District Weddings

Today Kimberly updates us on finding her ceremony location…

Will has finally proposed.  Yeah!  Now what?  Well, after calling my very surprised parents (you actually have a ring in your possession?) I begin to ponder where exactly we should get married.  When I asked Will about what he thought, one word came out of his mouth, “VEGAS.” Sorry, not going to happen. I asked again, “Will, where do you want to get married”?  “DC Superior Courthouse.”  Nope!  The next time I asked, he said, “Wherever you want my dear.”  Wonderful, thanks sweetie!

One common option for brides is to marry in the hometown where they grew up.  Nothing against my South Jersey hometown, but I haven’t technically lived there since college, and when I do venture home for the weekend, I feel more like I’m visiting than the hometown girl I used to be.

DC on the other hand, has become my second home, having gone to college and grad school here, so I couldn’t imagine getting married anywhere else.  During my 20 plus years here in Washington I tried out quite a few churches, but just like finding the right guy, you have to date a few until you get the right one.

There are so many wonderful Catholic churches here in the area that it really was quite hard to find the right one for me. In chatting with a co-worker one day about my plight, she invited me to attend mass with her.  The moment I climbed the steps and walked through the front doors, I felt like I had arrived home.

Established in 1840, St. Matthew’s originally was located at 15th and H Streets, NW. Construction of the present church began in 1893 under the direction of Monsignor Thomas Sim Lee. The first Mass was celebrated on June 2, 1895. The church was dedicated in 1913 and designated a cathedral in 1939 when the Archdiocese of Washington was established.

The Cathedral of Saint Matthew the Apostle which honors the patron saint of civil servants, plays a major role in the Catholic life of the nation’s capital. St. Matthew’s has served as the site for many important events including John F. Kennedy’s funeral Mass in 1963, Pope John Paul II celebrating mass here in 1979, and the annual “Red Mass” held in the fall which requests guidance from the Holy Spirit for the conduct of the legal profession.

So the second call after the one to our respective parents was to St. Matthew’s Cathedral, my church home for the past 4 years.  I knew that the church required you to set a date at least 6 months prior to any proposed wedding date.  Knowing this, I figured that I would be able to have a late fall, early 2010 wedding which would still make the 6 month guideline.  Speaking with the wonderful staff at the church, I was told that the FIRST available date would be June 2010. Hmm, okay then.

Having seen and attended many weddings in various seasons, I knew that I wanted a fall wedding, so anything other than the months of September, October or early November just wouldn’t do.  At one point in time, September, October and November were one of the least popular months to get married while May and June stole the show.  Now, my  favorite season was now the most coveted time to get married, which made it even more imperative that I get a slot at St. Matthews.

I was thrilled to hear that there were some times available during those months. However, once I heard how few days were actually available, I began to get nervous.  St. Matthew’s performs weddings on Saturday at the following times – 10:30 a.m., 2:30 and 7pm.  I was quickly informed that there were no 2:30 time slots available in September, October or November 2010.  Ouch!  So, my only available options were 10:30 am and 7pm.

In thinking about the type of wedding I wanted, I knew I always wanted to have an elegant, evening affair. Asking my guests (and my bridal party) to get up super early on a Saturday to share in my wedding wasn’t something I was willing to do. I also knew I wanted my wedding to be special.

I suddenly had an Ah-Ha moment!  How about 10-10-10?  Not only was it on a weekend (Sunday), but it also was over the Columbus Day holiday weekend!  This meant that that I could still have the evening wedding that I wanted, and still save money in the process by having my reception on a day that wasn’t considered as popular as a Saturday night affair.  SWEET!

I asked if Sunday, October 10, 2010 was available?  “Yes.”  I begin to grin over the phone.  “However, she continues, do you really want to get married over IMF weekend?.”  My heart sank.  IMF, or International Monetary Fund and the World Bank weekend take place every 2 years in Washington over the Columbus Day holiday, and it is notorious for street closures, protesters and sky-high room rates.  Not quite the DC I particularly want my out of town guests to experience.

Sensing my disappointment, she says to me, “we have the next weekend available, October 30th or November 27th.  Our next openings aren’t till 2011.”  Great!  Not wanting to have my wedding around Halloween (too many strange people running around in costumes), or the weekend immediately following Thanksgiving (I don’t want my friends and family to have to disrupt their holiday), I decided to take the weekend after 10/10 without even bothering to ask the date.

“Perfect, she says.  Please hold while I jot this down. Then you will need to speak to Msgr.  He’s the only one that will be able to approve the date.”  Yikes!  Guess this wasn’t gong to be so cut and dry after all.

A few moments later, I am on the phone with Msgr.  He’s going through a battery of questions at what seems to be a very deliberate pace.  How long have I been attending St. Matthew’s?  Over 4 years.  Have I ever been married or subsequently divorced, or married in the church before?  No and definitely no!  Is your fiancée Catholic?  Yes!  Am I a registered member of St. Matthew’s?  Yes.

After another few moments, Msgr finally says the words I’ve been waiting to hear, “Congratulations on your upcoming wedding at St. Matthews’ Cathedral.”  YES!  I thank Msgr, and as I get ready to hang up the phone he says, “Wait a minute.”  I freeze. “Your wedding date is Saturday October 16, 2010. You do realize that you are having your wedding on your birthday, right.”?

I paused. With all the excitement of trying to find an available date that I wanted, I didn’t even realize that the weekend immediately following Columbus Day weekend is my birthday.  Smiling even broader now, I say, “Isn’t marring the man you love the best gift a girl could get?”  Msgr chuckles softly, and says, “Of course it is.”  Congratulations.”