Who can be married at Saint Joseph Cathedral?

Those who are registered, practicing members of Saint Joseph Cathedral may be married here. It is our Catholic tradition to celebrate the sacraments in one’s own parish community. There are exceptions, however. Couples who belong to another parish in the Diocese of Manchester may be married here by the pastor or deacon of their home parish.

Who is able to officiate at marriages at Saint Joseph Cathedral?

Our pastor, Father Joe Cooper, or our permanent deacon, Deacon Bob Potvin, normally officiates at Cathedral weddings. Permission can be given for another priest or deacon who is a friend of the couple to do so as well. Since you are already a member of the diocesan community, it is recommended that the pastor or deacon from your home parish in the diocese should officiate at the ceremony.

Are people who are not members of the Catholic faith welcome to be married at Saint Joseph Cathedral?

Simply put, yes—providing either the bride or the groom is Catholic.

Can people who have been married before be married in the Catholic Church at Saint Joseph Cathedral?

Generally speaking, the answer is no. The Church views marriage as a permanent commitment and the bond of marriage is broken only by the death of one spouse. With that being said, there are exceptions which would need to be addressed with either Father Joe or Deacon Bob.

What does marriage preparation look like?

Catholic marriages are viewed as a life-long commitment. As such, preparation is required of all couples prior to the celebration of the sacrament. Cathedral parishioners begin this process by completing an extensive pre-marital questionnaire. This is followed by taking a communication skills inventory and an evaluation of it, and a day long or weekend long retreat. Prior to the completion of these requirements, the date is only tentatively set in the Cathedral parish calendar.

Non Cathedral parishioners will make the same preparation in their own parishes with their own priest, deacon or marriage preparation team. When the Cathedral requirements have been completed in the other parish, a letter verifying that the couple have completed the preparation process.

When may weddings take place at the Cathedral?

Weddings may be celebrated on any day of the week with the exception of Sundays. Friday evenings and Saturdays until 1:30 p.m. are generally the day that weddings take place. Weddings do not take place at the Cathedral on late Saturday afternoons or evenings. Weddings are not celebrated during the season of Lent.

Is the Cathedral Chapel available for weddings?

The Cathedral Chapel is a beautiful setting for smaller weddings (less than 125 guests). If you are planning a smaller wedding, you may want to consider the Chapel as an option.

Do Catholic weddings always take place at Mass?

No. There are two options—the rite of marriage may take place at a Mass or in a simple ceremony. In either case, there is a Liturgy of the Word and the Rite of Marriage. Normally, the Mass is celebrated only when both parties are Catholic.

Are there restrictions concerning the ceremony or the music?

The wedding rite, whether celebrated at a ceremony or Mass, follows the ritual of the Roman Catholic Church. The couple participates in the choice of readings and, in consultation with the Cathedral Director of Music, the couple may choose appropriate sacred music for the celebration. There are other options available which will be discussed with the couple in the final preparatory stages before the wedding. The standards for music at weddings are very clear and set.

What is the process that a Cathedral parishioner follows to be married at Saint Joseph Cathedral?

If you are a regular, contributing parishioner at Saint Joseph Cathedral, you may begin scheduling the wedding no more than 14 months and no less than 9 months in advance. We will tentatively set the date and time of the wedding with you during that time. Once all of the requirements have been completed (see question about marriage preparation above), we will confirm the date with you. Since this initial preparatory process can take up to 2 months, most couples will have a confirmed date for the wedding approximately one year in advance.

How does a non-parishioner of the Cathedral arrange for a wedding at Saint Joseph Cathedral?

Given the schedule at the Cathedral, non-parishioners must ensure that a priest or deacon in good standing will be able to officiate at the ceremony. (Remember that priests or deacons who do not reside in New Hampshire must first secure a license from Manchester City Hall.) This priest or deacon could be a relative or close friend of the family or a priest or deacon from your home parish. (The Cathedral clergy do not officiate at the marriages of non-parishioners.) Once a clergyman has been secured, his name is submitted to the Cathedral parish office to ensure that he is in good standing in his diocese. A tentative date and time for the wedding will then be arranged. The date and time of the wedding will remain tentative until permission has been granted by the Cathedral pastor. Non-parishioners may begin the scheduling process with the Cathedral as early as 12 months prior to the proposed wedding date.

Parishioners and Non-Parishioners—

All of the above should be observed before finalizing arrangements with reception halls, photographers and florists. Never presume that the Cathedral will be available on any given date.

Is there a fee for the use of the Cathedral or the Chapel?

Yes. The fees for the Cathedral or Chapel help to defray the costs of the services of the Cathedral staff, heating and lighting. The fee for the musicians is not included in the Cathedral or Chapel fee. Please note that there are two fees for weddings at Saint Joseph Cathedral—one for registered and contributing parishioners and another for non-parishioners or non-contributing parishioners. Parishioners who choose not to utilize the parish envelope system are considered “non-contributing parishioners.”

Fees for parishioners*

For weddings in the Cathedral, the fee is $150.00; for weddings in the Chapel, $100.00. No parishioner is ever turned away because of an inability to pay the fee.

*The parishioner rate for weddings is set to honor the commitment of participating, contributing members of the parish. It is unfair to them to extend it to people who simply choose to change parish affiliations in order to pay the lower fee. Normally speaking, the parishioner rate applies to those who have been registered, contributing and participating parishioners for six months prior to the scheduling of the wedding.

Fees for non-parishioners

For weddings in the Cathedral, the fee is $250.00; for weddings in the Chapel, the fee is $150.00.

A security deposit is required.

A $50.00 non-refundable fee must accompany the initial form requesting a date for a wedding at the Cathedral or Chapel. The balance of the fee for both the Cathedral and Chapel is due 2 weeks prior to the wedding date. (The balance is fully refundable in the event that the wedding is cancelled within 48 hours of the wedding date.)

If you want to be married at the Cathedral, please contact Pauline Reed at the Cathedral Rectory Office. She will forward the appropriate forms to you within 24 hours of your request call.