You're engaged and excited about getting married. Where do you start? What's the process? Who should you call?

Many folks start by finding a place for the reception and then go church shopping. Your first call should be to the church both to make sure it is available and, more importantly, because your wedding day is about entering a sacrament and only secondarily a social event.

You do not have to be a parishioner to marry at Holy Spirit. Insofar as we can, we try to work with everyone who approaches us. The key element is that we are focusing on a Marriage, which is a life-long commitment and a Sacrament, as distinct from the ceremony and its attendant festivities.

Weddings are held on Saturdays, with a choice of 12:30 p.m., 3:00 p.m., or an evening time slot of 7:00 p.m. or 7:30 p.m. It is important to contact the parish as far ahead of your proposed date as possible since weddings are booked quite far in advance.

To begin the process, please contact at 404-252-4513, x224. She will give you a brief overview of our procedures and fees, and complete with you over the phone the initial information request.

Within 24 hours of your written request, a priest or deacon will call and set up a meeting. At this meeting you will book your wedding date, pay your fees, and receive a packet of information about weddings here at Holy Spirit.

From that point on the exact process depends upon your particular situation. The paperwork is necessary wherever you’ll be married. If you’re being married somewhere other than Holy Spirit, the clergy assigned to you will be in touch with the clergy there so that all the paper work is properly completed and sent on time.

To be married in the Catholic Church, one party to the marriage must be Catholic and both must be free to marry, i.e. either not previously married, or if one was previously married, he/she has received through the Catholic Church a declaration of nullity for that previous marriage.

There is no doubt that you'll have a ton of questions about everything. Fear not, your clergy will assist you in every step and be able to answer all your questions.