The Sacrament of Matrimony
If you are a current parishioner, or a visiting couple that would like to get married here, please review and follow the steps below.
Weddings are generally scheduled on Saturdays at 2:00pm.
Please complete the Inquiry Form or contact the Parish Office at (312) 243-7400​
Per the Ar​chdiocese of Chicago, a minimum of 6 months of advanced planning and preparation prior to the wedding date is required.
1. To reserve a date, the following is first required:
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Complete the Wedding Inquiry Form by clicking the button above.
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​Schedule an initial meeting with a Priest or Deacon to review the process and complete the Prenuptial Questionnaire.​
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A non-refundable deposit of $500 is required. Balance of $1,500 is due two months prior to the wedding date. Wedding payments can be made by cash or check, or can be paid online on Give Central by clicking the button above.​
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Schedule the date and time with the parish, based on availability.​​
I belong to a different parish. Can I get married at Our Lady of the Holy Family (OLHF)?
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Yes. You will need to provide a letter from the Pastor of your current parish.
I am Catholic but my Fiancée is not.
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At least one of the parties seeking to marry must be a baptized Roman Catholic.
Can a Priest/Deacon from my parish perform the wedding ceremony at OLHF?
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Yes, you can invite a Priest or Deacon from your home parish or from your family to celebrate the Wedding Mass. That Priest or Deacon should complete the Prenuptial Questionnaire and Marriage Preparation requirements, and lead the rehearsal.
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Please note the following regulations per the Archdiocese of Chicago and Our Lady of the Holy Family parish:
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If the Priest or Deacon is from the Archdiocese of Chicago, he needs to ask for permission from our Pastor in writing (an email from his Archdiocesan account will suffice).
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Any Priest or Deacon outside of the Archdiocese of Chicago must have a “Statement of Suitability for Ministry Letter” from their bishop or religious superior.
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The visiting Priest/Deacon, whether from the Archdiocese of Chicago or another diocese, is the guest of the couple. As such, the couple is responsible for any financial gift or travel expense the cleric may request. Your priest/deacon is not compensated by OLHF.​
2. Secure all documentation needed:
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Baptism Certificates - copies are requested to be provided by the initial meeting.
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Certification of Baptism and Confirmation - Recent certificates are required and must be issued and dated within 6 months of the date you are to be married.
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Affidavit of Freedom to Marry - both bride and groom must testify to their freedom to marry. A form will be issued for parents or close family members to complete.
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If you are of another Christian/Non-Christian faith, we will need a copy of your baptism record.
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Obtain your Civil Marriage License, one month prior to the wedding date, or, if already civilly married, provide your original Civil Marriage License.
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Registed and complete the Archdiocese of Chicago Pre-Cana Marriage Preparation Course. More information can be found here.
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Provide your Pre-Cana Certificate of Completion.
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If either the bride or groom have been married before and divorced, a copy of your marriage license and divorce decree and/or annulment records.
​Do I need to get married in civil union before my Catholic wedding?
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You need to purchase your marriage license prior to your wedding date. You can do this up to 60 days before your wedding. For information on purchasing a license in Cook County, please click here.
What is a formal declaration of nullity and what must be proven?
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A formal declaration of nullity is a statement by the Roman Catholic Church that the marriage in question is not a binding (sacramental) union because the relationship did not fulfill at least one of the elements mentioned above that is essential for a valid marriage, according to the teachings of the Catholic Church.
• It must be proven that when the couple exchanged consent, one of those essential elements was lacking even though it may not have been evident to the couple or others at that time.
• It does not deny that a relationship existed which was recognized as a marriage by civil law.
• It does not imply that the relationship was entered with ill-will or moral fault.
​• It does not state that children of such marriages become illegitimate.
Do I need a declaration of nullity if I was married through a civil union only?
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You need a declaration of nullity if:
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You were previously married in the Catholic Church before a priest or deacon and two witnesses or received permission from the Catholic Church to marry elsewhere.
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You are Orthodox Christians or a members of the Polish National Catholic Church who were previously married in their respective church by their priest.
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​You were previously married civilly or in any other church and now wish to marry a Catholic in the Catholic Church.
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You are currently in a civil union to a Catholic and wish to have your marriage "blessed" (convalidated) in the Catholic Church.
Do I need to be confirmed to get married?
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No. While it is not an absolute requirement that Catholics be confirmed before they are married in the Church, Confirmation before marriage is something the Church strongly recommends.
​The Code of Canon Law states:
Catholics who have not yet received the sacrament of confirmation are to receive it before being admitted to marriage, if this can be done without grave inconvenience. (CIC 1065)
Do you have to have three sacraments before marriage or just Baptism & First Communion?
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Only Baptism is required. While confirmation is highly recommended prior to marriage, it is not necessary. A Catholic may marry even without having received First Communion. Baptism alone is sufficient to receive the Sacrament of Marriage.
Code of Canon Law:
Can. 1065 §1. Catholics who have not yet received the sacrament of confirmation are to receive it before they are admitted to marriage if it can be done without grave inconvenience.
§2. To receive the sacrament of marriage fruitfully, spouses are urged specially to approach the sacraments of penance and of the most Holy Eucharist.
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3. Attend Pre-Cana classes
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We do not offer Pre-Cana at Our Lady of the Holy Family.
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For more information on Marriage Preparation courses through the Archdiocese of Chicago, click here.
4. Schedule any subsequent meetings with the Priest or Deacon, as recommended.
Discuss and finalize any concerns, clarifications, and details, such as paperwork and choosing the readings.
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Who can be a witness and how many are needed?
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​​​A witness is a person who can provide information about the parties and their relationship. Ideally, a witness should be able to provide information about the time leading up to the marriage, and the expectation of the future marriage itself.
• Most persons, including family members, are eligible to be witnesses. Specifically excluded by Church law are confessors, minors, and those with certain diminished mental capacities.
• The Metropolitan Tribunal discourages children of the parties (regardless of age), and the current or prospective civil spouse of either party to offer testimony.
• Two witnesses are required for the bride and two witnesses are required for the groom (four total). Witnesses should know them for at least as long as they have known each other. -
The Witness Affidavit must be scheduled and completed in-person with a Priest or Deacon, and will be signed and dated.
What if I want to have my Catholic wedding in a garden, at a hotel, or on a beach?
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A Catholic wedding must be held in a Catholic Church, a Sacred space, before a priest and two witnesses. Other venues are not permitted.
Can my pets be part of the ceremony?
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No, only humans can be a part of the sacred ceremony.
Are unity candles part of the mass?
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Unity candles are not part of the Catholic ritual. They are a tradition introduced in a television show in the 1980s. Our Lady of the Holy Family does not issue unity candles.
Video & Photography
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​Still photography and video are welcome. Photographers, cameras and video equipment must not be placed on the altar, and cannot block the line of view of those in the pew to the altar or to the couple. Attention should never be drawn away from the ceremony to the photographer. No one is permitted to stand on any of the Church’s furniture.
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All the equipment for photography and videotaping may be set up before the ceremony.
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Flash may be used on the camera itself, only after the ceremony. No “umbrella” lighting or light stands are allowed in the church. All photos and videos must be completed and out of the church 30 minutes after the end of the wedding ceremony.
Observing time schedules
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Your rehearsal and wedding must begin at the scheduled time. A late start to your wedding means that you will have less time for pictures at the end of the ceremony. You are allotted 30 minutes for pictures after your wedding.
6. Select your Wedding Music
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Please contact our Director of Liturgical Music, Catherine Foreman Traversa, to coordinate your wedding music. You can contact her here.
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All wedding music that is to be performed at your wedding must be approved by the Director of Liturgical Music
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Can I choose my favorite pop or rock song?
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Popular music is not acceptable before, during, or after your wedding. Popular music is inappropriate within a sacred space such as this, and should be reserved for other settings during the wedding festivities.
Can I hire a musician?
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It is possible to hire your own musician, but all music and musicians must be approved by the Director of Liturgical Music.
Can I bring pre-recorded music?
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Recorded music may not be used before, during, or after the liturgical celebration.
7. Schedule your wedding rehearsal and submit final payments
Wedding Rehearsals are held on:
Thursdays at 4:00pm
Fridays at 4:00pm
Weekend Rehearsals may be available upon request.
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** Full payments are due by your wedding rehearsal. **
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The rehearsal should start on time. Please let people in your party know that they should arrive at least 10 minutes before the scheduled time of the rehearsal.
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Bring the items you will use on the day of your wedding, such as arras, lazo, programs, etc. (you may leave them in the church sacristy).
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Before the rehearsal, decide who will be reading your First and Second Readings and the Prayers of the Faithful (intercessions).
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Give the readers a copy of the readings to practice ahead of time.
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Bring one set of the readings and intercessions to the rehearsal.
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If you wish, the priest may read the intercessions at your wedding.
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If you are going to visit the Holy Family side altar or the Our Lady of Guadalupe side altar at the end of the ceremony, to pray and/or offer flowers, decide who will be visiting (examples include: bride alone, bride + groom, bride + mom, bride + maid of honor).
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What kind of decorations can I use?
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Enhancing the liturgical setting by the use of appropriate flowers, trees, and floral arrangements is to be encouraged, but this, too, should be done in keeping with the nature of the setting as liturgical space and with full awareness and respect for the liturgical season. Tape may not be used in the church.
Can I throw rice?
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Rice, confetti or streamers are not allowed.
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Bubbles, bells, or balloons are not allowed.
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Petals are not allowed.
8. Submit Marriage Certificate Requests (optional)
Cook County Vital Records keeps official records of marriages that occur in Chicago and suburban Cook County.
A marriage license is filed with the Clerk's Bureau of Vital Records after the marriage ceremony takes place.
At the parish, the officiant presiding over the ceremony must complete and sign the marriage license and mail it to the Clerk's office on the next business day. After that occurs, the Clerk's office can issue you a certified copy of your marriage certificate upon request. Please note that marriage certificates are not automatically sent to couples. To request a certificate, please click on the button below.