Congratulation's and Best Wishes !

We are honored that you have chosen Christ the Redeemer Parish for your blessed and memorable day. Now that you are ready to begin your plans, here are some things you should know if you wish to have your wedding at Sacred Heart or Christ the King Church.

WEDDING DATE
Before you make ANY arrangements for your wedding, please call the parish office for an appointment with the pastor to see if the date you desire is available. ALLOW A MINIMUM OF ONE YEAR FOR ALL DETAILS TO BE CARRIED OUT. If either party has been divorced and the former spouse is still living, please make this known to the priest when you first make arrangements.

WEDDING TIME
Weddings are usually held at 2 p.m. on Saturdays.

WEDDING REHEARSALS
Are usually held the evening before the wedding at a time set by the priest. It is very important that you arrive on time for both the rehearsal and the wedding.

CHURCH ADDRESSES
Sacred Heart Church
98 South 2nd Ave., Manville, NJ 08835  (corner of Filak Avenue and Main Street)

Christ the King Church
211 Louis Street, Manville, NJ 08835 (corner of Brooks Blvd. and Louis Street)

Please call: 908-725-0072

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS
For Catholics:
- Baptismal Certificate (dated within 6 months of the wedding)
- Certificate of First Holy Communion
- Certificate of Confirmation

If you are not a parishioner of Christ the Redeemer, you must obtain a Letter of Permission and Freedom to Marry from your pastor.

If you are a non-Catholic:
- Baptismal Certificate
- Letter of Freedom to Marry

A NEW JERSEY MARRIAGE LICENSE is required and can be obtained in the hometown of the Bride if she is a resident of New Jersey, or the hometown of the Groom if the Bride is not a resident of New Jersey. If both Bride and Groom are not residents of New Jersey and have been approved for marriage at Christ the Redeemer Parish, then the license is obtained from the Borough of Manville.

PRE-CANA
You are required to attend a Pre-Cana Conference Class for engaged couples and a session entitled "God's Plan for a Joy-Filled Marriage". Arrangements must be made as soon as possible. A list of the times, dates, and places of these programs is available on the Diocese of Metuchen website. It is mandatory that a certificate showing that you have met this requirement is in your marriage file.

After Pre-Cana is completed, couples must attend a 3-session mentoring program and complete a F.O.C.C.U.S Pre-Marital Inventory (a premarital inventory that provides a personalized profile of your relationship) with Bill and Barbara Stefany. Please contact them as soon as Pre-Cana is completed. They can be reached at 908-725-7236.

PRE-NUPTIAL QUESTIONNAIRE:
Both the Bride and Groom must complete this in the presence of a priest. This meeting must be scheduled with the priest as soon as Pre-Cana has been completed. At this meeting, the Bride and Groom are required to present the Pre-Cana Certificate as well as all other sacramental certificates.

In the case of a Catholic/Non-Catholic wedding: Please allow ample time for instructions and for the necessary forms to be completed and filed with the Diocese of Metuchen.

IT IS OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE THAT YOU CALL AND CHECK WITH THE PARISH OFFICE AT LEAST THREE MONTHS PRIOR TO THE WEDDING DATE TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL PAPERS, DOCUMENTS, ETC. ARE IN ORDER!

ORGANIST
Please make your own arrangements with the organist to provide the music for your wedding ceremony at least two months in advance. Only organists of Christ the Redeemer Parish are permitted to play the organ at Christ the Redeemer Parish.

If permission is given by the pastor for an outside organist to perform at your wedding, please note that there is a bench fee of $150 payable to our organist.

Lucy Mazareski, our organist for English weddings at Sacred Heart Church (98th South 2nd Ave, Manville, NJ 08835) can be reached at 732-398-1676
Our organist for Polish weddings at Sacred Heart Church (98th South 2nd Ave, Manville, NJ 08835), can be reached at 908-725-0072
Maryanne Zarbetski, our organist for English weddings at Christ the King Church (211 Louis Street, Manville, NJ 08835) can be reached at 973-763-3471

WEDDING MUSIC
Only liturgical music is appropriate for wedding ceremonies. Songs of a sentimental or romantic nature should be reserved for the reception. Please have your music program cleared with the organist at least two months before the wedding date to avoid last-minute disappointments.

CHURCH OFFERING
The church offering is payable at the time you complete the Pre-Nuptial Questionnaire. (Parishioners of Sacred Heart - $150, Non-Parishioners* - $300)

*Non-parishioners may elect to join the parish and must be active for at least ONE YEAR prior to the wedding date for Parishioner Standing.
(Please note that the offering is for the church and is not the priest's stipend.)

ALTAR SERVERS
It is customary to give a $15 gratuity to each altar server.

CHURCH OFFERING DOES NOT INCLUDE THE PRIEST'S STIPEND, ORGANIST'S FEE, FLOWERS, ETC.

SACRAMENT OF THE EUCHARIST
If you are being married at a Nuptial Mass, the Bride and Groom (if Catholic) should receive Holy Communion on their wedding day. A Catholic couple being married at a Ceremony should also go to Confession within a few days of their wedding.

FLOWERS
Any plans for altar flowers should be discussed with the parish office. Please notify your florist that tape of any kind is not to be used on the church pews.

CHURCH AISLE
Our parish does not allow aisle runners.

DRESS CODE
Please remember that your wedding is taking place in a church. Therefore, when you select attire for yourself and your bridal party, please dress modestly and appropriately. Brides wearing off-the-shoulder dresses, etc. should wear a shawl during the wedding ceremony.

THROWING OF RICE, ETC.
Throwing of rice, confetti, flower petals, birdseed, etc., IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED. Insurance regulations are very strict on this matter. Should any injury occur, YOU could become part of a liability suit. In addition, if this rule is violated, janitorial costs will be assessed to the bridal couple, so please inform your guests.

CHAMPAGNE TOASTS
The serving of liquor in front of the church is inappropriate and not permitted. Kindly reserve champagne toasts for the wedding reception. Please be sure to notify your limousine service of this policy.

PHOTOGRAPHY
A marriage is a sacred and religious ceremony. Therefore, no pictures are to be taken during the main part of the Nuptial Mass and photographers are not permitted to come within the Altar area (sanctuary) to take pictures. We do allow pictures to be taken during the ceremony provided the photographer is respectful of the religious aspects of the ceremony and does not distract the priest, the couple or guests by constantly walking back and forth. We do allow video taping provided the videographer does not enter the sanctuary or use intrusive lights and equipment.

AFTER THE WEDDING
Please contact the parish office if you plan to continue your membership at Christ the Redeemer Parish. We will need to update your parish census record as well as make any necessary changes in your address and phone number.

These policies are not in place as barriers. They have been established simply to help reduce the guesswork and confusion that can arise in the planning of such an important ceremony.

Adherence to these policies and getting the answers to your questions up front will enhance your overall experience. Please contact the parish office at 908-725-0072.