Planning a wedding is a joyful undertaking, and we are delighted
that you are interested in being married at St. Luke's. The Church
takes marriage very seriously: "Holy Matrimony is Christian
marriage, in which two people enter into a life-long union, make
their vows before God and the Church, and receive the grace and
blessing of God to help them fulfill their vows." (Book of Common
Prayer, p. 861)
Marriage is a sacramental rite of the Episcopal
Church, and a wedding is a sacred liturgy. At St. Luke's all
weddings are done according to the rite prescribed in the Book of
Common Prayer (1979), with appropriate dignity and order. All
marriages are performed by the clergy of St. Luke's, occasionally
assisted by another member of the clergy (Episcopal, or of another
denomination or faith), at the Rector’s discretion. No weddings are
permitted at St. Luke's during the penitential season of Lent.
It is not necessary to be an Episcopalian to be
married at St. Luke's, but at least one of the persons must be a
baptized Christian. Episcopal canon law requires a minimum of thirty
days between the official declaration to the Church of intent to
marry and the wedding. If one or both of the persons is divorced,
the clergy must obtain the permission of the Bishop of Newark in
order to perform the marriage. If there has been more than one
divorce for either of the persons, the Bishop may request a personal
interview with the couple.
Premarital counseling is required of all couples
married at St. Luke's. If the couple do not both reside in the
Montclair area, counseling elsewhere can be arranged.
Music for the service is chosen by the couple in
consultation with the St. Luke's Director of Music who will normally
play for all weddings and will arrange for soloists and
instrumentalists as desired. Any unusual musical requests must be
submitted to the Rector for approval. Non-sacred music should be
reserved for the wedding reception.
Still photography and video are permitted with
certain important restrictions. All photographers must report to the
officiating clergy before the service for instructions. Flash
photography, whether by the professional photographer or wedding
guests, is not permitted during the service. With clergy approval, a
stationary video camera (but no special lighting) may be used. If
the professional photographer or videographer interferes with the
service in any way, moves from his or her assigned position, or
blocks the congregation's view, the clergy person may stop the
ceremony. Competent professionals are capable of doing an excellent
job without disrupting the wedding service. The clergy are happy to
cooperate in re-staging any part afterward for additional
photographs.
The use of confetti, rice or birdseed is
prohibited in the church or on the grounds, as is the release of
balloons.
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Wedding Fees