Blessings and congratulations on your engagement! We celebrate that God has called you and your fiancé to the sacrament of marriage. We are pleased and honored that you are considering Bellarmine Chapel as the space for your liturgy.
The Chapel seats 450 people in a theater-in-the-round style. Our wedding times are Saturdays at either 2 p.m. or 5 p.m., with Friday evening rehearsals usually at 5:45 p.m. We generally do not schedule weddings during Lent or Advent. The Chapel and bridal room are available for bridal parties one hour before the wedding.
At least one person in the couple seeking to marry at Bellarmine Chapel must be a confirmed Roman Catholic and:
- A registered parishioner of Bellarmine Chapel; or
- A current or former student at Xavier University;
- A current or former faculty or staff member of Xavier University.
Weddings & Sacramental Preparations
You must request your wedding and preparations at Bellarmine Chapel no less than six months before your wedding date. To ensure your date is available, we encourage you to reach out long before the six-month minimum. You can reach our Director of Marriage Ministry by email or at 513-745-3377.
Your request and date need to be approved by our Sacramental Ministry Coordinator before proceeding with payments. We look forward to serving you and working with you at this exciting time in your life.
Request Wedding & Preparations- $750 Chapel Fee which includes a Liturgy Coordinator for the rehearsal and wedding day. A $200 deposit within 30 days of your request to reserve the Chapel, and the remaining $550 must be paid ahead of your wedding date.
- $400 Marriage Preparation through Bellarmine This includes: Pre Cana meetings, FOCCUS, and Engaged Retreat
- $500 for Music in the chapel paid directly to the Director of Music Ministry. You are welcome to bring outside liturgical musicians, but they must have Catholic liturgy experience. Contact music@bellarminechapel.org
- $250 stipend for Priest is recommended particularly if your priest/deacon provides your marriage preparation in addition to presiding at the wedding.
Fees for your deposit, preparation, and Chapel usage can be paid online once your wedding date is approved.
We recommend Xavier alumni invite a priest or deacon to preside at their wedding. The presider you choose needs to take part in your marriage preparation. Ideally, the person working with you as the official witness and preparing you for marriage is someone you already know and with whom you have a relationship.
Bellarmine Parishioners are welcome to schedule an appointment with our pastor or invite a priest or deacon they know to work with them for their marriage preparation and be the sacrament’s official witness.
Steps in the Process
- Participate in Sacramental Marriage Preparation (with the priest or a pastoral associate or deacon, depending on your parish) This person will assist you in filling out the official paperwork planning your liturgy. This process takes two to three sessions.
- Attend an inventory program, which encourages dialogue about the Sacrament of Marriage’s everyday life, joys, and struggles. Bellarmine Chapel uses FOCCUS, where you meet with a married couple in the parish. You should expect to schedule three sessions with your FOCCUS couple.
- Attend an Archdiocesan-approved marriage preparation program, (either Pre-Cana or Engaged Encounter). There are many comparable programs if you are participating in marriage preparation in another diocese. Bellarmine Chapel also offers a parish-based marriage preparation retreat. Learn more about the marriage preparation guidelines for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati.
- Contact our Director of Music, Roberta Whitely, via email or phone at 513-745-3587 about the music at your wedding. You may invite a music minister, but they must have experience playing at mass and abide by the Archdiocesan Guidelines for liturgical music. You should advise our Music Director of any of visiting musicians.
- Request a newly-issued baptismal certificate from each of your churches of baptism. (For non-Catholics, a letter from your church of baptism is also acceptable.) If you are not doing your marriage preparation at Bellarmine, you should have these sent to the person preparing you.
Obtain your marriage license from the Hamilton County Probate Court within 60 days of your wedding. We suggest couples bring their license paperwork to the wedding rehearsal.