Celebrating the Sacrament of Matrimony at St. Paul VI Parish

Please carefully read the information on this page; it contains important and helpful information you will need to be married at St. Paul VI Parish. For more information or to set up an initial meeting please contact the Parish Office at 708-447-1020.

Celebrating a Wedding Liturgy at St. Paul VI Parish requires:
  • Participation in a Catholic marriage preparation program (more information below)
  • Appropriate documents (both civil and church; more information below)
  • Registered membership at St. Paul VI's (either one of the engaged couple or a parent; more information below)
Click here to download a document with all the information below.

Click here to see the worship aid fees.
Initial Contact
​Each couple must meet with a priest at least 6 months, but preferably one year, in advance of any possible marriage date. No date for marriage will be considered firm until this meeting has taken place. The priest will meet with you to set the wedding date and review the necessary steps in the wedding process. The bride and groom will complete the marriage prenuptial questionnaire. Also, each will provide two witnesses (general family members) to complete the affidavits regarding their freedom to marry and their full understanding of the marital commitment. 
Required Documents
In the event of a previous marriage by either party, additional documents will be required, where applicable:
  • A record of Baptism (baptismal certificate) in any Christian Church, if baptized (issued within the last six months).
  • A record of Confirmation, if Catholic (issued within the last six months).
  • Two affidavits affirming each person’s freedom to marry may be required in some cases. The consulting priest or deacon will advise.
  • A civil marriage license for Cook County
  • A pre-marital questionnaire for both the bride and the groom to be completed by the consulting priest or deacon.
  • Pre-Cana certificate
  • Additional documents as needed, as requested by the consulting priest.
Pre-Marriage Preparations Programs
​Pre-Marriage Preparation Programs are designed to put you in touch with trained and competent people who can help you think through the sacramental and practical aspects of marriage. Your priest or parish minister will assist you in selecting a program. The engaged couple is asked to attend one of the Pre-Cana marriage preparations as listed on the Archdiocese of Chicago website. Click on Parish Vitality and Mission, then click on Lifelong Formation. Scroll down to Getting Married. Click on "Pre-Cana" for the program description, then click "Register for Pre-Cana." The Pre-Cana is a full-day event, running from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with a fee of $150.00, which covers materials, supplies, and lunch.
 
Pre-Cana is a required course for couples planning to get married in the Archdiocese of Chicago. After the course, couples will receive a certificate of attendance, which they will present to the priest or deacon before their wedding day.
·        The fee for a Pre-Cana course is $200 per couple for Zoom and $225 for In-Person.
·        Each Pre-Cana course is 6 to 7 hours featuring live instruction, prayer, and discussion with your engaged partner.
·        Pre-Cana is in person and virtually over Zoom. You can participate in either a full-day course (select Saturdays) or throughout two evenings (select Tuesdays/Thursdays).
·        If you are getting married outside of the Archdiocese of Chicago, please confirm with your pastor that the Archdiocese of Chicago Pre-Cana course fulfills their marriage preparation requirements. For more information on the course content, please refer to our Course Content section below.
To register for a Pre-Cana course, please visit: Archdiocese of Chicago > Marriage Preparation.
​For more information on the marriage preparation process, visit our How to Get Married page.

For questions, please get in touch with [email protected] or call 312-534-8351 during business hours, Monday through Friday.
Church Address
​St Mary’s Church - 105 Herrick Road, Riverside
Mater Christi Church - 2401 S. 10th Ave, North Riverside
Parish Times for Marriages
​Time for the Wedding Liturgy on a Saturday is 1pm or 2pm
Weddings can also be held on a Friday. The time can be between 4 and 6pm.
Other days of the week may be an option depending on the parish calendar.
(There are absolutely no weddings or rehearsals on Thursdays at St. Mary.)
Music for the Wedding
The music for the wedding is coordinated with Scott Williams, the Director of Sacred Music for St. Paul VI. Scott will meet with you or offer you the option of listening to the approved music on a YouTube or Spotify playlist that he can provide for you. Additional instrumentation, such as a violin or other instruments, can be added to the celebration. Please let Scott know if you plan to use a guest instrumentalist, in addition to an organist/pianist, other than the Music Director. To ensure the liturgy is as reverent and beautiful as possible, we highly recommend hiring a professional cantor for your wedding, a process Scott will gladly help you with. Family instrumentalists or cantors are warmly welcomed, provided there is an opportunity for Scott to hear them before the wedding. Please contact Scott at 708.447.1020, extension 108, or email [email protected].

Click here for a list of musical choices for your Wedding Mass.
Wedding Coordinator
The first contact with the parish wedding coordinator should occur at least three months before the wedding date. By that time, all questions regarding fees, parish requirements, documents, and preparation instructions should have been answered. Also, arrangements should have been made for music, photography, florist services, readers and readings, ministers, and altar servers.
 
It is the job of the wedding coordinator to gather all this information, consult with the bride and groom regarding their desires for the kind of ceremony they want, make suggestions based on their experience and parish requirements, and put it all together to ensure a happy and trouble-free experience. This can be done in person or by phone, and worksheets and forms should have been given to the parties so that all this information can be cataloged and agreed upon.
Email: [email protected]
​
Facilities
​St. Mary Church has a seating capacity of approximately 375.
Mater Christi Church has a seating capacity of approximately 300.
Both churches are fully air-conditioned. The downstairs (Oak Room & Marian Room) is available for the bride and bridesmaids, and the sacristy area is available for the groom and groomsmen. These gathering areas are available for your use 30 minutes before your wedding. Both churches have beautifully landscaped grounds that are perfect for photographs. Mater Christi also has the Mother of Mothers Shrine. No alcoholic beverages within our facilities, please.
Park and Handicap Accessibility
​Both churches have elevators and accessible parking. Parking at St. Mary is in our parking lot. Parking at Mater Christi is available on 10th Avenue in the angled parking on both sides of the street. 
The Rehearsal
​The wedding rehearsal is typically conducted by the priest and the wedding coordinator, based on the information already discussed. Every effort is made to accommodate the wishes of the couple and their respective families. Rehearsals are typically scheduled for the evening immediately preceding the wedding date and last between 45 minutes and an hour. Participants in the wedding must arrive on time to prevent interference with other church functions. At this time, all outstanding fees, gratuities, and any required documents are submitted to the wedding coordinator for distribution on the day of the ceremony. Additionally, items such as programs, unity candles, and after-wedding celebratory items (such as bubbles) should be brought and given to the wedding coordinator for storage until needed. This eliminates the worry and responsibility of doing it on the wedding day.
Wedding Stipends and Donations
St. Paul VI Church           $600.00
Organist/Pianist               $300.00
Soloist                                   $225.00* rates may vary
Wedding Coordinator   $175.00
Priest                                     $150.00
Three Altar Servers        $20.00 each (if available)
The church donation is to be paid upon confirmation of the wedding date.
All other stipends and donations are to be paid one month before the wedding.
Readings
​Please see the parish website to select your readings. We can provide a book if you prefer.
Click here for readings.
Universal Prayer / Prayers of the Faithful / Intercessions
Please refer to the following website to prepare your Universal Prayer.
https://togetherforlifeonline.com/wedding/catholic-wedding-intercessions
Personal Information for the Priest for Homily
​The bride and groom will provide a one-page write-up each about how their relationship developed and their hopes for their upcoming marriage. Each will be emailed to the priest one week before the wedding.
Worship Aid
​The parish can prepare a worship aid for you upon request. If you choose to provide your own, please ensure that you submit it to the wedding coordinator before printing to confirm its liturgical accuracy.

Click here worship Aid Pricing.
Visiting Clergy
​If a priest or deacon from outside the Archdiocese of Chicago is to officiate or concelebrate at your wedding. In that case, it is Archdiocesan policy for him to provide a “Letter of Good Standing” from his bishop or religious superior. That letter must be sent to the parish at least two weeks before the wedding date. The letter should be mailed to St. Paul VI Parish, 40 E Burlington, Riverside, IL 60546. If a priest or deacon is an Archdiocesan priest/deacon, it is required that he complete preparation. A priest or deacon from St. Paul VI Parish will complete the necessary paperwork for a priest or deacon from outside the Archdiocese of Chicago.
Wedding Consultants / Planners
If a private Wedding Consultant/Planner is retained, please duplicate this information for that person’s information. Keep in mind that the priest or deacon of the parish will conduct the rehearsal and officiate at the marriage liturgy in consultation with the bride and groom only.
The Wedding Day
​The wedding coordinator will open the church in enough time to greet the other service providers i.e. the florist, photographers and any guest musicians, altar servers or communion ministers and help them decide on locations, remind them of the parish requirements regarding the maintenance of the solemnity and religious nature of the ceremony, and make them aware of where they can find the things they need to do their jobs and be as unobtrusive as possible. They will also greet the members of the wedding party, their families, and guests, direct them to their respective staging areas, line them up, and send them down the aisle as rehearsed.
In general, she will be there for the bride, the groom, the celebrant, and anyone else who needs her help.
 
Nothing can be thrown as the wedding party leaves the church. This includes rice, confetti, and glitter. Bubbles are allowed.
Unity Candle
​While not a part of the official Roman Rite, couples may choose to light a Unity Candle at the wedding. If you wish to have one, you must provide the candles.
More Information
For more information, please visit the USCCB website at:
www.usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/sacraments-and-sacramentals/matrimony
     -OR-
For Your Marriage at:
https://www.foryourmarriage.org
Parish Office Contact Information
Parish Office Contact Information
Phone: 708-447-1020
Email: [email protected]
Photography & Videography
Please print a copy of these guidelines for your photographer/videographer.
 
Your wedding is a sacred and meaningful celebration. All photographers and videographers, whether professional or amateur, are expected to respect the sanctity of the ceremony and the sacred space in which it is held. Please review the following guidelines carefully. After doing so, please provide a copy to your photographer and videographer to ensure they are fully informed and in compliance with the requirements.
  •  All photographers and videographers must check in with the parish wedding coordinators before the ceremony to review guidelines and policies. 
  • All photography must be completed 30 minutes before the start of any Liturgy. If the wedding begins late, the available time for photos will be shortened accordingly.
  •  Flash photography and additional lighting are permitted only during the entrance procession, the recessional, and the presentation of flowers to the Blessed Mother. 
  • Flash photography and additional lighting are not permitted during the liturgy itself.
  •  Video equipment must be unobtrusive, and the wedding coordinators must approve its placement. Equipment and personnel are not allowed within the tiled area surrounding the baptismal font, piano, and organ. No equipment may obstruct the view between the musicians and the main altar, nor be placed behind the piano or organ bench. 
  • Except for the recessional, all video equipment must remain stationary during the ceremony.
  •  Taping or attaching microphones and other audio/video equipment to church furnishings is not allowed, as it may cause damage. 
  • Photographers and videographers must avoid standing on or placing equipment on pews or any other church furnishings to prevent damage. Please refrain from being in the area with the altar.
  •  Time-exposure photography may be conducted from the back of the church during the ceremony, provided it is silent and non-disruptive. 
  • After the ceremony, the wedding party may return to the church for photos. At that time, flash and other lighting equipment may be used.
  •  St. Paul VI Parish equipment may not be used under any circumstances.
Flowers
The couple will make arrangements for flowers with a florist of their choice.
Please print a copy of these guidelines for your florist.
  •  No floral arrangements, candles, hurricane lamps, trellises, canopies, ribbons, aisle runners, or other decorations are allowed in the aisles. 
  • Flower arrangements and candle stands in the sanctuary should not obstruct the liturgical movements of the ceremony.
  •  Flowers can never be placed on the altar. 
  • If the area around the altar is decorated for the Liturgical Season, it is not changeable. No items may be removed or added to this area.
  •  Aisle runners are not allowed. 
  • Flower petals must not be dropped inside the church during the processional or outside after the wedding.
  •  All flowers/decorations must be removed from the church immediately after the ceremony. 
  • St. Mary Church has twelve rows of pews down the center aisle.
  •  Mater Christi Church has eighteen rows of pews down the center aisle. 
  • The church will be open for decoration no more than one hour before the wedding.
  •  All arrangements and decorations must be secured using removable items, such as hangers, string, wire, or rubber bands. No tape or sticky material may be used. It ruins the finish of the furniture.