St. Bernard Parish at 500 Route 22 East, Bridgewater, NJ 08807 US - Preparing for your Wedding

Congratulations on your upcoming wedding!

This is the happiest of times for you, your families and your friends, and for your parish community as well. Marriage is a holy sacrament, and as such is a very important part of Christian life! Our efforts will center on assisting you to make this special time reverent, beautiful, and open to the movement of God’s Holy Spirit. Your celebration will be a gathering of your Christian community, and as such will be filled with prayer, music, song, and times of quiet, in which the voice of God can be heard.

Some important, practical information:

To begin your marriage preparation, we ask that you call Peg Amorosa at the Parish Office (908-725-0552, ext. 818) at least a year before the planned time of your wedding. At that time, Peg will register you for the sacrament, help you to secure your date, and assist you in your choice of a celebrant, if needed. Our pastor, Fr. Joseph Celano, our Associate Pastor, Fr. John Barbella, and our three deacons, Patrick Cline, Gerry Sims and Paul Anderson are all available to witness your vows and guide you in your preparation.

We will provide you with materials that will guide and assist you in the planning of your wedding liturgy and a copy of a booklet, compiled here at St. Bernard which will be a great source of information and assistance to you. You will also be directed as to contacting Roger Pisani, Our Pastoral Associate for Music and Liturgy (extension 807) who will help you with your choices of music and readings for your wedding liturgy. Finally, you will be given a copy of the Pre-Cana Schedule for the parishes of the Diocese of Metuchen. This will inform you as to the Pre-Cana dates which are scheduled in all of the parishes of our diocese for the coming year, allowing you enough time to choose a convenient time and place to participate. Engaged Encounter information is also available in this schedule.

It is our privilege to serve you as you prepare for this joyous sacrament. Please feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns you may have throughout your time of wedding preparation.