Getting Married at
Church of the Holy Family
-
Basic Information for Weddings atChurch of the Holy Family
- Congratulations!
- Wedding Fees & Deposit
- Selecting a Date
- Securing a Priest/Deacon
- Required Documentation
- Pre-Cana
- Wedding Request Form
-
Congratulations on your engagement, and welcome to Church of the Holy Family on Roosevelt Road!
We look forward to helping each couple plan for their special day. The information on this site will answer the many questions you may have in preparation for the Sacrament of Marriage at Church of the Holy Family. Please click on each tab for more specfic information, and use the buttons at the top of the page to pay fees, see a wedding checklist, and more.
-
- The fee for weddings scheduled to occur on or after July 1, 2023 is $2,000.(The wedding fee for use of the Church before June 30, 2023 is $1,200.) This fee does not include stipends for presiders, musicians, flowers, etc.
- A $1,000 deposit is required to secure the day and time you selected for your wedding. This deposit is due after your request has been approved by our territorial parish, Our Lady of the Holy Family at Notre Dame, and prior to your initial meeting with our church’s wedding coordinator. Deposits are non-refundable for cancellations done less than six months in advance.
- The remaining balance of $1,000 must be paid, in full, six weeks prior to your wedding rehearsal date. Payments may be made by online by clicking here. If paying by check, please make it payable to Church of the Holy Family (note wedding date in the Memo section) and mail to the following address:
Church of the Holy Family
Wedding Coordinator
1080 West Roosevelt Road
Chicago, IL 60608
-
Weddings at Church of the Holy Family may be scheduled on Saturdays at 1:00 PM, 3:00 PM, and 5:00 PM. If you are considering a Thursday, Friday or Sunday, please contact Cathy Hooper, our wedding coordinator, at [email protected]. You may review the online wedding calendar for possible open dates and times prior to submitting your request form.
Online Calendar
-
- It is the responsibility of each couple to secure a Catholic priest or deacon to preside at their wedding nuptials.
- Once you have selected your presider, it is that person's responsibility to meet with you and go over your wedding ceremony requirements. They will also be responsible for filling out the necessary paperwork to marry in the Catholic Church. Please call our territorial parish, Our Lady of the Holy Family Parish, at (312) 243-7400 or send an email to [email protected] for information regarding necessary documents and preparation.
- Donations for your priest/deacon should be made directly to the them and are separate from the church’s wedding fee.
-
Once the date, time and security deposit have been secured, the church requires the following information to be sent to our offices:- If you are CATHOLIC, we will need a current original hard copy (no digital copy) of your baptism and confirmation certificates from the church you were baptized/confirmed.
- If you are of another CHRISTIAN/NONCHRISTIAN FAITH, we will need a copy of your baptism record.
- If you are currently married to each other through a civil ceremony, want to marry in the church, and have the civil union convalidated by the church, we will need a copy of your state marriage license.
- If either or both of you have been married before and divorced, we will need a copy of your divorce decree and/or annulment records.
- You are required to provide your priest/deacon with the original COOK COUNTY MARRIAGE LICENSE no later than the night of your rehearsal. (A marriage license in Cook County is good for 60 days.) Purchase of the marriage license is through the Office of Bureau of Vital Statistics. This license will be proof that you have been married at Church of the Holy Family. It will be signed ONLY by your priest. Church of the Holy Family is responsible for mailing it back to the Bureau of Vital Statistics. After 10 -14 days, it is the couple’s responsibility to request certified copies from any of their offices or their website.
-
All couples are required to register and complete the Pre-Cana course offered through local parishes and church approved sites. The class must be completed before your wedding date. Upon completion, you will submit the certificate to our offices for your file.
Please call our territorial parish, Our Lady of the Holy Family Parish, at (312) 243-7400 or send an email to OLHFParish@archchicago.org for information regarding marriage preparation.
-
To start the process, you will need to complete the online registration form. It is important to complete both the bride and groom’s information, so that we have contact phone and emails for both of you.
After you submit the form, our wedding coordinator, Cathy Hooper, will contact you to discuss the day and time you are interested in securing. If you have any questions, please contact Cathy at [email protected].
Online Wedding Request Form
-
Planning your Ceremony atChurch of the Holy Family
- Planning the ceremony
- Rehearsal
- Your Wedding Day
- Photos & Videos
- Floral Decorations
- Musicians
- Wedding Planners
- Parking
- Handicap Access
- Other Information
-
Your priest/deacon will assist you in the preparation of your wedding ceremony. You will decide whether you want a ceremony only wedding, or a full Catholic wedding mass.
The website www.catholicweddinghelp.com is a very useful tool in walking couples through the wedding ceremony, choosing scripture readings, prayers of the faithful, etc. Reviewing this information before your first meeting can better prepare you for discussions with your presider in planning your wedding ceremony.
-
Once you have met with your presider and scheduled a Pre-Cana class, you can contact our wedding coordinator, Cathy Hooper, to schedule a rehearsal date. Rehearsals are usually on the Thursday or Friday before your Saturday wedding. Times available are: 4:00, 5:00, 6:00 and 7:00 PM; however, the church schedule may require a change to these dates and/or times.
Wedding rehearsals are for the participants in your wedding ceremony. This includes wedding party, family members, readers, etc. We DO NOT ALLOW music or practice of music at the rehearsal. Our wedding coordinator will be on hand to manage the rehearsal, answer questions, and help keep the rehearsal on time. You will be given instructions for the day of ceremony and time allotment for use of the church.
-
Our Brides Room will be available for the bride and bridal party to wait while guests are arriving in the church. Our wedding coordinator will be managing and directing the wedding activities at The Church of the Holy Family, including the processional and other aspects of the ceremony, in order to ensure a timely start and keep your wedding party focused.
-
All inside wedding pictures MUST BE TAKEN BEFORE the bridal party exits the church. Family and bridal procession must immediately return to the altar after the recessional walk, and complete family photos. Time allotment will be incumbent upon when the wedding ceremony ends.
We will provide instructions to photographers and videographers when they arrive at the church.
**CHURCH USE OF PHOTOGRAPHS AND IMAGES
Unless individuals specifically prohibit the use of photographs, videos or other images of themselves taken at the Church of the Holy Family or an event related to the church, the church assumes the right to use said photographs, images, and videos for promotion material, educational purposes, and church literature. Individuals must notify the church office in writing of their desire not to allow the church to use said material.
-
Flowers arrangements are allowed on the altar and/or down the aisle on pews. We do not allow aisle runners or the tossing of petals in the church. Florists can call our office if they have questions about placement of flowers.
-
Couples are responsible for hiring and contracting musicians for their wedding. You may select your own musician or choose one from our approved list. If you are choosing your own, it is essential that they know and can sing the parts of a Catholic wedding.
If you are in need of a musician, please contact our wedding coordinator for an approved list of musicians who perform at Church of the Holy Family. They are all professional musicians who are skilled in performing at Catholic weddings, and will work with you in music selection and recommendations.Liturgical music must be performed at the wedding Mass and ceremony. Non-secular music is not allowed during Masses at Church of the Holy Family.
-
We are happy to have wedding planners at our church. Our wedding coordinator will give them direction, and let them know if their assistance is needed at the church. If they have questions, they can contact our offices, or email her directly.
-
Parking is available for wedding guests in the lot located on the corner of May Street and Roosevelt Road. Parking is also available on Roosevelt Road. Please refer to street sign directions.
-
Handicap access to the church is provided in the parish center. Entrance to the parish center is at the corner of May Street and Roosevelt Road, just to the west of the church entrance.
-
- NO alcohol related items, sealed or unsealed, are allowed in the Church.
- No food related items may be tossed at bridal exit from church. Suggested alternatives include bells, noise makers, ribbon flags, bubbles, etc.
- Transportation buses can wait in the church lot for exiting guests.
