Our Lady of the Mountains is a beautiful Catholic Church in Estes Park, Colorado. Many couples, near and far, wish to be married here. We receive many of requests each year from couples that want to use our parish church for their weddings. Because of the overwhelming popularity of our church, we have created wedding guidelines and policy to allow the Catholic faithful to use our church for their weddings.
If you are a member of Our Lady of the Mountains, and wish to have your wedding ceremony in your parish, please contact, Father Faustinus at the parish office at least NINE MONTHS in advance of the planned wedding date.
Due to its sacramental nature, the Church celebrates each of the seven gifts by which we are strengthened and enriched by the Lord’s graces. The sacrament of Marriage is one that brings great blessings to the couple who is wed, to their family and friends, and to the Church as a whole. As such, Our Lady of the Mountains, strives to help couples prepare for not only a wedding day, but for a lifetime of grace filled blessings in the relationship that will help lead them into eternal salvation. The following guidelines have been developed over time to best serve the sacrament, the couple, and the community at large. Our Lady of the Mountains is a Catholic Church of the Archdiocese of Denver. Weddings will be celebrated for all Catholics in the Archdiocese or other diocese based upon availability.
Basic Requirements: Any couple considering marriage for a second time should be aware that time must be given for a possible annulment procedure. Archdiocesan law prohibits the scheduling of a wedding until the annulment process is complete and an affirmative decision has been given.
The Denver Archdiocese requires a minimum 8 - 9 month preparation period, and it is recommended that the engaged couple begin their preparation in their own diocese and their own parish, and request their wedding date reservation at OLM (Our Lady of the Mountains) up to a year in advance due to the large number of requests that we receive.
The wedding scheduling fee is $1,800. This fee includes the use of OLM’s church for the rehearsal and wedding. The scheduling fee does not include the fees for the services of the organist and a cantor, or remuneration to the priest or deacon who witnesses the marriage or the cost of Marriage Preparation Programs through the Archdiocese.
Preliminary Preparation: The Estes Park couple (out of state couples please meet with your pastor to start your marriage prep) should schedule an appointment with our Pastor who is responsible for marriage preparation and for an initial interview. After that interview, the couple may schedule their wedding date with OLM’s wedding coordinator, and that date and time will be confirmed.
Necessary Documents: For Catholics, a current copy of each individual’s baptismal certificate (issued within 6 months of the wedding date) from the parish of baptism. The baptismal certificates must be given to the priest or deacon who is completing the wedding paperwork. Non-Catholics are asked to try and obtain a copy of their baptismal certificate.
Pre-nuptial investigation form filled out with the priest or deacon.
Marriage License: The State of Colorado requires a Marriage License, which is valid only for thirty days. The wedding cannot be performed without a Colorado wedding license. The license must be given to the wedding coordinator at the rehearsal.
Marriage Ceremony: All weddings will take place at 10:00 AM or 1:00 PM on Saturdays (other days available please check with the Wedding Coordinator), with Rehearsals taking place on Friday evening at 4:00 PM If there are conflicts with other liturgical services the Wedding coordinator will advise at the time the wedding is booked. If another day is desired, please contact the wedding coordinator to understand avilability – contact information below.
A Nuptial Mass is the usual form for the celebration of the Sacrament of Matrimony between two Catholics.
A marriage between a Catholic and a baptized Christian is usually celebrated outside of Mass.
A marriage between a Catholic and an unbaptized person is always celebrated outside of Mass.
You are asked to purchase a book: Together for Life, (published by Ave Maria Press, Joseph Champlin author – available on Amazon for under $10.00) which contains the scripture readings that may be used in the ceremony and the texts for the Marriage Rite. When meeting with the priest or deacon who will be witnessing your marriage, you should discuss the readings and any other questions regarding your ceremony. You should provide the celebrant and the OLM wedding coordinator with the selection form; from Together for Life at least 4 weeks prior to the wedding.
According to the Archdiocesan guidelines, only Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion who are mandated to OLM may help distribute Holy Communion. Friends or family members mandated to their own parish may not distribute Holy Communion at OLM.
- An aisle runner is not allowed here at OLM for safety reasons.
- The tossing of flower petals is not allowed.
- Liturgy/song books cannot be removed from the pews.
- Wedding programs are acceptable but are not published by OLM, these are done by the couple at their own publisher and at the expense of the couple.
- All flowers brought in for the wedding must be removed at the conclusion of the ceremony.
- Bride’s and Groom’s rooms left clean.
- You are allowed to use the facilities one hour before and 45 minutes after the service.
- A unity candle is not permissible.
- Pew candles are not permitted.
- The wedding coordinator will answer all questions you may have around the ceremony and what is proper and what will not be allowed.
- The OLM wedding coordinator must review all wedding music and readings when decided upon, it is imperative these follow liturgical guidlines please have these for review at least 45 days prior to the wedding.
Rehearsal: The rehearsal is usually the day prior to the wedding (4.p.m.), and is usually booked at the time the wedding is booked. Please be 10 minutes early, and please advise all of your wedding party that they must be on time. One hour is reserved for the rehearsal, so come prepared. Other rehearsals or events may precede or follow your rehearsal.
The Wedding coordinator of OLM will handle the rehearsal. Outside wedding coordinators are not allowed to run the rehearsal at OLM.
Music: All parts of the liturgy are expected to conform to the Church’s standards for noble, sacred and appropriate expressions of prayer and celebration. As such, although many tastes in music are expressed by those approaching the sacrament of Marriage, the decisions on what is appropriate and fitting for the liturgical celebration, and the sacred setting must be approved. Please provide all music for approval to the wedding coordinator of OLM.
The wedding scheduling fee for OLM does not include the services of a musician. Their fees will be in addition to the wedding scheduling fee and should be paid directly to the individuals who will be singing and/or playing at the wedding. All musicians not on our list of approved musicians and cantors who perform at the OLM need approval from the wedding coordinator of OLM.
Facilities: Bridal Room – The bridal room is for the convenience of the bride and her attendants. The bridesmaids should come fully dressed, but there is room for the bridal party to dress here at OLM, as well as sufficient mirrors for touching up hair and makeup. These rooms must be left cleaned and picked up after the ceremony
Grooms Room – The groom’s room is located in the library upstairs. The groomsmen can use this room to change however the door must be kept closed once men enter the room as it is also viewable from the sanctuary.
The OLM is not liable for lost or stolen items in the Our Lady of the Mountains proper or any other parish property.
Prohibitions:
- ALCOHOL, DRUGS OR ANY WEAPONS ARE NOT ALLOWED IN OLM OR ON OLM GROUNDS. Bridal party must be sober on the day of rehearsal, and day of wedding.
- Rice, confetti, birdseed, silly string etc. may not be thrown inside or outside OLM due to the wildlife in the area. Bubbles are allowed well outside and toward the parking lot – prevent any soap on the church floors please.
- The sound system is not available for cassette playing or any other electronic device.
- The parking lot must be cleared after pictures - we have other services and programs to be considerate of.....
Photography & Videography Guidelines: The photographer, whether a professional or a family friend, must consult with the wedding coordinator to discuss the pictures taken during the ceremony. Posed group pictures may be taken after the wedding ceremony. You will have 30 minutes after the ceremony for posed group pictures. This must be done quickly, quietly and respectfully, because you are in Church, and other services may be in progress. Your wedding ceremony must begin on time, or your picture taking time will be cut short by the amount of time that your ceremony was delayed. Make a list of the pictures you want, and inform those you want in the pictures not to leave OLM until their pictures are taken.
After the ceremony, please go down the main aisle and return to the Main Altar by the west side corridor, so that the signing of documents and pictures may begin. Do not greet your guests at this time; you will be able to do that at your reception.
Because of the presence of the Blessed Sacrament, all photographs must be taken below the main altar (the lower altar). The photographer may not walk in the sanctuary, and may not move any furniture, candleholders or chairs. All off-camera lights, strobe lights, and umbrella lights are not allowed during ceremony or before. No flash photography is allowed before, or during ceremony.
Spontaneous photography during the ceremony is permitted only at designated locations by the photographer. Spontaneous photography by the guests is strictly prohibited. “Roving” photographers/videographers must meet with Diane Caddell day of wedding for instructions".
The photographer may take pictures of the wedding party coming down the aisle from one of the open pews of the church, not from the front. Once the Bride is at the steps of the Sanctuary, the photographer may move around discretely during the ceremony.
The videographer and/or photographer must remain inconspicuous. The video camera must be placed on a tripod, and remain stationary. The best location for setting up the tripod for camera or video is the west side see wedding coordinator for details and positions. Photographs may also be taken from the choir loft.
Flowers & Decorations: OLM does not provide any special decorations. We do not provide storage for any items, so deliveries must be made the day of the wedding. Florists must check with the wedding coordinator regarding a suitable time for delivery. The staff of OLM will not sign for any deliveries and are not liable for any items.
Christian liturgy is marked by elegance and simplicity. In 90 percent of the weddings at OLM, the only flowers used are the Bride’s bouquet, and flowers carried by the bridesmaids.
If you desire pew bows or other decorations on the pews, no tape or tacks are permitted. Bows may be tied with ribbon or hung with rubber bands. There are 18 pews on each side of the main aisle.
All decorations must be prepared before bringing them into OLM.
After the wedding, special decorations must be removed from OLM directly after the ceremony and pictures. Please assign this duty to someone in your wedding party. We do not have storage space to hold these items for you, and we are not responsible for any of these items left behind at OLM.
If items have been forgotten in OLM, please have a family member or friend give the parish office (wedding coordinator) a call as soon as possible after the wedding to arrange for pickup of any items left. Those items left beyond 24 hours will be disposed of.
Wedding Attire: Please keep in mind the solemnity and dignity of your wedding ceremony. Even though current fashions can be very revealing, there are many choices that can be made for the bridal gown and bridesmaids’ dresses. If the top is very bare, you should consider wearing a small jacket or a shawl (quite often an option for the bridesmaids’ dresses). If this is deemed inappropriate by the wedding coordinator a shawl will be provided for you at the time of the wedding.
Marriage prepration for out-of-town Catholics who wish to use OLM for their weddings: Follow your diocesan guidelines for marriage preparation. This is done by first meeting with your own pastor and determining the best action plan for meeting the timing required.
Once all marriage prep is completed at your home parish your marriage prep mentor will provide all permissions and paperwork to your own diocesan chancery. They will review and send to our chancery, and they in turn to us. Please note this process takes a few weeks to complete – please be cognizant of this when doing your marriage prep, if we at OLM have not received the documents through our chancery we cannot proceed with the wedding.
Scheduling Fee & Acceptance of Terms: Please note the scheduling fee is refundable up until the last week prior to the wedding, after this 50% is refundable to the date of the wedding. The wedding scheduling fee is $1,800. This fee includes the use of OLM’s church for the rehearsal and wedding. The scheduling fee does not include the fees for the services of the organist and a cantor, or remuneration to the priest or deacon who witnesses the marriage or the cost of Marriage Preparation Programs through the Archdiocese.
If the engaged couple comes to the wedding ceremony under the influence of drugs or alcohol the wedding can and has been called off with the full forfeiture of the scheduling fee.
All other fees (musicians etc.) and donations (to priests or deacons) are the responsibility of the couple getting married, the scheduling fee does not cover anything other than the use of the facility.
To reserve a wedding date the scheduling fee and acceptance of these terms and conditions is to be sent to the wedding coordinator – all scheduling fee checks must be made out to “Our Lady of the Mountains Catholic Church” other checks should be made out to the individuals you contract with.
The wedding coordinator has final say on all things liturgical and what is allowed for your ceremony please make sure everything is discussed beforehand – on the day of the wedding will not suffice and most everything last minute will not be used. Thanks for your help with this requirement.
We are not responsible for weather, traffic, elk/big-horn sheep traffic jams or other local events, which present issues for the wedding parties. Please leave yourself plenty of time to travel, allowing for all traffic and weather conditions.
Our Lady of the Mountains Catholic Church
920 Big Thompson Ave.
Estes Park, CO 80517