WEDDING POLICIES
St. Peter’s is blessed with a beautiful historic building located in a community rich in tradition and centered around the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of Mississippi. For these reasons, the parish is flooded with requests for weddings, too many for the clergy to handle in the responsible manner that the Episcopal Church requires.
Thus, marriages are performed at St. Peter’s for active members, their children, and former members who have historic ties to this parish and have moved away. Because of our role in supporting the Episcopal chaplaincy to Ole Miss, those students and recent graduates who are known to the chaplain are also eligible for marriage at St. Peter’s. Finally, when someone is new to the area, the clergy will consider scheduling a marriage for the couple after they have begun attending and made plans to join the church.
In order to be married, the couple is required to meet with one of the clergy for several hours of pre-marital counseling. A booklet of wedding guidelines will be given to the couple at the first session; they explain in detail many of the practical aspects of preparing for a wedding ceremony and include a list of applicable fees.
The Episcopal Church requires at least 30 days notice for a marriage and 60 days notice when one or both of the couple is asking for permission to be remarried after a divorce or annulment. St. Peter’s requests 60 days’ notice for weddings and 90 days for marriage after divorce. It is advisable, however, to phone the church office several months in advance of your intended date to make an appointment with one of the clergy.
The scheduling of weddings is not allowed (1) during Lent, (2) on Sundays, (3) or during the two-week period beginning one week before Christmas and ending one week after Christmas.
