All the days of my life…
Contact the parish office at least six months prior to your intended wedding date. Our staff at St. Alphonsus is here to assist you as you approach your wedding day and spend your days as an engaged couple preparing. Please refer to the marriage preparation guidelines below for additional info.
Priority is given to parishioners; however, we do accept a limited number of non-parishioners based upon availability and our ability to accommodate.
Contact: Parish Office, office@stalphonsusgr.org, 616-451-3043, or Elizabeth Jervis, liz@stalphonsusgr.org
Marriage Preparation Requirements
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Please email Fr. Christopher and Deacon John to express your interest in getting married at St. Alphonsus. Please include in one or two sentences each:
Which parish do you belong to?
Let us know if you regularly attend Sunday Mass at St. Alphonsus or elsewhere
Why do you want to get married at St. Alphonsus?
Do you or your intended spouse reside outside the Diocese of Grand Rapids?
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Topics to Cover
-Determine Freedom to Marry
-Discuss Marriage Preparation Process
-Complete “A” Form
-Schedule Wedding Date
-Discuss Preparation Fee
-Receive books used in preparation
Schedule a meeting with Deacon John, jfalicki@stalphonsusgr.org -
A deposit fee of $500 is due for all weddings.
Total fees:
-Wedding preparation with celebration at St. Alphonsus (Parishioner of St. Al’s): $1,000-Weddings conducted non-affiliated with St. Alphonsus (non-parishioner): $3,000
-Prep at St. Alphonsus/wedding at another parish: $300
The $500 deposit is required to secure your chosen wedding date at St. Alphonsus. The date is not confirmed until after steps one and two, though we can hold a date before confirmation.
Final payments are due no later than 30 days before the wedding date.
All payments can be taken through check or online.
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-Completing an online relationship assessment. Your custom codes/link will be emailed to you from “FOCCUS” within one week of your initial meeting. (Please be sure to check your SPAM)
-Scheduling your Inventory Review Session once you have finished your inventory. This is meeting is with the priest or deacon. We contact you once we receive your results.
Schedule a Meeting with Fr. Christopher: Priest Meeting Click
or email Deacon John, jfalicki@stalphonsusgr.org-Attending additional sessions if needed
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Couples are required to attend a Pre-Cana Wedding Retreat in the Diocese of Grand Rapids.
-Pre-Cana retreats allow couples to enter more fully into the Sacrament of Marriage while being surrounded by others in the area who are in the same process.
We have two offerings at St. Alphonsus and a preferred option if you cannot attend one of the two. Pre-Marriage Retreats at St. Alphonsus are November 8, 2025 and April 11, 2026.
Cost is $125. Please click here to registerIf you cannot attend either of these, the retreat in February at St. Patrick Parnell is the primary alternative. Information coming soon!
List of Pre-Cana Retreats: Diocese of Grand Rapids List
Please note: The retreat at the Cathedral/Catholic Information Center does not meet our Wedding Prep/Formation requirements
Please email our office, office@stalphonsusgr.org, with a certificate of completion with the course that you have taken two months prior to your wedding.
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-You will have been provided with a parish Wedding Coordinator. Expect to hear from them at least six months before your wedding day.
Coordinators will schedule a wedding rehearsal and be your main contact point in your marriage preparations.
-Meet with the Music Director to determine who will do music and the selection of music.
Contact Gabe Groh, ggroh@stalphonsusgr.org, to set up a meeting.
-Select the readings and complete this form for the priest/officiant: Form Submission -
It is such a gift to enter into the Sacrament of Marriage knowing the gift of God's forgiveness. For this reason, couples are encouraged to go to confession before their wedding.
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Couples will have already set a rehearsal date with their Wedding Coordinator about six months prior to their wedding date.
We recommend rehearsals take place at 5 p.m. the day before the wedding.
Let your St. Alphonsus Coordinator know if you will be using an outside wedding planner/day-of coordinator. Our Coordinators will run the rehearsal and ceremony, allowing your planner to attend to reception set-up or other details.
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We also ask you to please pursue formation about Natural Family Planning. If you complete a course, please email office@stalphonsusgr.org a certificate.
We highly recommend taking a full course in NFP in order to learn more about the beauty, truth and goodness of the female body before, during and after pregnancy.
From our experience, both men and women learn so much from these courses and walk away with a greater understanding of the complementarity of both the female and male body.
Courses typically take place over a 3-5 month time period. Different courses look at different biomarkers (cervical mucus, LH strips, basal body temp, etc).
Full Class Options:
Couples to Couples League - Sympto-Thermal Method
NaPro/Creighton - Cervical Mucus
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We believe that full flourishing comes from healing the body, mind and soul.
Below is a list of Catholic Counselors who might be helpful for you individually and/or as a couple as you prepare for engagement or during marriage.
Franciscan Life Process Center
Other Resources