The Sacrament of Holy Matrimony
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Weddings Music Canonical Requirements Music for the Prelude Marriage License Flowers Divorce Photography Premarital Counseling Videos Facilities In General Rehearsal Costs Special Seasons
Weddings at All Souls'All Souls' is the home of many beautiful weddings each year. It is the natural and appropriate place for a couple to have their marriage blessed. Those who ask to have their marriage solemnized here by our clergy thereby acknowledge the authority of the Church and accept pastoral care and counsel in all matters pertaining to the marriage.
It is expected that during the months preceding their marriage, the couple will attend All Souls' and seek to establish a relationship with the parish. For their part, the congregation and clergy of All Souls' Parish take seriously both the honor and the responsibility entailed in being requested to take part in the witnessing and blessing of the marriage promises. The Marriage Rite is from the Book of Common Prayer.
The Rector's RequirementsChristian marriage is a solemn and public covenant between a man and a woman. In the Episcopal Church, it is required that:
At least one of the parties be a baptized Christian.
Marriage LicenseThe State requires a wedding license and blood tests which take up to ten days in many places. The license may be obtained from the County Courthouse (call for hours when it will be open).
Bring your license to the rehearsal so there will be one less thing to remember on your wedding day.
DivorceThe Church's attitude about divorce is pastoral in nature. We are concerned only that previous misjudgments do not happen again. If you have been divorced, a court certified copy of your final divorce decree must be in the hands of the priest more than a month and a half before the wedding. The Bishop must be petitioned by the officiating priest at least thirty days prior to the ceremony.
Our Bishop requires applicants to be residents of San Diego and for one year to have elapsed from the date of the filing of the Petition for Divorce. A date for the proposed marriage should not be set until permission has been granted by the Bishop.
Premarital CounselingCouples must arrange with the clergy for premarital counseling and instruction in the Church's understanding of the nature of Christian marriage. Because several sessions are necessary, appointments are to be arranged for premarital counseling three months before the ceremony at the same time reservation is made for the church.
There is no fee for premarital counseling.
Facilities for WeddingsThe church will accommodate 400 guests. A bride's dressing room is available for all weddings.
Your plans for decorations should be cleared with the Wedding Consultant.
Wedding RehearsalThis is an important time for both families to gather for the preparation of the holy event. Both families should be present with the wedding party.
The rehearsal lasts between a half hour and one hour. All parties are expected to be present and on time.
Special SeasonsThe special consent of the Clergy is required for the solemnization of marriages between Ash Wednesday and Easter.
Normally, weddings are not solemnized during this time.
MusicThe service of Holy Matrimony is a service of Christian worship and is conducted with the same care and concern for standards as the major services for worship of the church. It follows that any music used should be music suitable for a church service, as distinguished from a social gathering. We recommend only the finest of sacred, vocal and instrumental music for such services. It is our desire to help you by making possible music which is both fitting to the occasion and to the artisitic and aesthetic setting of the church.
Should you have some special request for the music or musicians for your wedding and wish to inquire about the appropriateness of certain compositions, please contact the Director of Music.
All Souls' choir is also available upon request when a traditional (Anglican) procession is desired. However, the music sung must be approved by the Director of Music.
Music for the PreludeOrgan music is played for 15 minutes preceding the service. Generally, special music is also presented during this time. However, contemporary songs should be approved by the Clergy and Director of Music.
The organ prelude music may be selected from the organist's repertoire and specific requests for additional pieces are encouraged from those knowledgeable in organ repertoire.
Flowers
If there are to be flowers, please arrange for their provision by a commerical florist. A member of the Altar Guild will consult with the applicant and florist regarding placement of the flowers and containers to be used.
The altar is always vested in beautiful cloth and fine linen. For weddings, our festal frontal is normally used (gold). It is suggested that the bride and groom take into consideration the colors of both the frontal and the stained glass window in planning their wedding. Professional florists may decorate the church in consultation with a member of the Altar Guild. Chruch decorations must always include flowers at the altar. The church has flower containers especially suitable for wedding decor.
Their visibility should be low and not be a visual hindrance to anyone in the congregation. One or two arrangements are normally used in the sanctuary. On occasion, an additional arrangement is used in the narthex. In some cases, ferns or potted plants have been effective. Flowers are not attached to the pews or altar rails. For safety reasons, runners are not used.
Cut flowers in the sanctuary are given to the glory of God in thanksgiving for the marriage of the bride and groom. For this reason, flowers should not be removed after the service.
During the season of Easter (the 50 days following Easter) the large Paschal Candle is given a prominent place in the sanctuary and is decorated with flowers. Those who plan to be married during Eastertide should take this into consideration.
PhotographyIt is the responsibility of the bride and groom to convey these restrictions to the photographer.
No pictures may be taken once the service begins. The photographer may take a picture of the wedding party before the procession or during the concluding procession out of the church.
We recommend that all photography be done prior to the actual service and be completed 30 minutes before the service. If, however, it is necessary to take pictures after the ceremony, please limit the time to no more than 20 minutes, out of consideration for the wedding guests. Please have ushers inform guests who bring cameras that pictures are not to be taken during the service.
VideosThe use of video cameras is permitted but the location needs to be approved by the priest.
In GeneralRemember that this Parish Church is a sacred place of worship and prayer. It is open daily for the benefit of those who are seeking solace, strength and guidance. Please treat it with respect and reverence at all times.
Because of the hazard of guests slipping, falling and possible injury, we must insist that NO rice, birdseed, petals, etc. be thrown on church property. Please inform your wedding party and guests of this policy.
CostsWe wish no one to be prevented from being married in church because of expense. A simple wedding before the altar in the presence of witnesses may be solmnized with little cost to the bride's family.
Our fee for weddings is based on our costs, which include fees for use of the church building, the sexton, the acolyte, the Altar Guild, and expenses for lighting, heating and clerical work.
Fees are due two weeks prior to the wedding.
A booklet containing all of the preceding information is available from the parish office. Please call the church office, 223-6394 to request to have a wedding booklet sent to you.