Weddings
“Give them wisdom and devotion in the ordering of their common life, that each may be to the other a strength in need, a counselor in perplexity, and a comfort in sorrow, and a companion in joy…”
-Book of Common Prayer P. 429
Due to Covid-19:
Due to the restrictions placed on indoor gatherings, set by the Governor of Michigan and defined for churches by the Episcopal Bishops in our state, St. Paul's will not schedule weddings in the church until we've reached "Phase 3" of the pandemic, when social-distancing has been relaxed. We regret the inconvenience and disappointment this may cause.
Planning for marriage is a commitment of prayer, time and resources for the couple, the congregation, and our staff. Safety concerns are foremost at this time.
If you are a contributing and attending member of St Paul's, please speak with our priest directly about options, as we await the reopening of our church.
If you are not a member of St. Paul's Church, we regret that we cannot contract with you for a wedding at this time. We encourage creativity and patience as you search for other options.
Planning for your Marriage
Congratulations on your engagement! There are many ways to make a commitment to one's beloved, and to gather family and friends to celebrate with you. The choice of a "church wedding" signifies that you already have a relationship with God in the person Jesus; and you want him to be part of your marriage, too. As you and your betrothed pledge vows to one another, the presence of a priest and members of your church provide the assurance of divine and human support. It is our privilege to help you begin married life in the best possible way.
As you consider the choice of St. Paul's Church, these informative files are available for you to download, in PDF format
[+] Download Wedding Guidelines
[+] Download Wedding Information Form
[+] Download Wedding Readings Form
A word about our understanding of marriage and blessings: We believe that in committing yourself to each other, you are engaging in a lifelong, spiritual commitment. With that in mind we are eager to help make your wedding a joyful and deeply meaningful experience. And we will do our best to keep it from being more stressful than it needs to be.
One of the most challenging and rewarding of human relationships, marriage is meant to be lived out in a community of faith where it can be supported and nurtured by others seeking to grow in love, forgiveness, justice, and compassion. By choosing to be married at St. Paul’s Church, we invite and encourage you to be supported by, and committed to, this church community now and in the future. If you have a family connection but live out of town, we will invite and encourage you to find a community there that will support you in your life together.
We believe it is helpful at this stage to be both welcoming and clear about what we believe and practice, and what we can offer you in terms of where and how your wedding will be celebrated. Please review the PDF documents linked above.
In addition to a set of guidelines which describe our vision of how weddings work best at St. Paul’s, we’ve included an information form so that we can better help you in making your special day memorable. Ideas and plans will be discussed at length during our conversations, and can remain flexible until a month prior to the date of your wedding.
We're looking forward to getting to know you both better. May God bless you as you prepare for this sacred journey.