Thinking of Getting Married at St Columba’s Church, Bridge of Don?
Please do not proceed to arrange a marriage preparation or wedding and indeed any other Sacrament with any member of the clergy to be ministered at St Columba Roman Catholic Church Bridge of Don, Aberdeen without previously informing and receiving an expressed permission to do so from the Parish Priest.
If you have lived within the boundaries St Columba’s Parish for at least six months and you are planning to get married, you need to contact the Parish Priest first no matter the location you are intending to get married. It is important to contact the parish priest before you confirm any other wedding plans, including booking a venue for the reception. A minimum period of SIX MONTHS notice is required by the Church to allow for preparation of the documents required, arranging marriage preparation course, and planning the ceremony with you. If you and your partner are residing in different countries a longer period of notice may be required.
If you are getting married outside Scotland you still need needs to contact your local priest parish in Scotland.
As a matter of legal requirement it is important to contact the civil Registrar too.
If you are a Catholic then you will need the following:
A NEW BAPTISMAL CERTIFICATE from the parish where you were baptised (issued within the last 6 months preceding the date of your proposed marriage and must not be a copy or scan). The certificate should include details of your confirmation and any previous marriage (if you have not been married before then the certificate should state that there is no record of a previous marriage). This will not be an issue for any parish priest as such a request is routine.
A LETTER OF FREEDOM stating that you have not been married before (Letter must not have been dated longer than 6 months preceding the date of your proposed marriage and must not be a copy or scan). This document should be such as would stand up to scrutiny in a court of law. It ought to be provided by a priest/parents. If you have been married before, please kindly speak to the parish priest and ask about the possibility of an annulment.
A COPY OF YOUR BIRTH CERTIFICATE.
A COPY OF YOUR PASSPORT. (The information page)
A CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION OF MARRIAGE PREPARATION COURSE.
If you are not a Catholic and you are getting married to someone who is a Catholic, then you will need the following:
If you have been baptised/christened:
BAPTISMAL AND CONFIRMATION CERTIFICATES (the original is sufficient) or YOUR BIRTH CERTIFICATE with the details of your baptism on the reverse side from the time of the event (If you are not baptised, please speak to the priest).
A LETTER OF FREEDOM as indicated above. This ought to be provided by a person of equivalent legal standing or your parents.
A COPY OF YOUR PASSPORT.
All of these documents need to be obtained within six months of your of the date of your proposed marriage.
When you have obtained all the above documents, please contact the parish priest of St Columba Roman Catholic Church, Bridge of Don to arrange a marriage preparation course (prenuptial course) for you. This course will usually take six to eight sessions or twelve hours.
Donations for Marriage Preparation Course (prenuptial course) and Documentation at St Columba’s Church Bridge of Don: The minimum donation for preparation course (prenuptial Course) is £120
The minimum donation to the Diocesan Office for sending your marriage documents to any location outside the diocese of Aberdeen is £10. If your documents need to be sent by Aberdeen diocese to another diocese where you will be getting married by priority posting, Aberdeen diocesan office may require you to pay for the cost.
The minimum donation for the officiating priest at a wedding in St Columba Roman Catholic Church, Bridge of Don is £150.
The minimum donation for the use of the St Columba’s Parish Church for wedding is £100.
Obtaining a Written Permission to get married outside St Columba Roman Catholic Church, Bridge of Don, Aberdeen.
If you want to obtain a permission to get married outside St Columba Roman Catholic Church, please contact the Parish Priest in person. You can only receive this permission if you are a regular parishioner of St Columba Roman Catholic Church, Bridge of Don, Aberdeen. Part of the letter will state that you are a regular member of St Columba’s parish for at least six months prior to your request of the letter. The minimum donation for obtaining the written permission to get married outside the parish is £50.
Obtaining Copy of Your Marriage Certificate
If you would like a copy of the certificate of your marriage that took place at St Columba Roman Catholic Church, Bridge of Don, Aberdeen, please contact the Parish Priest. You will need to supply: 1. Your full name and address, and those of your spouse as they were on the date you got married. 2. The names of your parents and those of your spouse as they were on the date you got married. 3. The names of the witnesses to the marriage as they were on the date you got married. The minimum donation for a copy of marriage certificate is £40.