The marriage covenant prefigures the new and everlasting covenant between the son of God and all mankind.

Through this sacrament, Christians signify and share in the mystery of the unity and fruitful love that exists between Christ and his church. Christian couples are to strive to nourish and develop their marriage by undivided affection in good times and in bad.

For every Catholic couple seeking the key to living a happy and holy married life, visit For Your Marriage - the perfect resources for living happily ever after. The site was launched by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) Committee on Marriage and Family Life. 

Find daily marriage tips, quizzes, blogs, facts and figures, "must have conversations," a personality audit, personal stories, the biblical roots of marriage, prayers, church documents, and information about marital sexuality and spirituality.​​

​​This time of engagement will be special for you and your fiancé as you prepare to celebrate your marriage to each other in Christ.  It is our desire to help you make this time a more meaningful religious experience.

The wedding day is a time of rejoicing, not only for you, but also for your families and friends and for the parish family of Blessed Sacrament Cathedral.  We look forward to celebrating with you.

A wedding day is only 24 hours, while a marriage is a lifetime.  Our time of preparation together will hopefully prepare you not only for your wedding day but be the beginning of a wonderful and holy marriage.

It is in this spirit that Blessed Sacrament Cathedral Parish provides these guidelines as an aid to both of you as you make the necessary preparations for this special day and your marriage.

We will be keeping you in our prayers as you prepare for your life together.

We require at least a six (6) month notice so that we can help you prepare for your marriage.​​​

Normally, weddings are celebrated in the parish of either the bride or the groom.  A wedding date will be confirmed on the parish calendar only after a parish priest has spoken with the engaged couple and determined the couple's freedom to marry.  For this reason no commitments should be made with caterers, reception halls, etc. until the date is confirmed.  Again, check with the parish before making other commitments. 

Weddings must be scheduled at least six (6) months prior to the ceremony. 

In the Roman Catholic tradition, the bride and groom are the ministers of the sacrament of marriage with the priest, best man and maid/matron of honor as the witnesses.  If there is a desire to have a priest, other than one currently assigned to the Cathedral Parish, preside at the liturgy, this request should be made at the time of the scheduling.  However, this particular preference is not a guarantee. 

The priests at Blessed Sacrament Cathedral Parish are available to preside at the weddings of registered parishioners or children of registered parishioners at Blessed Sacrament Cathedral Parish.  Delegation must be granted by the Rector to have a visiting priest preside at a wedding at Blessed Sacrament Cathedral Parish.  Visiting priests are expected to follow all parish guidelines for the celebration of the wedding liturgy. 

Visiting priests are also expected to have a letter of good standing from their Ordinary or Religious Superior in order to witness a wedding in the Diocese of Greensburg.  The priests of Blessed Sacrament Cathedral Parish will not travel to other locations to perform marriages for parishioners of the Cathedral.

Weddings are usually scheduled for Saturdays between 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m.  Only one wedding a day is allowed.  Weddings can also be scheduled for other days of the week (as long as there is no other event scheduled in the church).  Evening weddings usually begin after 6:00 p.m. or before 8:00 p.m.

Weddings are not celebrated on Sundays, on Holy Days of Obligation and usually not during the seasons of Lent and Advent.  If a marriage is celebrated during Lent, flowers are not permitted in the church and the music must reflect the solemn nature of the season.  If a marriage is celebrated during Advent the church should be decorated in a moderate manner, without anticipating the full joy of Christmas.  The music should be of the same nature.

In the event of a cancellation, please call the parish office at 724-834-3710 as soon as possible.

Catholic parties must present a recent baptismal certificate issued within six months of the marriage date.  To obtain a recent copy of your baptismal certificate, call the church where you were baptized and ask to have a copy sent to Blessed Sacrament Cathedral Parish.

The interviews and accompanying paperwork should be completed by the priest presiding at the wedding liturgy.   Engaged couples who are legal residents of another state must have permission from their local pastor for their marriage to take place at Blessed Sacrament Cathedral Parish.  All necessary interviews and subsequent paperwork must be completed no later than two months prior to the wedding ceremony. 

If the couple preparing for marriage lives outside of the Diocese of Greensburg, the couple should complete their paperwork in the diocese of their current residence.  Therefore, it is not the responsibility of the Cathedral Parish to complete the paperwork.

A marriage license from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania must be obtained and should be received by the Parish Office at least 10 days prior to the wedding date.  Marriage licenses can be obtained from any county courthouse but are not available until 60 days prior to the wedding date (i.e., the marriage license for a May 24 wedding can be obtained after March 24).

Couples are to take an active part in the preparation of the marriage ceremony.  You will be invited to work together with the priest in the planning of the wedding ceremony.  In preparation for the wedding ceremony and marriage, the Catholic party (or parties) is reminded that weekly Sunday Mass attendance is a requirement of our Catholic faith and is an important preparation for the sacrament of matrimony.

The initial part of the marriage preparation process is a meeting with one of the priests of the parish.  Every couple should meet with the priest assigned to their wedding at Blessed Sacrament Cathedral Parish at least six months to a year before their wedding date.  This meeting will determine freedom to marry and review the whole marriage preparation process. 

Special note: No couple needing a decree of nullity or an annulment will be started in the marriage preparation process or given a marriage date until this circumstance is resolved.  During these meetings with the priest, official paperwork will be completed, various aspects of marriage will be discussed and the wedding ceremony will be reviewed. 

The Diocese of Greensburg requires that all couples preparing for marriage participate in some form of marriage preparation program.  There are various programs available.

Please review the options listed below with the parish priest to decide which option best suits you.

Marriage Customs   

• Many customs and traditions have been introduced into the wedding ceremony which are not a part of the Roman Rite. 
• Unity Candle:  The unity candle is not a part of the Liturgy of the Catholic Church and is not permitted to be used at Blessed Sacrament Cathedral Parish Church.
• A wedding runner or "crash" is not permitted to be used.
• The distribution of rice, flower petals, sparkles, confetti, bird seed, balloons, butterflies, birds, etc., on Cathedral property is not permitted.  Bubbles may be used outside of the church only.
• Presentation of Flowers to the Blessed Virgin Mary:  Private devotions are normally celebrated outside of Mass.  If both parties hold a special devotion to Mary, however, the presentation of flowers may be considered.  The statue of Mary in Blessed Sacrament Cathedral Parish is located in the North transept of the main body of the church.

Flowers and Decorations
Flowers for the sanctuary may be provided by the couple.  Two floral arrangements will be placed on stands in the sanctuary and will remain in the sanctuary for the weekend Masses.  The Cathedral will provide the two stands.  No other flowers are permitted on the altar or in the sanctuary.  Couples celebrating their wedding during the Christmas or Easter Seasons will not be permitted to use additional flowers unless this possibility is discussed with the Cathedral Staff.  Only freshly cut flowers and greens may be used within the church.  Artificial flowers and greens are never permitted. 

Bows or Pew Decorations may be used on the pew ends and attached with string or elastic.  Candles, tape and glue may not be used on the pews.  No tape, nails or pins of any kind are permitted.

Seasonal decorations in the Cathedral may not be altered. 

Download the Worship Environment and Floral Arrangements Guidelines

Choosing the Ceremony
If both of you are Roman Catholic, the church expects the wedding to be held within the celebration of the Mass.  

The Eucharist is a sign of unity.  Both families are able to receive communion, as would all Catholics at the ceremony.

If you do not share the same faith, it is required that the wedding ceremony be celebrated according to the Rite of Marriage Outside of Mass.

The Order of Celebration Rite of Marriage within Mass
When the Rite of Marriage is celebrated outside of Mass, the italicized sections are omitted. (See below) ​

Children in the Wedding 
It is strongly recommended that children must be at least 7 years of age in order to participate in the wedding party.  For your own benefit, and from experience, we discourage the use of younger children in the wedding party.

It is strongly recommended that children must be at least 7 years of age in order to participate in the wedding party. For​ your own benefit, and from experience, we discourage the use of younger children in the wedding party.

Alcoholic beverages, drugs or firearms.
Alcoholic beverages, drugs and firearms are not permitted anywhere on Blessed Sacrament Cathedral Parish Church property.  Their use/presence is entirely inappropriate.  It is the responsibility of the couple to inform the wedding party, family members, friends and the limousine service of this restriction.  The Cathedral campus is a smoke-free environment.  Please observe this no-smoking policy.

Bridal Room
Blessed Sacrament Cathedral has a room where brides may prepare for the wedding ceremony.  

This room is located in the Cathedral Hall adjacent to the ladies restroom.  This room will be open approximately one hour prior to the wedding.  Also, the wedding party will have access to the far end of the church hall of the Cathedral Hall closest to the bride's room one hour prior to the wedding; this can be arranged with the wedding coordinator.  Following the liturgy, please remove all hangers, garment bags, flowers, boxes, etc.  Blessed Sacrament Cathedral and the Diocese of Greensburg assume no liability for any and all items left in the dressing room, church or hall at any time.

Photographs and Video
The taking of pictures and videos in the church during the ceremony is permitted as long as the photographer and or videographer respect the sacredness of the ceremony and do not disturb the prayerful movement of the liturgy.   Special areas are designated for the photographer and videographer.  The parish wedding coordinator will supervise this aspect of the wedding. 

Download the Photography and Videography Guidelines

There is a two-hour time limit from the scheduled start of the wedding in which the wedding party must be out of the church (i.e., for a 2 p.m. wedding, the wedding party must be out of the church by 4 p.m.).

Music  
The couple must meet with the Director of Liturgy and Music, J. Christopher Pardini, to finalize the choice of music, Scripture readings and other details of the wedding liturgy.  The appropriate time frame for the meeting is between six months to one month prior to the wedding date.  Please contact Mr. Pardini at 724-834-3710 ext. 21 to schedule an appointment. Only the Blessed Sacrament Cathedral Parish organist or his designate is to play the organ for weddings at the Cathedral church.  Other instrumentalists and vocalists are able to participate in the Wedding Liturgy once approved by the Director of Music Ministry.

All music used for the ceremony must be approved.  Secular music such as popular songs, Broadway tunes and love ballads are not permitted as part of the wedding liturgy. 

A Catholic wedding is a liturgical celebration and therefore a communal event.  The guests are present not as spectators, but as worshippers.  They should be drawn into active participation through prayer and song, so that they may share fully in the sacramental encounter with Christ the Lord.  If present, the cantor will lead the assembly in song.

Musical texts must always be consistent with Catholic teaching; indeed they should be drawn chiefly from holy Scripture and from liturgical sources.  The use of pre-recorded music is not permitted during the liturgy.

Music which promotes performance over participation is not permitted.  The music selected must express the prayer of the Church.  Individual preference is not, of itself, a sufficient principle for the choice of music in the Liturgy.

Rehearsal
The Wedding rehearsal is usually scheduled for the evening before the wedding between 5 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.  All participating in the ceremony must attend.  The couple is to remind their wedding party that proper dress and conduct is required at the rehearsal.  Rehearsals will begin on time as there may be other events scheduled in the church.  The presider and wedding coordinator may also have other events scheduled following your rehearsal.  The sacrament of reconciliation will be offered immediately following the rehearsal for all Catholics in the wedding party.

Wedding Coordinator
Blessed Sacrament Cathedral Parish provides a wedding coordinator to help with various aspects of the wedding liturgy.  The wedding coordinator will contact the couple the week prior to the wedding to finalize details and will attend the rehearsal and wedding to assist the wedding party and priest. 

Altar Servers
Two altar servers will be provided by the parish unless you notify us otherwise.​​​

Fees for Parishioners
(A parishioner is defined as someone who is currently registered at Blessed Sacrament Cathedral Parish or the child of someone who is currently registered at Blessed Sacrament Cathedral Parish.)

The stipend set by the guidelines of the Parish is $665.  This stipend covers the parish clergy stipend, organist, cantor, servers, wedding coordinator, copyright license and custodial care.  If the couple brings in an outside priest, or hires an instrumentalist, they are still responsible for the $665 stipend as well as any expenses they incur for these other ministers.

The stipend must be dropped-off at the Cathedral Parish Office at least two weeks prior to the date of the wedding.

Fees for Non-Parishioners
(A non-parishioner is someone who does not meet the definition of a parishioner listed above.)

Non-parishioners may marry at the Cathedral provided the following conditions are observed.

• All Blessed Sacrament Cathedral Parish guidelines must be followed.
• The stipend for non-parishioners is $1000.  This stipend covers the parish clergy stipend, organist, cantor, servers, wedding coordinator, copyright license and custodial care.  As in the case of parishioners, if the non-parishioner couple brings in an outside priest, or hires an instrumentalist, they are still responsible for the $1000 stipend as well as any expenses they incur for these other ministers.
• The stipend must be dropped-off at the Cathedral Parish Office at least one month prior to the date of the wedding.​

The sacrament of marriage is an important event in the life of the church.  The entire worshipping community has an interest in your wedding.  Couples need to remember that their wedding is not a private event; rather it belongs to the entire church community.

Prayer should be an important part of your preparation, and entering into this sacrament should help you grow closer to one another and to God.

Enjoy the days and months of preparation ahead (both for the wedding ceremony and for the marriage). They should be happy and exciting times.

We ask the Lord to bless you and guide you.  Remember, it takes three to wed (and remain) married: the bride, the groom and God.​​​​