Checklist for Marriage Preparation at St. Clare's

1. Complete the St. Clare Marriage Preparation Program and the Course on Natural Family Planning.  The fee for Marriage Preparation Program is $100. 
2. Please note, we no longer offer the Natural Family Planning Course here at St. Clare's. You are only required to complete the Introductory Session of the Natural Family Planning. For information about the introductory session for Natural Family Planning please contact Brittany Fleury at brittanyfleuryCrMS@gmail.com or by phone at (631) 972-8642. The cost of this class is $50.
3. Acquire up-to-date Baptismal Certificates from the parish of your Baptism.  (Dated within six months of the date of your wedding.) This up-to-date Baptismal Certificate normally records the date and place of your Communion and Confirmation. (Talk to your priest or deacon concerning appropriate dispensation necessary when one of the partners is not Catholic.)
4. Obtain a marriage license.  This license is not valid the first 24 hours after issuance and is only valid for 60 days after the issue date.
5. Offerings - The word "tithing" is mentioned over forty times in the Bible. As a sign of gratitude to God for His goodness, people would set aside the first 10% of their produce for God. As a sign of your gratitude to God for the love you share with each other, you may consider giving 5% of what you spend on your wedding reception to your favorite charity and 5% to St. Clare's to help us continue to serve the people of this community. Those who choose not to do so, the offering is $775. This offering should be made by check, money order or bank check (not cash) payable to the Church of St. Clare no later than two months before your wedding. The offering covers:
• Services of the priest or deacon who is helping you prepare for and celebrate your wedding, as well as parish secretaries;
• The wedding music workshop;
• Services of an organist on your wedding day;
• Services of a cantor;
• Services of a sacristan;
• Services of altar servers;
• Flowers;
• General maintenance of the church before and after the wedding.
6. Attend a music workshop if you desire to plan the music for your wedding.
7. Agreements to be signed by the videographer, photographer, and limousine companies. These signed agreements will be returned at your next meeting with the priest or deacon preparing you for your wedding.
8. Please note:
• A runner may not be placed in the aisle since this creates a tripping hazard;
• The groom and his attendants are to arrive at the church at least 30 minutes prior the scheduled wedding time;
• The bride and her attendants are to arrive at least 15 minutes prior to the scheduled wedding time.
9. Please advise your family and friends that we do not allow confetti, whether they be made of candy or glitter, rose petals, etc. that stick to the ground, either inside or outside the Church, since they are difficult to remove and represent a hazard.