Weddings at St Matthew’s
We are delighted whenever anyone chooses to get married in church, and here at St Matthew’s we are open to all from the local community here in St Anthony Park or who have a connection with St Matthew’s. If neither of those apply, please don’t let it put you off contacting the Rector, the Rev Christopher Rogers, for a conversation, as he may still be able to marry you here.
There are also some requirements which the Episcopal Church is required to follow, including that one of the couple getting married is baptised, and that you sign a statement that you believe that marriage is life-long.
Marriage Preparation
St. Matthew’s takes its commitment to prepare couples for marriage seriously, and you should expect to meet with a member of the clergy around four times for this. We are also committed to supporting couples after they are married.
We conduct weddings using the beautiful liturgy found in the 1979 Episcopal Book of Common Prayer, and will work with you to choose readings and hymns which are appropriate and reflect who you are as a couple. The service may or may not include the Eucharist (Communion).
Dates
Weddings are usually held on Fridays or Saturdays between 10 am and 4 p.m. Dates are scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis, and it is therefore always best to get in touch as soon as possible. You will also need to obtain a Ramsey County marriage license at least one week before the service.
Cost
We see weddings as a pastoral service, and therefore do not charge a fixed fee. It does however take us a lot of time, as well as the use of our building, and so invite you to consider an appropriate donation to the church. If you would like guidance on what might be appropriate, please do ask the Rector, but as with all donations, it will depend on your individual circumstances: we do not want money to get in the way of you being able to marry in church.
We have an excellent director of music, and can source other musicians if you would like them, though as self-employed professionals they do charge separate fees. We are however used to helping couples tailor their wedding to their budget.
Receptions
You can also book the Parish Hall for your reception and arrange for outside catering services. For the Parish Hall and Kitchen the daily charge is $400, with a non-refundable deposit of $200.
For more information or to inquire about getting married here, please contact the Rector at rector@stmatthewsmn.org or 651-502-2902. We look forward to hearing from you, and hope to be able to help you celebrate your special day!
