The Shrine Church is a parish of the Archdiocese of New York.  All of the requirements of the Archdiocese of New York must be met in order to have a wedding here at Saint Anthony's.   We do not perform non-denominational, civil, or non-Catholic weddings.   At least one of the parties marrying must be a baptized and confirmed Roman Catholic, and you must secure permission of the pastor of your current parish if you are not a member of Saint Anthony's.

~Please make an appointment with one of the parish priests for an initial consultation and interview.  The purpose of this is to determine your freedom to marry in the Catholic Church.  The priest will walk you through all the necessary preparations, as well as any paperwork which may be needed.

~You will be given a booklet with a choice of marriage preparation programs of different length being offered through the Archdiocese of New York, such as day programs, weekend programs, night sessions, and also the Engaged Encounter Weekend.  You will need to discuss your plans with the priest to receive his approval.  Unfortunately, we do not offer these programs here at St. Anthony’s.  The Archdiocese of New York's Office of Family Life/Respect Life provides an opportunity to register for Preparation Programs for the sacrament of Marriage, sometimes referred to as "Pre-Cana" classes.   This is the website: http://flrl.org/MarriagePreparation.htm

~Catholic parties must have received the sacraments of Baptism, First Eucharist, and Confirmation, and provide certificates for these sacraments.  These certificates must be issued within six months of the wedding date.  You can obtain them from the church where you received these sacraments and have them mailed directly to St. Anthony’s.  Non-Catholic Christians must also provide proof of baptism, but these may be in any form available.

~ If either party has been previously married, documentation and paperwork must be done to assure that you are free to marry and whether your marriage can take place in the Catholic Church.                  

~Dates and times for weddings are available on a first come, first served basis.  

~Weddings can be scheduled for Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, or any weekday. 

~A priest or deacon who is a family member or friend will be most welcomed to officiate at your wedding.  However, he must be registered as a wedding officiant with the City of New York before this can take place.  Information about this can be found at http://nycmarriagebureau.com/about/officiant/registrationinfo.html.                      

~The couple is responsible for obtaining a proper marriage license.  The license must be presented to the parish in advance.

Ceremony or Mass?

A Nuptial Mass is a special celebration of the Sacrament of Marriage in the context of the Liturgy of the Eucharist.  The reception of the Body and Blood of Christ is a sign of God’s love for us in the person of Jesus Christ.   It is also a special gathering of  God’s people in unity as the Roman Catholic Church.  While it is desirable to celebrate wedding at a Nuptial Mass, certain criteria should be met.   A ceremony is a wonderful and valid option for those who do not meet these criteria.  Both parties must be practicing,  church-going Catholics.  This would presume that both bride and groom attend Sunday Mass on a regular basis, are practicing members of the  Catholic faith, and are not cohabiting.    Couples who are living together before marriage do not constitute the proper sign within the Catholic church of the nature of the Sacrament of Marriage.  Nuptial Masses cannot be celebrated in the case of a Catholic marrying a non-Catholic. 

Photography Guidelines

Please discuss these guidelines with the photographer and /or videographer.  Your marriage Liturgy is a sacred moment of prayer.  Anything that disrupts this time of prayer is to be avoided at all costs.  While we understand your desire to record this moment, we ask you to observe the following guidelines so that the sacredness of this celebration will not be marred by photo or taping equipment and those who operate them.  Photographers and videographers  should check in with the celebrant  before the wedding Mass or ceremony.  Professional photographers and videographers  are more aware of respecting limits and boundaries of a religious ceremony than are amateur photographers.      

We cannot emphasize enough that a Nuptial Mass or Wedding Service is a time of worship.  Any music chosen for your wedding must be appropriate for use in a church.   We do not permit secular or popular music.  Classical music must be appropriate for use in church, and must be approved.  Love songs and poems are very often inappropriate, since they do not express the religious nature of the Sacrament of Marriage, nor do they reflect the special relationship with Christ and His Church involved in the Sacrament of Marriage.

 Our church provides professional and capable music ministers to assist you in the preparation of music for your wedding.  You may have relatives or friends who would like to participate in the music program of  your wedding.   This is subject to the permission of the parish priests and musicians.   Not all musicians are familiar with the challenges of singing or performing in a church setting.  Not all musicians understand the nuances of playing the organ or piano in a church, or leading a congregation in singing.   Just because someone sings does not mean they are appropriate singers for a church Mass or service.   For those having a Mass, there are parts of the Mass which must be sung.  This is not an option.   For wedding services, there may be more leeway, but the same principles come into play.   Someone who sings in a recital hall or a lounge may not be suitable for singing in church.    Musical repetoir is also something to take into consideration.  Your favorite love song may be more appropriate for your wedding reception than in the church.   Music used in the church must be religious and liturgical.  Our parish cantor and organist are employed to handle the music at all our Masses and services.  Just as you would not expect to bring a friend who is a chef or a waiter to provide that service at any restaurant, so too we do not permit musicians to completely take the place of our own parish musicians.   This is also a matter of justice, since providing music at our church is their means of employment.

The parish musician you work with is the representative of the Pastor and staff of St. Anthony's, and will have final word in determining the use of guest musicians.