Weddings
"My Beloved lifts up his voice, he says to me,
'Come then, my love, my lovely one, come.
My dove, hiding in the clefts of the rock.
In the coverts of the cliff, show me your face,
let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet
and your face is beautiful.'
My beloved is mine and I am his.
This is the word of the Lord."
--From the Song of Songs
We are delighted that you are considering celebrating your wedding in this most historic and spiritual setting.
We ask that you first read the informational section below, which answers some of our most common questions. Then, please fill out the request for information form.
Thank you for considering the Basilica for your wedding, and congratulations!
General Wedding FAQs:
A: You do not need to be a parishioner of the Basilica to be married here, but either the bride or groom must be Catholic in order to be married at the Basilica.
Q: Who may celebrate my wedding Mass?
A: A priest or deacon of your choosing (with permission from the Basilica Rector), may prepare you for marriage and celebrate your wedding. The Basilica Rector or Basilica Permanent Deacon may also be available to prepare you for marriage and celebrate your wedding.
Q: Is there any difference between a marriage celebrated by a priest versus a deacon?
A: Yes. An ordained priest may perform a nuptial Mass or a wedding ceremony, while an ordained deacon may only perform a wedding ceremony.
Q: When does the Basilica allow weddings and rehearsals?
A: Weddings are scheduled on Saturdays, at 10:00am, 12:00pm and 2:00pm only. Rehearsals are scheduled on Fridays, at 4:00pm, 5:00pm and 6:00pm only.
Q: Do we need to take marriage prep classes?
A: Yes, all couples must participate in a church-sponsored marriage preparation program.
Q: Where do we get a civil marriage license?
A: A civil marriage license must be obtained for Baltimore City. Please call the City Marriage License Bureau at 410-333-3780 for more information.
Q: What decorations are we allowed to have?
A: When you receive your Basilica Wedding Brochure, you will also receive information regarding decorations. Aisle runners, rice, seeds, bubbles, flower petals, and balloons are not permitted inside the Basilica.
Q: What are the costs associated with having a wedding at the Basilica?
A: The fee for weddings at the Basilica is $1,750 (effective July 1st, 2012). Weddings reserved and booked prior to July 1st, 2012, will not be subject to the fee increase.
A non-refundable deposit of $250, due at scheduling, is required to reserve the church. The balance should be paid at least one month prior to the wedding date. The $1,750 fee does not include fees for the organist, vocalist, other musicians, flowers, or your offering to the priest or deacon.
Scheduling Your Wedding:
After we have received your request for information form, you will receive an email response including a copy of the Basilica wedding brochure and other relevant information including the availability of the date and time you are interested in reserving. To secure a date and time, the parish office will need to receive the following:
1. The name of the priest or deacon who will prepare you for marriage and witness your wedding (with a letter of acceptance to the Rector from the selected clergy)
2. A letter of permission from your pastor agreeing to allow your wedding to take place at the Basilica
3. Your initial $250 deposit.
Once you have met all 3 requirements, the parish office can lock your date and time. Please do not call the Rector's office unless it is your wish to have him witness your marriage or assist you in finding a priest or deacon. Date and time confirmations can not be made over the phone and cannot be guarenteed without items 1 through 3 being provided to the Basilica parish office.
PLEASE CAREFULLY READ THE FAQs ABOVE BEFORE COMPLETING THE FORM
To complete the Wedding Request Form, please click on the image below.
