrangements through a third party (for example, parents, an outside wedding planner, and so on).  All planning involving a wedding at Blessed Sacrament Church is arranged between the couple and the parish priests.

You’ll also want to know about flowers, photographers and videographers, programs, rehearsal times, and what is permitted (or not) at Blessed Sacrament.  You will be provided full information and guidelines at the initial meeting with the priest, and he always ready to answer your questions.

Prayer Before Marriage

Lord God,
Source of all love,
your providence has brought us together.
As we prepare for the sacrament of marriage
we pray for your grace,
that, strengthened by your blessing,
we may grow in respect for one another
and cherish each other with a sincere love.

We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.May the God of love and peace
abide in us, guide our steps,
and confirm our hearts in his love,
now and for ever.
Amen.