[old and tired]

I would add that I'm sure if cost is a hardship for faithful people desiring a sacrament, most pastors would waive the fee. However, there is a cost in most Philadelphia parishes for weddings and funerals. And even faithful, practicing couples desire marriage at a parish other than their own will not have that fee waived come Hell or high water.

Here is the list of costs for a wedding at our Cathedral. It's a whopping $2500 offering. http://www.cathedralphila.org/sacraments/holy-matrimony

I knew a couple where the husband was given orders to ship out to Afghanistan and so they upped their wedding date by three months. Their church was booked for the new date and so they began looking for alternate places for their ceremony. Not one single pastor was willing to waive the fee. It left a bad taste.

[AnAmericanMother]

Dang, that's pretty rough.

Our parish has a very pretty church, and they charge a hefty fee for non-parishioners to be married there. But for us, it was a flat fee of $250, plus we gave an honorarium to the priest, and the altar boy got a nice gratuity.

It was the reception at a local restaurant that killed us! But it was very nice.

[Biggirl]

Not surprised at the high costs of weddings at the churches. With so many churches struggling in the financial area, costs will go up when it comes to special ceromonies.