Frequently Asked Questions
Do we have to be members of the church?
No, we only require that one member of the couple be a Christian.
Is there a set format to the service?
Yes, we use the words of The Celebration and Blessing of a Marriage found in the Episcopal Church’s Book of Common Prayer, p. 423.
Who will marry us?
One of the clergy connected to St. Stephen’s. If you have your own clergy person s/he will need to coordinate with the Rector of St. Stephen’s.
Do you marry divorced people?
Yes we do. You will need to provide a copy of your divorce decree(s) to the parish office at least 60 days before the wedding so that we can obtain the bishop’s approval for your remarriage. This is generally just a formality.
What about pre-marital counseling?
In the Episcopal Church we take seriously that you are coming to a particular community seeking God’s blessing on your marriage. We therefore require pre-marital counseling to offer you the opportunity to examine and reflect on various areas of married life. Our clergy meet with each couple at least four times before the rehearsal.
Can we have our reception at the church?
Yes! We have several lovely spaces, both indoor and outdoor, on our campus and will be happy to show them to you. Click here to see our gallery.
Do you provide a musician?
We will provide an organist. If you wish to have another musician/s you will need to coordinate that with the Rector.
Can we have a photographer?
Yes of course. Flash photography is permitted only during the entrance and exit of the bridal party, all other photography is to be done using ambient light. The photographer must be unobtrusive, remembering that this is a religious service. Our clergy are happy to re-stage any portion of the service afterwards.
What about videos?
The same requirements are in place for videographers. Additionally, they must remain stationary during the actual service.
Can we use rice at the end of the service?
No, we do not allow rice or birdseed to be thrown on the premises.
What do we do next?
- Fill out the Application for Marriage and Declaration of Intent and submit it with your deposit to the Parish Office. Click here to download or print our application packet.
- After these are submitted, contact the Parish Office to schedule your wedding date, rehearsal date, and first pre-marital counseling session.
- Obtain a Florida state marriage license at least 5 days before your wedding. Bring the license to the rehearsal where it will be signed by our clergy and your witnesses.
What are the fees?
The average wedding is $2200, which includes use of the church building, parking fee, (additional parking fee if reception is held at church), organist, sexton (custodian), clergy, pre-marital counseling fee (required in the Episcopal church), and the services of our wedding coordinator, who will work with you or your wedding planner.
Please note: A 50% deposit is required to book the date on the calendar. The balance is due one month prior to the wedding date.
If the wedding is delayed by more than 15 minutes there will be an additional charge of $350.00. The parish will not return the marriage license to the Department of Vital Statistics for recording until that fee is paid. (Licenses are invalid if not recorded within a set number of days).