Guidelines for the Holy Sacrament of Marriage
Congratulations on your upcoming Wedding!
When planning for this blessed event, please be aware of the following Church
guidelines:
STEWARDSHIP & HONORARIUMS
1) STEWARDSHIP: It is not required for the celebration of your sacrament, however, we do
ask that you consider becoming a current, pledged steward of our parish. Please discuss any
questions or concerns regarding stewardship directly with Fr. Thomas.
2) METROPOLIS FEE: A check made out to the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Chicago in
the amount of $250 will be required for the Metropolis processing fees (Cash is not
acceptable).
3) CHANTER: Unless arranged differently, a parish attached chanter will be present at your
marriage. It is customary to offer a monetary gift to the chanter.
PAPERWORK
1) Please email the Church office and Fr. Thomas to schedule a meeting as soon as possible to begin paperwork.
2) The civil/legal paperwork is obtained from the Lake County Clerk.
3) The Church paperwork requires basic personal information, and is processed by the Church.
4) The bride and groom will need a copy or an official transcript of their baptismal certificate.
5) If the bride and/or groom have been married before, please discuss details with us as soon as
possible to determine what additional paperwork is required.
PRE-MARITAL COUNSELING
Please contact Fr. Thomas to scheudle a time to do the pre marital counseling. This must be done before the wedding date and concludes with the confirmation of the Metropolis Paperwork
CONVERTING TO ORTHODOXY
1) If either the bride or groom are not Orthodox, and are interested in converting to Orthodoxy,
please discuss the process of adult catechism with Fr. Thomas as soon as possible.
SPONSORS or KOUMBAROI
1) Please make sure that your Koumbaroi or Sponsor(s) to be, are members in good standing
with the Orthodox Church. If the Sponsor(s) to be, are not members of St. Demetrios, they
must have a letter of good standing sent to our Church at least 30 days prior to the date of the
wedding from their parish.
2) While non-Orthodox cannot be the Koumbaroi or Church Sponsors, they can still have a
function in the wedding service by acting as “best man” or “maid/matron of honor”.
FLOWERS AND DECORATIONS
1) The Church will be open approximately one hour prior to the time of the wedding for the
florist to arrange all flowers. More time may be available depending on church schedule.
2) Floral arrangements in vases can contain any color and type of flower; however, any flowers
or petals that will be dropped or thrown, inside or outside the Church, can only be white in
color, as other colors can mark/stain the Church floor.
3) No runners are allowed as the center aisle is high-gloss, polished porcelain and would
present a trip hazard. Any decorations attached to the pew ends down the center aisle must
use detachable pew clips or ribbons – no tape or glue. There are 14 rows of pews.
4) Only white rose petals can be thrown inside the Church for the “Dance of Isaiah”. Nothing
else is allowed to be thrown inside the Church.
5) Outside the Church, after the ceremony, the faithful can express their joy and congratulate
the newly wed couple. If the bride and groom choose to be congratulated outside the Church,
the faithful may: ring bells, blow bubbles, or “shower” them with white rose petals. The rose
petals must be real (no silk), and nothing else is to be thrown outside the Church.
THE WEDDING SERVICE
1) In the Orthodox Church, the elements and order of the Wedding ceremony are fixed in
accordance with the Liturgical Tradition of the Church. As a result, there is no possibility for
“special” or “personalized” elements during the service, such as: particular readings, poems,
vows, hymns, etc.
If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me directly. These guidelines are meant to help you plan for your marriage and not a as a hindrance. Once again, congratulations on the upcoming baptism of your child, and we look forward to celebrating such a joyous event together.
Faithfully in Christ,
Father Thomas Alatzakis
Parish Priest