Getting married in a Catholic Church

Getting Married

Congratulations on your engagement and thank you for taking the first step in considering a Catholic marriage ceremony as you commit to love and honor each other as man and wife for the rest of your lives in a permanent, exclusive and mutual love relationship. In marriage couples devote themselves to God through commitment to each other and then in turn to their family life.

A Catholic marriage ceremony may either be a 'Nuptial Mass' or a 'Wedding Ceremony', and must be witnessed by a Priest or a Deacon. The sacrament of Marriage is important for the wider community because it reminds us of the faithful, never-ending love that God has for humanity and highlights the giving-unto-death love that was so much a part of Jesus' living and dying.

Marriages are conducted at almost all of the churches in the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle and every effort will be made to try and accommodate requests for times, locations and a particular celebrant. However it is advisable to start enquiring sooner rather than later.

Download our Marriage and Education brochure for more information.

The first step

The first step towards making a booking for a marriage at one of the churches in the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle is for one or both of the persons to be married, to contact the parish office of the church the couple would like to be married in. A Catholic wedding normally takes place in your own parish church. If for some reason you would like to celebrate the wedding in another church, it is wise to discuss it openly with your parish priest first. 

When you phone the parish office, simply explain your wish to be married in a Catholic Church, your preference for a date, venue and time and whether or not you have a particular celebrant you would like to request.

Once the time and venue have been agreed, correspondence with details of requirements, costs, and more will be dispatched to you so that planning can proceed.

If you’re a bit nervous about how it all works, there’s no need to be. The priest or deacon who celebrates your wedding with you will help you prepare for your marriage, complete the necessary documentation, advise and encourage you and your partner to take part in a pre-marriage course and prepare the wedding ceremony. A day or two prior to the wedding ceremony, it is also possible to arrange with the celebrant to have a wedding practice in the church.

If you would like to request permission for a Catholic marriage outside a church  an 'Application for Permission for Marriage Outside a Sacred Place' must be completed. The priest or deacon who celebrates your wedding will have the appropriate form to complete with you. However if the priest or deacon who celebrates your wedding will be visiting from outside the diocese please ask him to contact the Marriage Tribunal office for an application.

You've booked the church - where to from here?

Your wedding celebrant has the responsibility to not only assist you in preparing for the sacrament of marriage, but also for the life-long commitment which you are entering into through marriage.

After you contact the parish office to book the church, you will then probably be asked to provide some relevant documentation to enable you to get married in the Catholic Church. These may include:

  • Birth Certificate
  • Baptismal Certificate (The certificate must be less than six months old and can be requested from the parish where you were baptised)
  • Evidence of Death or Annulment if applicable

*Some parishes may also require additional documentation but if so, this will be discussed with you at the time of planning.

Before getting married in a Catholic church, all couples will be asked to reflect on their commitment to each other and are urged to undertake marriage education to prepare for married life.

Marriage and Relationship Education

The Diocese of Maitland Newcastle offers a range of innovative, evidenced based and award-winning marriage and relationship education sessions that explore the research around intentional, connected and safe relationships with the aim of supporting couples at any stage of their journey, to build and maintain committed partnerships.

Our programs meet the needs of all couples including those who are soon to be married, those who do not intend getting married but still have a deep commitment to each other, through to those marking a significant wedding anniversary together.

Before We Say I Do

This evidenced-based, small group program provides opportunities to explore your relationship, build on your strengths and gain essential knowledge and skills that you will use for years to come. It includes the presentation of research material from Drs John and Julie Gottman, Dr William Doherty and Dr Scott Stanley leaders in the field of Marriage and Relationship Education. You will have the opportunity to participate in exercises relating to the research that are designed to encourage healthy communication and deeper connection.

Inventory Programs

FOCCUS

FOCCUS (Facilitating Open Couple Communication Understanding & Study) and Prepare/Enrich involves an in-depth, user-friendly online questionnaire designed to help you and your partner learn more about yourself and your unique relationship.

After completing the questionnaire, you will spend time with a qualified Relationship Educator to discuss your responses and find strategies based on research theories, to strengthen and enhance your relationship. These programs will help you develop skills and knowledge to prepare you for your future together. This program is a more flexible option for couples who are unable to attend a group program.

Time for Us

At times, we all need a bit of extra help to keep our relationship vibrant and/or get back on-track. Time for Us sessions are designed for couples to work with an educator in private session(s) via zoom, where you will be provided with support to address specific issues or challenges in your relationship, based on evidenced informed research.  Couples often come to us to discuss re-igniting the spark, communication breakdown, destructive patterns, strengthening the friendship and building the emotional connectedness of the relationship.

Bringing Baby Home Workshop

Assists couples to transition to parenting. Sessions are led by an accredited facilitator trained to support expectant couples and new parents to:

  • Learn what to expect during the transition to parenthood and discover how to be the best parenting team possible.
  • Couples will learn about child development and how to foster it, how to co-parent, and how to cope with conflict and indifference in positive ways.
  • The program also speaks to the importance of maintaining couple friendship and intimacy during this period of transition.
How to register

Step 1: Complete the registration form below.

Step 2: Payment ($420 per couple) must be finalized before we are able offer session dates. Payment options are listed at the end of the registration form.

Step 3: Once step 1 and 2 are complete, dates will be offered, and you will be sent a Zoom link for your sessions along with a link to some ‘Getting to know you’ questions for the Educator which need to be completed at least 48 hours before your first session.

NB: The program includes three, two-hour sessions (six hours in total) over three consecutive weeks. Zoom sessions may include two couples at once.

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Marriage Education
PO Box 759
NEWCASTLE NSW 2300

Call (02) 4979 1370

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