Marriage

Contact: stthomaswedding@sta2.org or call the front desk at 734-761-8606

Dan Vincke, Liturgy, Marriage & Baptism Coordinator

Caroline Biskner, Director of Family Life Ministry

(Contact through the email above)

Welcome! Congratulations on your recent engagement!

Blessed are those who have been called to the wedding feast of the Lamb” (Revelation 19:9)

The sacrament of holy matrimony is both an extraordinary gift and a lifelong vocation. It is far more than a contract; it is a covenant between a man and a woman, which beautifully images the unity of the Trinity in the expression of intimacy, self-gift, and generativity.

A sacrament is a visible sign of an invisible grace. Through marriage, couples are invited and enabled to witness God’s perfect love. As Christ loves his Bride, the Church, so husbands and wives are called to love one another (Ephesians 5:25). In the marriage covenant, “a man and a woman form with each other an intimate communion of life and love” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1660).

At St. Thomas the Apostle, we are honored to walk with you during engagement and celebrate with you as you enter into the covenant of marriage. We are committed to providing marriage preparation which will enrich and strengthen your relationship as you prepare for a lifelong commitment.

If you are considering St. Thomas for your wedding, please take a look at our brochure

First Steps

As we celebrate many weddings at St. Thomas each year and invite all of our couples into a comprehensive marriage preparation program, please complete the steps below:

There are three steps to reserving the church:

  1. Email the Wedding Application and Reflection Questions to stthomaswedding@sta2.org. 
  2. Our coordinator will reach out to you to arrange a meeting with a deacon or a priest to complete the Marriage Assessment which determines freedom to marry in the Catholic Church.
  3. After the Marriage Assessment is completed, the wedding coordinator will send you a Wedding Agreement. The Agreement must be signed and a deposit paid in order to secure a wedding date.

Fees

  • The down payment is $300
  • Total wedding fees may range from $700 to $1800

Marriage Preparation

We highly recommend that you complete your marriage preparation where you reside. If neither of you currently lives in the greater Ann Arbor area, please contact your local parish to discuss marriage preparation.

Music

St. Thomas provides an organist, degreed in both piano and organ, and a cantor, degreed in voice and experienced in singing the wedding liturgy. All guest musicians MUST be approved by our Director of Music. Additional musicians typically cost $125 each; this fee is liable to change, as the Director of Music consults with the couple to determine the final amount.

Please contact our Director of Music, Jeanne Marie Gerig, to discuss music options for your wedding: jmgerig@sta2.org. 

Click here for Liturgy Planning Form to look at Mass selections and readings.

Possible Wedding Dates and Times

Fridays: between 2:00pm and 5:00pm,

Saturdays: 11:00am or 1:30pm

Sundays: 3:00pm

(Rehearsals are scheduled for 1 to 3 days prior to the wedding from 4-6pm)

Decor

You are welcome to decorate the church but we do ask that you follow certain guidelines. Flowers may be placed in front of the ambo or by the bride and groom’s kneelers but not in front of the altar. You may decorate the ends of the pews provided you do not use any materials that might cause damage (e.g. adhesives or tacks). Aisle runners are allowed as long as you supply them and remove them after the wedding.

Flower girls may throw flower petals, but these must be cleaned up after the wedding. We do not allow rice or confetti.

We recommend that flowers be delivered on the day of the wedding. They may be left in the vestibule to the left of the church’s main entrance. Please note that we have Mass at the church every day; it is your responsibility to ensure that deliveries do not occur during Mass time. 

Programs

All programs must be designed and printed by the bridal party. The church will not provide these. If you would like to include information about the Catholic Mass, the wedding coordinator can send you resources to reference.

Additional Resources

Marriage Booklet:

Detailed information for your St. Thomas Wedding

Marriage Brochure:

Overview of weddings

Liturgy Planning Form

Required form to submit to the church

Other Links

St. Thomas the Apostle Church