The matrimonial covenant, by which a man and a woman establish between themselves a partnership of the whole of life, is by its nature ordered toward the good of the spouses and the procreation and education of offspring; this covenant between baptized persons has been raised by Christ the Lord to the dignity of a sacrament." Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1606
Thank you for your interest in the sacrament of marriage at Saints Peter and Paul! Either the bride or groom themselves, or either set of parents, must be registered and active parishioners for a minimum of three months before the parish can schedule a wedding date.
PARISH REGISTRATION FORM
Due to the high number of inquiries the parish receives, weddings are limited to those who meet the following criteria:
If you are already engaged and meet the above criteria, please fill out the Wedding Inquiry Form to request a wedding date. All arrangements are made only with the bride and/or groom; proxy requests are only granted if the bride and groom are both serving in military service abroad.
Wedding Inquiry Form
Photos by Jay V Photography and Rachael Watson Photography
This guide provides explanations for the three-part wedding process:
I. Prenuptial Formation
II. Forms
III. Wedding Planning
A hard copy is mailed to all couples, along with a tabloid version of the Wedding Checklist. Click the button or image for a digital version with hyperlinks.
digital Wedding Preparation Guide
Photos by Jay V Photography and Rachael Watson Photography
This worksheet is helpful to keep track of the classes, paperwork, and ceremony details that are part of wedding organization at Saints Peter and Paul. A tabloid-sized hard copy is mailed to all couples, along with the Wedding Preparation Guide. Click the button or image for digital version with hyperlinks.
digital Wedding Checklist
Photos by Jay V Photography and Rachael Watson Photography
Note: This is a condensed version of the information found in the Wedding Preparation Guide. For more details, refer to the full guide.
A. PRECANA WORKSHOP
If you are getting married at Saints Peter and Paul you must complete the PreCana Workshop here. These are offered quarterly throughout the year. Discussion topics include communications, career and finance, sacramental marriage, sexuality, and family life.
If you are unable to attend our PreCana Workshop, you must participate in an equivalent program elsewhere; check the equivalency of the class(es) with the priest or deacon overseeing your preparation. In such a case, you will need to provide proof of attendance to any equivalent program.
REGISTER FOR PRECANA WORKSHOP
B. NATURAL FAMILY PLANNING
An instructional class on Natural Family Planning is required for those preparing for Holy Matrimony at Saints Peter and Paul. Natural Family Planning (NFP) is a general term for certain methods that are based on the observation of the naturally occurring signs and symptoms of the fertile and infertile phases of a woman’s menstrual cycle. NFP methods are used to both achieve, as well as avoid, pregnancy. NFP is not a contraceptive; it does nothing to suppress or block conception. Instead, couples adjust their behavior according to their family planning intention (that is, whether they hope to achieve or avoid a pregnancy) using the naturally occurring signs and symptoms of a woman’s menstrual cycle.
C. FOCCUS INVENTORY
Complete the FOCCUS Inventory emailed to both of you separately and without consulting each other. FOCCUS is an instrument which addresses concerns and questions about your readiness for marriage. This inventory assists couples with proximate formation for the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony discussing the areas of communication, inlaws and extended family, religion and faith, role and career adjustments, finances, sex, children, and other Holy Matrimony readiness concerns. While filling out your FOCCUS answers, please mark “uncertain” if you are absolutely unable to give an answer. All uncertain answers marked will be discussed with your priest or deacon.
Photos by Jay V Photography and Rachael Watson Photography
Note: This is a condensed version of the information found in the Wedding Preparation Guide. For more details, refer to the full guide.
A. PRENUPTIAL QUESTIONNAIRE
This is the formal beginning to your marriage preparation. It is used to ensure that the couple is ready to marry according to the universal norms of the Catholic Church. Local couples will complete this at their first meeting. If not local, couples will complete this with a priest/deacon in their area and have it mailed to Saints Peter and Paul (36 N. Ellsworth St., Naperville, IL 60540).
B. BAPTISMAL CERTIFICATE
If Catholic, call the parish of your Baptism and ask for a new baptismal certificate with notations. Have it mailed directly to the parish address (36 N. Ellsworth St., Naperville, IL 60540). We cannot accept faxes or photocopies. This certificate must be dated no earlier than six months prior to your wedding date. For non-Catholics, a copy of your baptismal certificate or a letter from your church indicating the date of baptism is needed.
Note: Certificates issued earlier than six months prior to the wedding cannot be accepted.
C. CONFIRMATION CERTIFICATE
If a Catholic has been confirmed in the United States, this fact will usually appear as a notation on the reverse side of a newly issued baptismal certificate, in which case no further evidence is required. If your newly issued baptismal certificate has no record of your confirmation, then you must submit a photocopy of the certificate you received on Confirmation day, or, if you cannot locate the original, call the parish where you were confirmed for a copy.
D. WITNESS AFFIDAVITS
There must be two witnesses to provide sworn testimony as to freedom to marry for each the bride and the groom. Witnesses are usually and preferably the parents of the couple, siblings, or someone the bride/groom has known for at least seven years. Witnesses who are local should call 630-355-1081 to make an appointment with a priest/deacon to complete the witness affidavit. If the witnesses are not local, they should schedule an appointment to be completed in-person with a priest/deacon at a Catholic parish in their own area. Parishes around the country use similar forms; if needed we can supply the version used in the Province of Chicago upon request.
E. MARRIAGE LICENSE
In the State of Illinois, a marriage may only be performed in the county from which the license is issued. To acquire your marriage license for your wedding at Saints Peter and Paul, you must apply online or in person:
APPLY FOR MARRIAGE LICENSE
The Office of the County Clerk, DuPage Center
421 N. County Farm Rd.
Wheaton, IL 60187
630-682-7035
When to Apply The license is valid only for sixty (60) days. Both the bride and the groom must appear at the County Clerk’s office no earlier than sixty (60) days before the date of the Holy Matrimony. The license is not valid until the day after it is issued and remains valid for the sixty (60) days following. There is no need to wait until the week of the wedding to apply. We recommend you apply a month in advance. Your marriage license, including the copy you will keep for your records, must be turned in to the Parish Office two weeks prior to your wedding.
Photos by Jay V Photography and Rachael Watson Photography
Note: This is a condensed version of the information found in the Wedding Preparation Guide. For more details, refer to the full guide.
The third step to planning a ceremony is to make an appointment with the Director of Sacred Music, Jay Yau. Click below to email the request, or call Cindy Kennedy at 630-718-2119.
MAKE APPOINTMENT WITH DIRECTOR OF SACRED MUSIC
The fourth step to planning a ceremony is to fill out the Ceremony Planning Form.
Ceremony Planning Form