Marriage
The Church of St. Mary offers an elegant and ambient setting for your wedding day. The beautifully crafted stained-glass windows and sculptured pillars lend a feeling of historical artistry to the surroundings. The Church is situated in the heart of Royal Oak, Michigan, and is easy to get to with many businesses and popular local restaurants close by.
The staff at St. Mary works hard to make your wedding day a pleasant and memorable experience. Fr. Steve Wertanen meets with each couple to plan and prepare for their special day and directs your marriage preparation. He will set a wedding date and time with you. The days and hours for weddings are Fridays between 4:00 PM and 6:00 PM and Saturdays between 12:00 noon and 2:00 PM.
Each couple is asked to participate in a pre-marital inventory to help facilitate communication about various issues that will be encountered as a married couple. Because we want to help couples have a happy and loving marriage and a communicative relationship, this marriage preparation is provided by JTM and Associates. In particular, the couple meets with Mrs. Julia Kline, a certified Marriage Counselor, after which the priest continues the process of marriage preparation.
At least one person of a Catholic couple, or a couple in an interfaith relationship (Catholic and Non-Catholic), must be a registered parishioner of St. Mary Parish. Provincial guidelines for the State of Michigan require that each couple planning to marry in the church have at least six (6) months preparation before their wedding.
Couples need to provide a copy of their Baptismal Certificate dated within six (6) months prior to the wedding date. Baptismal certificates can be obtained from the parish and/or church where the baptism took place. If any particular Catholic parish is now closed, the Archdiocese of Detroit Office for Archives can be contacted for a copy of the baptismal certificate at 313-237-5846.
Our Music Minister, Ms. Paula Savaglio, works with each couple to determine preferences for music, vocalists and/or other instrumentation. She can be reached at 248-547-1818 ext 246 and should be contacted not later than thirty (30) days after the first appointment for marriage preparation. St. Mary Parish is proud to offer music by way of organ or piano and is well-known for its’ rich program of music.
Our wedding teams provide excellent assistance with rehearsals and day-of events. At least three months prior to your wedding day, contact our Parish Office Manager, Mrs. Bernadine Wojcik, at 248-547-1818, to arrange your wedding rehearsal date and time. Wedding rehearsals are normally held on Thursday or Friday evenings beginning at 5:00 PM.
We believe in the sanctity of marriage as a sacrament and are happy that you are considering marriage at St. Mary Parish. With joy and anticipation, we look forward to helping you begin preparation for the beginning of your life together.