What you need to know if you are planning to get married at St. Pius X Catholic Church

One person must be a registered member at St. Pius X Church. We also welcome those couples coming back to be married in their hometown church of St. Pius X! Contact St. Pius X church office 515- 276-2059  at least 6 – 12 months prior to your wedding to inquire about church availability and to begin the marriage preparation process. You may also contact Sharon Lyddon at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. The Des Moines Diocese has a minimum 6 month waiting period after contacting the church.

Weddings are scheduled on Saturdays before 2:30 pm. Weddings can be scheduled Monday through Friday also, depending upon church and priest or deacon availability. Rehearsals are usually scheduled for 6 pm on Friday night for a Saturday wedding, or the night before for a wedding on a weekday.

What you need to know if you are getting married at a Catholic church other than St. Pius (also if you are seeking a dispensation to be married in a non-Catholic church of the bride or groom):

One person must be a registered member of St. Pius X church.  Contact  the parish office at least 8 – 12 months before the marriage date.  All paperwork and marriage preparation will be overseen by St. Pius wedding coordinator.  Numbers 1, 3, 5, 8, 9 below apply, plus the marriage preparation requirements.  Paperwork fee is $50, which includes a ceremony planning book.

​What you need to know if you want to have your current marriage blessed (validation) or need information/spiritual advice concerning an annulment.

Please contact Fr. Matthew Luft  at St. Pius X church office 515-276-2059 regarding these situations or questions.

​Steps after contacting the church:

1. Return contact information document sent out via email by wedding coordinator.

2. Return wedding contract with fees to reserve your date:

          a.  Non-refundable facility fee - $300 for parishioners.

               This includes the services of the Wedding Coordinator

               at the rehearsal and all day for the wedding.

           b. Refundable damage deposit - $150.

3. Meet with a parish priest or deacon – 515-276-2059.

4. Meet with the Wedding Coordinator to tour the church and go through wedding and music guidelines for St. Pius X.

5. Submit certified baptismal certificates to the church for the parties who have been baptized (issued in the past 6 months from church where baptized).

6. Meet with your musicians to choose ceremony music. Submit music selections for approval at least 6 weeks before the ceremony.

7. Submit wedding program for approval at least 2 weeks before the ceremony.

8. Apply and receive marriage license.

9. Complete the following Diocesan Marriage preparation requirements.

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Marriage Preparation requirements:

• Attend “God's Plan for a Joy-Filled Marriage” Workshop - all day workshop offered by the Des Moines Diocese addressing the sacramentality and permanence of marriage, the meaning of the sexual act, and the importance of prayer within marriage.  www.dmdiocese.org to register.  Cost is $80/couple

• FOCCUS and Sponsor Couple meetings: Facilitating Open Couple Communications, Understanding and Study is an evaluative instrument consisting of questions that each person answers individually. The engaged couple then meets with a specially trained married couple to discuss the results of the FOCCUS; 2 - 4 meetings over several weeks to months. Contact the parish office to register for the FOCCUS.

Additional Marriage Preparation Opportunity

• Natural Family Planning Course: NFP is a natural and effective means of birth control and child spacing and is in line with the church’s teachings; taught by couples in the Des Moines area and encompassing a 2 – 3 month period.  www.ccli.org to register. (Couple to Couple League).  Approx cost is $150 for materials.