Congratulations on your engagement!

First Steps

Your first step before anything else (including booking your reception venue) should be to contact us to schedule your wedding date.

Contact:
Sarah LaBarge
Sacramental Coordinator
slabarge@eastsideregion.org

Wedding Times & Availability

• Fridays at 4:00 PM
• Saturdays at 1:00 PM or 6:00 PM

• Fridays at 6:00 PM
• Saturdays at 1:00 PM

Please note: Due to other Masses, sacramental celebrations, and regular parish events, we are unable to schedule ceremonies outside of these times. Weddings are not scheduled during Advent, Lent, Easter Sunday, or Christmas weekends.

Requirements to Book

1. You (or your family) must be registered, active parishioners for at least 3 months. This includes:
   • Completing an online registration form:
     • Register at St. Cecilia
     • Register at St. Mary
   • Regular Mass attendance
   • Regularly engage in stewardship of time, talent, and treasure
2. You must book at least 6 months in advance. This allows adequate time for marriage preparation.
3. You must be engaged. (You may reach out to the Sacramental Coordinator and put a hold on the date in the meantime.)
4. You must commit to living these four principles of our faith→

Complete the booking process

1. Have a brief phone conversation with our Sacramental Coordinator
2. Fill out an online information form
3. Sign a contract

Fees

Wedding at St. Cecilia or St. Mary: $975

Includes:

• Rental of the church
• Time with wedding coordinators
• Marriage preparation materials
• Time with music director & organist services

You will be responsible for paying the cantor and any additional musicians directly.

Marriage Preparation Only (ceremony elsewhere): $250

Includes:

• Marriage preparation materials

What Happens After Booking?

Once your date is officially booked, our Sacramental Coordinator will assign a priest or deacon for your preparation and ceremony, schedule your Rehearsal, and provide you with detailed information about your marriage preparation requirements.

Learn more about Marriage Preparation →

Special Circumstances

Communication Policy

This is your wedding and your celebration of the sacrament of matrimony. We will communicate directly with the bride and groom only—not with parents, wedding planners, or vendors. This helps ensure you are getting what you truly want and that all pertinent information flows through you.

Questions?

View our comprehensive Wedding FAQs → or contact Sarah LaBarge at slabarge@eastsideregion.org.

Overview of Requirements

• You will be assigned a priest or deacon at the time of booking
  • If both you and your fiancé are Catholic and intend on having a wedding Mass, we will assign a priest. If only one of you is a practicing Catholic, we will recommend a wedding service and will assign a deacon.
• You will meet 2-4 times throughout your engagement
• These meetings provide spiritual guidance and ensure you're prepared for the sacrament

Action: Upon booking you will receive contact information to reach out to schedule your first meeting.

• Certified Copies of your Baptismal Certificates

• • You must obtain a certified copy(not a photocopy) from the church where you were baptized
    • Request this as early as possible—it can take time
  • Do not bring your original certificate—it will not be returned to you
  • Bring to your first meeting with your priest or mail to: ATTN: Sarah LaBarge, St. Mary Hyde Park, 2853 Erie Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45208

• M-1 Form
  • Allows each future spouse to respond to questions regarding faith, family, and your relationship
  • You will receive this form upon booking
  • Complete it before your first meeting with your priest or deacon
• FOCCUS Inventory Completion Certificate (see below)
• Pre-Cana Retreat Certificate (see below)
• NFP Class Certificate (see below)

What is it?
FOCCUS allows you, your partner, and your presider to understand areas for deeper discussion in your relationship—such as how you will approach finances, holiday traditions, conflict resolution, and more. You will be assigned a FOCCUS Mentor Couple to facilitate a review of your results with you.

Timeline:

• Upon Booking: You will each receive separate emails with unique links to complete your surveys independently. We recommend completing inventories right away! Must be completed at least 6 months before your wedding
• 3-6 months before your wedding: Your FOCCUS Mentor Couple will reach out to schedule a meeting to review your results with you

What is NFP?
Natural Family Planning enables couples to work in accordance with God's natural design to experience the fullness of the unitive and procreative elements of the marital act.

Choose ONE of the following methods:

• Couple to Couple League
• Creighton Fertility Care
• The Billings Method (you must complete the "Full Course")
• The Cross Check Method
• Marquette Method
• CCNFP

What is it?
Pre-Cana Retreats are designed to create time and space for you and your fiancé to withdraw from the busy days of work, wedding planning, and your bustling social calendar to actively reflect on the beautiful commitment you are about to make to one another.

Choose ONE of the following retreats:

• Genesis Retreat (Day Retreat)
• Engaged Encounter (Weekend Retreat)
• Three to Get Married (Weekend Retreat - dates posted periodically)

Catholics preparing to receive the Sacrament of Marriage should receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation before the wedding. Your priest or deacon can help you schedule this.

Questions?

For questions about marriage preparation requirements, contact:

Sarah LaBarge
slabarge@eastsideregion.org

For more detailed information, view our Wedding FAQs →

The Ceremony

• Mass: Recommended when both bride and groom are Catholic
• Service: Recommended when one party is not Catholic

• Plan for approximately one hour.

• Your wedding will include traditional, Catholic vows. While personal vows are not part of the formal ceremony, couples are welcome to share personal words with each other during the reception or in a private moment.

Readings & Music

• You will receive a pamphlet of suggested readings when you meet with your priest or deacon
• View a digital version of suggested readings here 
• You will provide your reading selection details to both your presider and your Wedding Coordinator

• You will meet with the parish music director at least 3 months before your ceremony to plan music that reflects standard liturgical practices. You can reach out to them to begin this process.

Music Directors:

• St. Cecilia: Ryan Leep - rleep@eastsidecatholics.org - (513) 871-5757 ext. 208
• St. Mary: Alex Buiel - abuiel@eastsidecatholics.org - (781) 737-9174

St. Cecilia Wedding Sampler:
For St. Cecilia couples, the music director hosts an annual Wedding Sampler event (typically January/February) where you can listen to available musical selections in the church.

Participants in Your Ceremony

You may invite friends or family members to participate as:

• Wedding Party: Bridesmaids, Groomsmen, Flower Girls, Ring Bearers
• Lectors: Read the first and second readings
• Readers: Read the petitions
• Gift Bearers: Bring up the gifts during Mass
• Eucharistic Ministers: Assist with distribution of Communion (must be trained)
• Altar Servers: Assist the priest

Note your selections on the Wedding Coordinator Form when contacted by your coordinator.

Alcohol Policy

The consumption of alcohol on church property before or after the wedding is strictly forbidden. Any member of the wedding party showing signs of being under the influence will not be permitted to participate. If the bride or groom show signs of consumption, they will not be permitted to be married. You cannot legally consent to marriage if you are under the influence.

Wedding Rehearsal

Your rehearsal time will be scheduled and communicated to you in your confirmation email upon booking. The rehearsal is typically held the evening before your wedding.

Your day-of wedding coordinator will assist the celebrant in running your rehearsal.

Wedding Coordinator

• Reach out to gather information via questionnaire
• Assist with your rehearsal
• Set up the church (chairs, kneelers, altar preparation)
• Line up and time your procession
• Communicate with photographers and vendors
• Ensure your ceremony runs smoothly
• Arrive 1 hour before ceremony and remain through church photos

Note: Your sacramental coordinator (Sarah LaBarge) handles scheduling and preparation details. Your wedding coordinator handles day-of details.

Questions?

For detailed answers to specific questions about ceremony planning, view our Wedding FAQs →

For general ceremony questions, contact:

Sarah LaBarge
slabarge@eastsideregion.org

• Faithful Participation in the Sacramental & Spiritual Life
  • Must I go to Mass every Sunday?
  • Why Confess my Sins to a Priest?

• Active Involvement in the Life of the Parish 
  • Ways to Get Involved in the Young Adult Ministry

• Supporting the Good Work of the Church
  • Register here for St. Cecilia Online Giving
  • Register here for St. Mary Online Giving

• Speaking the Truth in & through your Body
  • The Secret About Sex and Holiness
  • Why Did God Give us Bodies?

What is Convalidation?

Convalidation is the process by which a marriage that was not originally recognized by the Catholic Church is made valid in the eyes of the Church. If you were married civilly (outside the Church) or in a non-Catholic ceremony, but desire or need to have your marriage recognized by the Catholic Church, convalidation is the path forward.

Why Would We Need Convalidation?

You may need or desire convalidation if:

• You were married civilly (at a courthouse, by a justice of the peace, etc.)
• One or both of you are Catholic and were married outside the Catholic Church without proper dispensation
• You want to be in full communion with the Church
• You want to serve in a ministry role that requires being in good standing (such as being a godparent)
• You simply desire to have your marriage blessed by the Church

What Does the Process Look Like?

The convalidation process is similar to preparing for a wedding, but adapted to your circumstances as an already-married couple. It typically includes:

• Meetings with a priest or deacon
• Completion of necessary forms (M-1, M-2, or MB forms as needed)
• Completion of an information form
• Collecting certified copies of your baptism certificates
• Copy of your Marriage License

The Ceremony

• We celebrate Convalidations after the 9 AM Mass at St. Cecilia on Saturdays
• You will exchange consent in the presence of a priest or deacon and two witnesses
• The ceremony makes your existing marriage valid in the Catholic Church
• Some people choose to dress up and invite family and friends. We take a picture for our bulletin to celebrate your convalidation as well!

Timeline

We ask that you schedule at least 3 months in advance so you have adequate time to collect paperwork and meet with a priest.

Special Considerations

Getting Started

Please contact:

Sarah LaBarge
Sacramental Coordinator
slabarge@eastsideregion.org

We've compiled answers to the most frequently asked questions about weddings at Eastside Catholics. This comprehensive guide covers everything from getting started to day-of details, including:

• Getting Started - Booking requirements, parishioner status, special circumstances
• Scheduling - Available times, exceptions, restricted dates
• Marriage Preparation - Required steps, documents, timeline
• Ceremony & Rehearsal - What to expect, arrival times, policies
• Music & Programs - Working with music directors, selecting music
• Photography - Timing, restrictions, guidelines
• Flowers & Decorations - What's permitted, delivery times, restrictions
• Wedding Coordinators - Roles and responsibilities
• Fees & Costs - Detailed payment information, additional costs
• Contact Information - Who to contact for specific questions

Download Wedding FAQs (PDF) →