WEddings & HOly Unions
THE FIRST STEPS
All prospective couples need to speak with the Dean of the Cathedral in order to initiate the wedding or Holy Union preparation process.
If you are planning on making St. James Cathedral your church home, it's important that we all get to know each other. Come experience Cathedral worship, fellowship and community events. Introduce yourselves to the clergy and people of the Cathedral. As a couple, finding a church home is one way to build up relationships that will be life-giving to both of you.
If you are having your wedding or Holy Union at St. James and you are not seeking a new church home here, it is still important that we get to know each other. The people of St. James are offering their spiritual home to you for your wedding. There is much about our Sunday morning worship services that will reflect the kind of worship that happens in every wedding. You will be more comfortable in this space on your wedding day if you have worshipped here before it. And you will be more comfortable with the clergy person who officiates at your wedding if you have developed a relationship in the process of preparing.
The clergy will give you the contact information for the Wedding and Holy Union Coordinator. At this stage in the process, the Wedding and Holy Union Coordinator will be able to help you with availability of potential dates and specific wedding fees.
Pre-marital and Pastoral Counseling
The canons (rules and regulations) of the Church require that each couple preparing for marriage or Holy Union in the Episcopal Church must undergo pre-marital counseling. Clergy cannot marry couples who have not completed pre-marital counseling.
If a member of the couple has been previously married or in a Holy Union, the canons of the Church require the permission of the Bishop to proceed with wedding or Holy Union plans. This process is primarily to ensure that the previous marriage or Holy Union has achieved appropriate closure, and that all concerns and duties regarding former spouses, the care of children, and personal property have been justly and charitably engaged. You will need to schedule a meeting with your officiating priest in order to initiate this process.
Once a couple has made a reservation of a wedding or Holy Union date at St. James (in consultation with the clergy and the Wedding and Holy Union Coordinator) there is no reason not to begin the counseling process. We recommend the Cathedral Counseling Center for all Chicago couples. They present a three-session format for counseling. The first session is with groups of couples; the second and third sessions are with an individual therapist. All fees are paid by the couple directly to the Cathedral Counseling Center. The Cathedral Counseling Center is located at 50 E. Washington, Suite 301, in the Loop (312.252.9500).
In addition to the therapeutic component of pre-marital counseling, each couple will meet at least twice with the officiating priest. If you should choose to work with a different pre-marital counselor (whether a priest or a therapist), you must provide their contact information to the clergy.
Wedding and Holy Union Policies and Guidelines
Scheduling
Weddings and Holy Unions may be scheduled between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. on weekdays and Saturdays. Sunday weddings and Holy Unions may be scheduled only with permission from the Dean of the Cathedral. Weddings and Holy Unions are not scheduled during the season of Advent (the four weeks preceding Christmas), Lent (the forty days preceding Easter) or on major holidays. Weddings and Holy Unions may be scheduled either in the Cathedral (seats 600) or Saint Andrew Chapel (seats 40).
The Officiating Priest and the Liturgy
All weddings and Holy Unions at St. James Cathedral will conform to the rules of ìThe Celebration and Blessing of a Marriageî in the Book of Common Prayer (starting on page 423) or the Holy Unions Rite of the Diocoese of Chicago. The vows exchanged will come from that text as well. It is normative that a priest of the St. James Cathedral staff officiates at the ceremony. Other diocesan clergy are welcome to officiate, with the permission of the Dean of the Cathedral. The possibility of guest clergy (from a different denomination/faith, serving as preachers, etc.) is discussed with and determined by the officiating priest.
If you are working with an outside wedding or Holy Union consultant, please inform that person that s/he will not play an active role in the ceremony or the rehearsal.
Cathedral Staff and Fees
A complete wedding and Holy Union fee schedule is available from the Wedding and Holy Union Coordinator.This fee includes the use of the Cathedral space and the services of the Cathedral’s Wedding Coordinator, Music Director, and other staff, all of which are required. While the organist fee is included, if extra musicians are requested, there are additional fees required to cover those persons and rehearsal time with them. A Deposit of half of your wedding of Holy Union fee is due in order to confirm the date and time. The remaining fees are due two weeks prior to your wedding date.
Member Fee*: $1600 + $500 contribution to the clergy discretionary fund
Non-Member Fee: $2600 + $500 contribution to the clergy discretionary fund
Application for Bishop's Judgment in case of a prior marriage: $200
*St. James must have you in its records as having been a pledging member in good standing for at least one year.
Music
Music is arranged in consultation with the Director of Cathedral Music, Mr. Bruce Barber (312.751.6724), who will guide you in appropriate choices. Additional vocalists and/or instrumentalists are engaged exclusively through Mr. Barber. The Cathedral choir may also be engaged. As soon as your wedding or Holy Union has been scheduled and you have met with a priest, you should make an appointment with him to discuss music arrangements.
Marriage License
A marriage or civil union license must be obtained from the Cook County Clerkís Office (118 North Clark Street; 312.443.5663) and be submitted to the Cathedral office. The couple will receive the license on the day they apply.
The license will be valid the following day, and will expire sixty days later.Your wedding or Holy Union (or rehearsal) cannot take place if the license has not been received.
The Rehearsal
Rehearsals are directed by the officiating priest and the Wedding and Holy Union Coordinator and will last approximately 45 minutes. The rehearsal time must be scheduled with input from the officiating priest, and then through the Wedding and Holy Union Coordinator. If desired, the couples may leave their wedding or Holy Union clothes at the Cathedral overnight.
Photographs and videos of the rehearsal are discouraged. However, photographers and videographers are welcome to attend the rehearsal to receive instructions from the Wedding and Holy Union Coordinator.
The Dressing Room
A dressing room is available in the undercroft and is accessible to the Cathedral and Chapel.
Decorations
Installations of artworks within the cathedral will not be removed for weddings.
Floral arrangements may be made with the florist of your choice. Flowers should be limited to two large arrangements on either side of the altar in the sanctuary and two arrangements behind the altar. Your florist will have access to the Cathedral 90 minutes prior to the wedding liturgy and must be completed 60 minutes prior to the wedding liturgy.
Immediately after the wedding, all decorations must be removed from the Cathedral.Altar flowers from behind the altar should remain in the Cathedral for the following Sundayís liturgies, and we will give thanks for your marriage or Holy Union in our service.
Only altar and lectern candles may be used. The popular custom of lighting a Unity Candle is not part of the Episcopal service. For safety and aesthetic reasons, aisle runners are not permitted. Please notify guests that throwing rice, birdseed or rose petals or blowing bubbles or releasing balloons is not permitted, either inside or outside the Cathedral.
Photography and Videotaping
You may engage a professional photographer to take posed portraits inside the Cathedral or Chapel. Photographs taken before the service must conclude 45 minutes prior to the beginning of the liturgy. Photos taken afterward are to last no longer than 30 minutes after the conclusion of the liturgy. Because Christian marriage is a solemn and sacred rite, photography during the ceremony is strongly discouraged, and use of flash is strictly forbidden.
The ceremony may be videotaped from the press box gallery or from the rear of the Cathedral only. The videographer is not permitted to move from place to place during the ceremony.Photographers and videographers are to meet with the Wedding and Holy Union Coordinator at least 30 minutes before the liturgy to ensure their understanding of this policy.
Please note that all scheduling of photography before and after the liturgy must be cleared with the Wedding and Holy Union Coordinator.
