Congratulations on your engagement
and your upcoming wedding!

We welcome you to Saint Thomas, as you begin your new life as husband and wife. We are looking forward to assisting you in the planning and preparation for the Sacrament of Matrimony, one of God’s most precious gifts to His People.  

We hope you find these wedding guidelines helpful as you prepare for a life-long marriage. Remember, the wedding is one day; marriage is for a lifetime. May the Lord bless you as you prepare for marriage in the Catholic Church! 

Marriage is a wonderful Sacrament that creates the foundation of the Church and society. This sacred union is the most important decision a person will make, and God instituted it to nurture each one’s spiritual relationship with God, deepen their own union, and foster life so that the next generation can enter into union with God. 

Marriage preparation is designed to help the couple prepare for a life-long, fruitful, faithful, and loving relationship. The key to the marriage preparation process is open and honest dialogue, and we are here to help provide you with the tools to have a joy-filled marriage. 

We are here to help you walk this journey.  Be assured of our prayers today, and always!


 If you have questions, or would like to talk about your wedding at Saint Thomas, please email or call Fr. Ross Kelsch, Pastor:  rkelsch@StThomasNKY.org 859.441.1282

• The Bride or Groom is considered a parishioner when they regularly attend Mass at Saint Thomas on Sundays and financially support the work of the parish on a regular (at least monthly) basis.

Weddings at Saint Thomas can be celebrated at the following times.

• Friday – anytime after 5 PM
• Saturday – anytime after 10 AM until 2 PM, or 6 PM until 8 PM
• Sunday - afternoon after 2 PM

Weddings during the week are also a possibility, please check with the Pastor.

Rehearsals for Weddings typically take place the evening before the wedding after 5 PM.  
Please schedule this with the Parish and your Presider.

The presider of the wedding runs the rehearsal.

The rehearsal should last around forty-five minutes.

Who should attend the rehearsal:

• Bride and Groom
• Parents of Bride and Groom
• Members of the Wedding Party (people walking in the procession)
• Lectors (readers)

A Wedding Coordinator is welcome to help you prepare for the wedding, and to help organize items for your rehearsal.  The Wedding Coordinator for the Wedding Liturgy is your presider celebrant.  The Presider will facilitate the rehearsal.

The Bride and Groom need to meet with the priest (or deacon) who is presiding at your Wedding to begin the formal process.  To begin, please reach out to Fr. Ross Kelsch at rkelsch@stthomasnky.org

Typically the couple will meet with your celebrant atleast 3 times before the wedding:

1. Initial Meeting, setting the date, discussing the process
2. Follow up from Marriage Prep Class
3. Meeting to Plan the Wedding, answer questions
   1. Readings and Prayers are chosen by the couple in consultation with the presider 

1. Living Marriage as a Sacrament
2. Natural Family Planning

Mrs. Katie Barton is the Music Director for Saint Thomas Parish and is the primary musician for weddings at Saint Thomas.  Outside musicians need the approval of both the Pastor and the Music Director.  

Please contact Mrs. Barton at kbarton@StThomasNKY.org. 

Please work with Mrs. Barton on her schedule of fees, choice of music, and additional musicians like trumpet or strings. 

All music selections will need to be approved by Mrs. Barton or the Pastor.

The Wedding Procession
The Church envisions that the procession will begin with the servers, the priest or deacon, the wedding party, the parents, and finally the Bride and Groom. The Bride and Groom coming in together express fully that the husband and wife are equal partners in the marriage.

Due to the long tradition of the Bride being escorted by her father, and the Groom greeting the Bride and father, this remains an option.

Wedding Liturgy Options:

• The Rite of Marriage during Mass is the norm when both the Bride and Groom are active, practicing Catholics.
  • two Catholics may celebrate their wedding outside of Mass with the approval of the Pastor
• The Rite of Marriage outside of Mass (Liturgy of the Word without Communion) is the norm when a Catholic marries a baptized non-Catholic or a non-baptized person. 

A Receiving Line at the end of the ceremony is not allowed. 
 

Flowers have always been a traditional decoration for a wedding ceremony. Keep in mind that during certain liturgical seasons the church is already appropriately decorated with flowers. This is especially true during the Christmas and Easter seasons. No one may move any plants or flowers that are already in place. A fresh flower arrangement is permitted on the floor in front of the Altar, or on the High Altar.

Flowers must be real - no artificial flowers are allowed.

No plastic clips, metal hooks, pipe cleaners or tape may be used.

Our pews have recently been refinished.  Nothing may be attached or hung from the pews.  No bows, flowers etc. from the pews. 

Aisle runners are not permitted because they create a safety issue.

Please refrain from the throwing of birdseed, rice, confetti, or flower petals, or the blowing of bubbles.
Clean-up is the responsibility of the wedding party; please leave the Church as clean as you found it. (Be sure to appoint someone to stay behind to collect any items that may have been left behind in the church after the wedding.)

No candles or small vigil lights are permitted to be attached to the pews.

A unity candle may not be used during the wedding, but might be appropriate during the rehearsal dinner or the reception, if so desired.

The presenting of flowers to Mary is not part of the Catholic Wedding Liturgy. However, if a couple has a special devotion to Mary, it may be permitted