Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist are sacraments of Christian initiation.  They ground the common vocation of all Christ's disciples, a vocation to holiness and to the mission of evangelizing the world.  They confer the graces needed for the life according to the Spirit during this life as pilgrims on the march towards the homeland.  Two other sacraments, Holy Orders and Matrimony, are directed towards the salvation of others;  they contribute as well to personal salvation, it is through service to others that they do so.  They confer a particular mission in the Church and serve to build up the People of God.

-Catechism of the Catholic Church


Congratulations on your Engagement!

Congratulations on the decision to celebrate a commitment of life with each other in the Sacrament of Marriage. This is truly a major decision for you and your future. Weddings are a special time of joy and promise for you, your families and the entire parish community. Our Catholic faith tradition tells us that as the bride and groom administer the sacrament to each other, before the official witness of the Church, it is a time which foreshadows the great Marriage feast of the Lord in the Resurrection and eternal life.In view of this religious significance, above and beyond the legality of marriage, it is understandable that celebrating this sacrament in a faith context and church setting must be entered into with prayerful planning. As a Christian community, we want to provide you with the direction necessary to help you attain your goal ... not only a wonderful wedding day, but a happy and fulfilling life-long sacramental marriage. Therefore these policies have been prepared in order to help you solemnize your marriage at Parish of the Assumption.


Who May Celebrate a Wedding In Our Parish?

Either the bride or the groom must be registered, practicing members of the parish. By Canon Law, non-registered Catholic bridal parties must obtain a "letter of permission" from their own parish, or they must register with Parish of the Assumption for the celebration of a wedding. Please note that there is an additional fee for non-registered or newly registered members seeking to celebrate a marriage in one of the churches of the Parish of the Assumption.


Some General Requirements.

1.  The prospective bride and groom meet with the parish priest or deacon a minimum of six months prior to the intended wedding date;
2.  With the priest or deacon, the couple fills out the Pre-Nuptial questionnaire which includes testimony of their intention to enter into a Christian Marriage according to the teaching of the Church;
3.  The Catholic parties, either the bride and/or groom, are required to:
• Attend Mass in a Catholic Church regularly,
• participate in the Toward Marriage Program or Engaged Encounter Weekend
• meet with the priest, deacon or designated couple to discuss the FOCCUS (a marriage preparation tool), and finally
• meet with the priest to plan the actual ceremony.


What Documents will you need?

A newly issued baptismal certificate, dated within the past six months.  You may obtain it directly from the church of your baptism. Both the Catholic and non-Catholic parties need this documentation whenever there has been baptism celebrated.

In the case of a second marriage, please advise the priest or deacon of this reality. Proof of the previous marriage and legal divorce are needed. This applies to Catholic or non-Catholic equally.

• In many cases an Annulment will be required when a previous marriage has been celebrated.  A Formal Decree of Nullity is needed to set a wedding date. We  will assist you if such a decree is needed.

Finally, a Civil License must be obtained. You must both be present to apply for the license. No blood test is required in NH. The license is valid for 90 days. You may drop your license off to the Rectory anytime prior to the wedding, but no later than the time of the rehearsal.


What Dates and Times are Available?

Dates, times and locations are on a first-come, first-reserved basis. The limitations of time are dependent on whether your celebration will be a full Mass or a Scripture Service.

For a Nuptial Mass:
A wedding that includes the celebration of Mass, when available, may take place on Friday evenings or on Saturdays.  A Saturday wedding Mass may begin as early as desired to as late as 1:00PM for all locations.  If you are seeking a Saturday evening wedding, because of the regular Mass schedule, it must be 7:30PM or later.  Our regular weekend schedule does not allow for us to schedule weddings involving a Mass between the hours of 2:00PM to 7:30PM.  Sunday weddings are also not currently available.  When a couple has asked their own priest to come and celebrate the Mass, some of these time restrictions might be able to change.

For a Scripture Service:
A wedding that is the celebration of a Scripture Service, when the Deacon is available, may take place on Friday evenings or on Saturdays.  Because they do not require a priest presence, a Saturday Scripture Service may begin as early as desired to as late as is agreed upon by the Deacon, in any location that isn't already occupied with our regular weekend schedule.  Sunday Scripture Services are not currently available. 

• Some dates may not be available because of civic holiday observances or other parish activities.

• A minimum of a 3-hours is required between weddings when more than one is celebrated on any particular day

• By tradition, weddings are not celebrated during the Lenten Season (Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday).  Please consult the calendar in making your preparations as the dates of these seasons change each year.


What Locations Are Available?

Currently, the date and time being available, couples have the opportunity to celebrate their wedding at any one of three locations in Dover:St Charles Church, located at 577 Central Ave;St Joseph Church, located at 150 Central Ave;St Mary Church, located at 25 Third St; -or- the Chapel of the Nativity on Rt. 9 in Barrington.


A Full Mass or a Scripture Service?

It is presumed that all marriages between two Catholics that are in a position to celebrate and receive Eucharist will take place in the context of Mass.  Discussion about a Liturgy of the Word or Liturgy of the Eucharist should take place with the priest upon your first meeting.

The marriage ceremony should be a sign of all that unites the bridal couple.  When one person of the couple is not a Catholic, the marriage is normally celebrated as a Liturgy of the Word.


Aisle Runners and Pew Bows

Although we do not recommend their use, Isle Runners are acquired from the florist.Double stick adhesive tapes are not allowed to attach the pew bows. Elastic bands or craft wires work best for pew bows.


Flowers

It is customary to leave the flowers from your wedding at the Church to provide the whole parish community the opportunity to share in the celebration of your wedding.

No flower petals, rice, bird seed or confetti is to be thrown in or around the church. It is your responsibility to inform your guests.


Visiting Clergy

A couple may wish to invite a guest priest or deacon to perform their wedding.  They are most welcomed. It is presumed that the visiting celebrant will adhere to the customs of the parish and will be present at the wedding rehearsal.If the visiting celebrant is from out of state, he must obtain the written permission from the Secretary of State of New Hampshire to preside over the witness of vows.


Photographers

Please inform your photographer that flash is discouraged during the ceremony, and to consult with the presider before the ceremony begins.


Rehearsals

The rehearsal is usually scheduled for the evening before the wedding and normally is a half hour in length. Because more than one rehearsal may be scheduled on a given evening, it is important that everyone arrive on time.


What are the Fees?

Couples who:

• are (or their parents) currently registered and active members of the parish;

• are (or their parents) currently regular contributors of record; and

• are participating in parish life through involvement in parish ministry and programs; are asked a reservation fee of $150.00.

Couple who do not meet these three requirements are asked a reservation fee of $550.00.

Note:  The church & date are reserved only upon receipt of the reservation fee.  The reservation fees are non-refundable, as it makes the date and time unavailable to another couple.


Personal Stipends/Gifts

Any personal offerings, gift or stipend for the priest who presides at your wedding or servers who assist at your wedding is at the discretion of the couple.  Such a gratuity should be brought to the rehearsal with the other items you plan to use as part of your ceremony.


Music Fee

You privately contract with the musicians and soloists for your wedding.  Once your date and time have been reserved, we recommend making arrangements with your musicians.  The parish office can provide you with a list of available musicians and soloists in the area.

Because each church has a valuable pipe organ, a couple wishing to use the services of musician other than those provided by the parish must obtain permission from the parish.


Music

Our parish musicians and soloists will, because of the sacredness of the event, work with you in choosing music.  Please note that the option of pre-recorded music is not available for use during the ceremony. Appropriate music must be approved in advance and must keep the sacredness of the celebration in mind.

Finally, our thanks to you!

Thank you for taking the time to review our wedding policy.  Please feel free to contact us at the Parish Office at 603-742-4837 at any time.  Again, congratulations on your wedding plans, and our prayers and best wishes to you for your future.

(Effective July 1, 2009.  Subject to change.)