Saint James Cathedral

sammyslick · January 2011

Anyone being married at Saint James Cathedral, or a Catholic Church in the Orlando Dioces? If so, how muchyou being asked to donate? I am trying to find out ahead of time what the normal donation for the church is. I have heard everything from 30% of your weekly income, to donations based on Stewardship and how much you give a week.

Thanks!!!!

Theresa626 · January 2011

You really need to call the wedding coordinator at the church and ask this question. It varies from church to church. Some churches require you to be a parishioner donating on the envelope system for six months before they'll give you a date. SOme churches don't make you be a parishioner but require a higher donation amount for non parishioners. For example, at Annunciation, the total cost was about 750 for a parishioner and 1000 for non parishioners. You were also required to donate on the envelope system for six months before getting the parishioner rate. Non parishioners were also not able to reserve a date until six months before. At Most Precious Blood, they do not charge anything. At that new church in Kissimmee (corpus christi or something like that?) they charge 3000. When you call the wedding coordinator, ask about all the rules. Are you required to cover your shoulders, the dress code, photography and videography rules, decoration rules, music rules, etc. It's good to know these things ahead of time. Many churches do not allow any pew decorations, flower petals or aisle runners, no secular music during the actual mass, preapproved musicians, etc. You might also have to complete a few pre-cana requirements before being given a date so ask about that too.

If you're trying to budget, I'd budget around 1000 dollars for the church plus a monthly donation amount of your choice. The pre cana weekend cost us about 380 bucks so plan for that too.

megan10103 · January 2011

My fiance called St. James...I think they said it was going to be 3000. The church I belong to was going to charge 2000. That doesnt include any donations. And i havent heard anything about making weekly contributions. I know they require you to be a church member in good standing but I would have to look into what that means, I just assumed it ment you go to church and donate often as you can....I dono.

sammyslick · January 2011

Thank you! I ahve been a parishoner for 3 years, and under my Dad before that, so that wont be an issu. I cant imagine a church charging you for being married there, when you are a parishoner. I always assumed when they used the word "Donation" that it is just that. I will talk to the church soon anyway. Thank you very much for your help.

SoonToBeJLO · January 2011

I remember going on their website when I was planning our wedding and trying to secure a date and needed options. This gives a lot of information but if you talk to the coordinator they can fill you in more. It will probably require a face-to-face meeting with the coordinator or the priest to find out exactly what will be required.

http://www.stjamesorlando.com/index.php/sacraments/marriage?start=1

I was married at St. Margaret Mary in Winter Park. My sister and I attended school there. I have never officially "joined" SMM but attend mass with my parents (not as much as I should). We were charged very little to be married there (plus a donation to Fr. Walsh) - I want to say it ws $250 or sometihng. Then we paid the musicians $150 each. Other than that there was no large donation.

Theresa626 · January 2011

Finding out about donation requirements was the shock of my life too. I never thought the church would charge such outrageous fees and it made me angry. My parents didn't pay anything to get married back in the day. The donations are not optional either or suggested. I will break it down for you how the money was divided up:

200 for the priest, 20 for the altar server, 100 for the wedding coordinator, 100 for the organist whom we were required to pay even though we didn't use him, 100 for the cantor we were required to pay even though we didn't use her, 250 as a donation to the church.

megan10103 · January 2011

I couldnt believe how much they were charging when I found out either. I have been a active member for about 6 months now in my church in Sanford so when my fiance called and they told him it would be 2000 to be married there I was shocked, I was even more shocked at the price of St. James downtown. But I have a feeling that the charge is so much because they are new buildings and they are trying to pay them off. When I first started planning my wedding I was only budgeting about $500 donation to the church, (I also kind of assumed my family would donate as well). But its expensive when you think about how much the churches are making from weddings..

megan10103 · January 2011

Ok I was wrong...fiance just told me that St james was charging $1000...I was way off. Whoopsies.

Saint James Cathedral

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