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Guidelines for Marriage

We are truly delighted that you have chosen Saint Joseph Catholic Church as the place to celebrate the Sacrament of Marriage. What a beautiful moment in your lives — a moment of love, hope, and deep trust in God’s plan for you.

It is our prayer that your wedding day will be a joyful and grace-filled celebration of the love you share and the lifelong promises you will make before God, your family, and your friends.

Your love story is unique and precious. In coming to the Church to be married, you are inviting Christ to be at the center of your life together. The Sacrament of Marriage is not only a celebration of your love today, but a sacred gift that will sustain and strengthen you in the years ahead — in moments of joy and in times of challenge.

We look forward to walking with you during this special time of preparation. Marriage preparation is more than planning a beautiful ceremony; it is an opportunity to grow together, to reflect deeply in your commitment, and to build a strong foundation rooted in faith. You are becoming part of a long and cherished tradition of couples who have stood before this altar and entrusted their future to God.

This booklet has been prepared to guide you in planning your wedding celebration. The guidelines included reflect the wisdom and care of the Catholic Church, the Archdiocese, and our parish community. They are meant not as burdens, but as loving guidance to help you celebrate your marriage with reverence, beauty, and peace.

For your own protection and peace of mind, do not make any other final arrangements for your wedding, especially any that have financial considerations (deposits, down payments, etc) until you are notified that your wedding has been scheduled.

Please know that you are in our prayers. May this time of preparation be filled with joy, anticipation, and grace. May the Lord bless you abundantly as you begin this sacred journey together.

The Clergy and Staff of SJCC

Initial Wedding Arrangements

Initial arrangements for the time, date, and place of your wedding ceremony should be made either before or in conjunction with arrangements for your wedding reception. These plans must be initiated at least 6 months before your desired wedding date.

You may request a priest or deacon from our staff, or you may invite a member of the clergy from another Catholic church to preside at a ceremony here at SJCC. If you invite a priest or deacon from another Catholic church, he will need to send our Pastor a letter confirming his acceptance of the wedding ceremony. Note: We cannot reserve a time, date, or location for your wedding until you have discussed your plans personally with a priest or deacon at SJCC.

You should be a registered parishioner of Saint Joseph Catholic Church before contacting the parish to make arrangements for your wedding.

Wedding Location and Time

There are three locations at SJCC in which your wedding may be celebrated:

  1. Eldersburg Church
  2. Historic Sykesville Church
  3. Our Lady of Pilar Chapel
  • The Eldersburg Church seats approximately 1,100 people, is air-conditioned, and has restroom facilities. Food and beverages are not permitted in the Church.
  • The Chapel seats approximately 80 people, is air-conditioned, and has restroom facilities. Food and beverages are not permitted in the Chapel.
  • The Sykesville Church seats approximately 100 people, is air-conditioned, has restroom facilities, but no private rooms for the wedding party. This is a historic building and may be difficult for people with disabilities to access.

Wedding celebrations on Fridays may be scheduled with a start time between 4:00 and 6:00 pm. Saturdays may be scheduled with a start time between 11:00 am and 1:00 pm. No weddings may be scheduled for Saturday evenings.

We do not schedule weddings on Sundays, Holy Days of Obligation, or national holidays. Weddings on other days may be scheduled, subject to the Church and clergy calendars.

Dressing Areas

Saint Joseph Catholic Church does not have a room specifically designated as a dressing room for the wedding party; however, there is an area where the wedding party may gather before the wedding. It is strongly suggested that the participants dress before arriving and use the room for final preparations before the wedding. 

Wedding Rehearsal

The rehearsal is usually held the night before the wedding. For Saturday weddings, rehearsals will be scheduled on Friday at either 4:00 pm, 5:00 pm, or 6:00 pm. For Friday weddings, the rehearsal will be held on Thursday evening. All those who are participating in the wedding liturgy in any way should attend. Your chosen presider is expected to conduct the rehearsal. This ensures the smoothest wedding celebration and minimizes the risk of miscommunication or issues during the liturgy. In the rare event that a scheduled presider is unable to conduct the rehearsal for a wedding, we will attempt to schedule one of our deacons to fill in. 

Marriage Preparation

As a lifelong commitment and a sacred sacrament in our Church, marriage requires serious preparation. The Archdiocese of Baltimore mandates all engaged couples to participate in a formal program of preparation arranged through their local parish, where there will be opportunities to enter conversations regarding important topics such as why marriage matters, why God created marriage, sexuality, and how to have a sacramental marriage. In addition to the assistance provided by the officiating clergy, SJCC offers:

Sponsor Couple – A process of five sessions with a selected married couple from SJCC who will meet with the engaged couple personally over a period of several weeks. The setting is friendly and informal, while each engaged couple gets personal attention in reviewing the many facets of married life. This option is arranged through your presiding priest or deacon.

Other preparatory programs, such as those suited for a second marriage, are also available from the Archdiocese. For more information, contact the Church office at (443) 920-9191. The priest or deacon will discuss these programs with engaged couples and help you make the necessary arrangements for participating in them.

Upon the completion of a marriage preparation program, the engaged couple will receive a certificate, which should be given to the presiding priest or deacon.

Wedding Music

Please contact our Director of Liturgy and Music, Steve Cox, to coordinate the music for your ceremony. He should be contacted as soon as a wedding date has been confirmed. He will be able to assist you in selecting music and musicians and will coordinate fees for the musicians. He is responsible for the piano and the church’s audio system. Outside musicians are subject to the approval of the Director, and/or the clergy assisting at the wedding ceremony. You can contact our Director of Liturgy and Music at coxs@saintjoseph.cc.

The Wedding Liturgy

An engaged couple may choose to be married in either a

• Wedding Ceremony
• Nuptial Mass

The Wedding Ceremony consists of readings from Scripture, a homily, the exchange of vows, and selected prayers and blessings. It may be officiated by a priest or deacon.

The Nuptial Mass consists of readings from Scripture, a homily, the exchange of vows, and a full liturgy of the Eucharist. It may only be officiated by a priest.

At your first meeting with the clergy, you will be given a Together for Life booklet that will step you through the Scripture readings, vows, prayers, and blessing. The priest or deacon will be happy to assist you in selecting an appropriate liturgy. 

Photography and Videotaping

Photographers/videographers and their equipment are to be as unobtrusive as possible. They should not interfere with any aspect of the procession, liturgy, or recessional. Posing during the liturgy, waving to the couple, or distracting from the ceremony is not permitted. Flash photography and video lighting is not permitted during the liturgy.

Photographers/videographers are not permitted in the Sanctuary or any other place deemed inappropriate by the church staff. Video equipment may not be obtrusive and must remain stationary. 

Microphones and/or electric wiring may not be taped across the aisles. Sanctuary microphones are not to be disconnected or tampered with in any way. 

Photo and video lighting racks are not permitted during the ceremony.

All photography/video equipment is to be kept on the floor and well out of the way of traffic patterns. Nothing should be placed in or on the pews.

Standing on any pews for picture taking or posing is forbidden. The altar is a sacred place; nothing should be placed upon it, nor should it be used as a prop.

No altar candles or church decor may be moved. 

Musicians may not be photographed or videotaped without their explicit personal approval.

Proper attire is required of all photography/videography personnel.

No food or beverage is to be brought into the church. Alcoholic beverages are not permitted on church grounds.

All voices must be kept down during photographic sessions. Shouting is inappropriate.

It is the responsibility of the wedding couple to ensure that photographers and videographers are aware of these policies and abide by them.

Any questions about these policies should be directed to Steve Cox, Director of Liturgy and Music, at coxs@saintjoseph.cc and not the deacon or priest.

Decorations

Floral decorations – May not be placed on the altar or in front of the altar. We encourage you and your florist to visit our space to decide on the size and number of arrangements. The Church will be decorated for the liturgical seasons of Advent, Christmas, Lent, and Easter. You may not, at any time, remove any seasonal decoration, flower arrangement, or banner from the Church. If your wedding will take place during one of these seasons, you may request photos of typical liturgical decorations so you will know what the church will look like on your wedding day. Floral decorations for the wedding in the church should remain in the church  after the ceremony. If your wedding is taking place during the Christmas or Easter seasons, you may choose not to order flowers for the sanctuary area since it will already be decorated. During the Lenten season (timing varies by year but Lent usually encompasses part of February, all of March, and the early part of April), there will be no flowers in keeping with the simplicity of the Lenten season. If you order flowers during these months, they must be simple and should be removed after your wedding. 

Aisle Runner – We do not recommend an aisle runner.

Candles – Additional or rental candles are not permitted in the sanctuary or aisles.

Pews – Tape and brackets damage the finish on wooden pews. They are not to be used to affix anything onto the pews. Bows can be fastened to the pews with ribbon ties only.

Additional accouterments – No rice, birdseed, confetti, rose petals, or any other item may be thrown inside or outside any building on the parish grounds. Insurance regulations and maintenance problems prohibit this. Balloons may not be released.

Wedding Participants

Readers and Leaders of Prayer – A member of the bridal party, of the family, or any guest may be invited to read from Scripture or to lead in selected prayers at the celebration. The Best Man and Maid (or Matron) of Honor, members of the bridal party, and other participants in the wedding liturgy need not be Catholic. It would be appropriate, however, for readers and leaders of prayer to be of the Christian faith. Please consult with the priest or deacon for assistance.

Altar Servers – Engaged couples may request SJCC to assign altar servers for the ceremony or they may invite family members or friends who are experienced in serving to do so.

Required Documents

Baptismal Certificate – Each Catholic party must obtain a newly issued baptismal certificate (issued within six months of the wedding date) from their church of Baptism. You may obtain a certificate by contacting the church directly. Baptized non-Catholics are asked to provide a photocopy of their baptismal certificate.

Marriage License – All engaged couples must obtain a marriage license from the Marriage License Department of the Circuit Court for Carroll County. For more information on requirements and fees, visit https://www.courts.state.md.us/clerks/carroll/marriage or call 410-386-8710. There is a 48-hour waiting period for the license, which is valid for six months from the date of issue. No blood tests or witnesses are required in the State of Maryland.

Other Documents – The presiding priest or deacon will assist you in determining whether additional documents are necessary for your marriage.