Sacraments » Weddings

Weddings

 

Congratulations! You are engaged! 

Planning a wedding is both exciting and stressful. Couples getting married in the Catholic Church know that their wedding day is much more than getting the right flowers or venue.  We are happy to walk with you in your journey all the way until you walk together down the aisle!

Please know that in most circumstances, the clergy requires at least a six month lead in time to help the couple prepare for their lifelong, sacramental commitment.  In other cases, such as weddings that are going to take place outside of the country, the parish requires even more time for proper documentation.  This is especialy the case when it is the desire of a non-Catholic member of the couple to become a Roman Catholic before the wedding date.

For more information contact our office to set up a meeting with one of the priests.

Is convalidation just a blessing of our existing union?

No, convalidation requires that a new, free act of consent be made.  In order for a valid Catholic marriage to come about, both parties must be capable of marrying, give their free consent, and follow canonical form.

  • To be capable of marriage, both parties must be emotionally mature, psychologically stable, physically capable, and free from all impediments.  The priest will help you determine if there are any impediments.
  • Consent involves the free commitment to a lifelong, exclusive marriage that is open to children.  Consent makes marriage: “The consent of the parties, legitimately manifested between persons qualified by law, makes marriage” (1057, §1).
  • Canonical form requires that vows be exchanged in the presence of a bishop, priest or deacon and two witnesses according to the Order of Celebrating Matrimony.  Special permission is required for Catholics to marry in a place other than their parish church.

 

How do we get started?

Contact our office for more information.

Marriage is a Sacrament of the Church, that is, a place in which you can encounter the person of Jesus alive and active within your relationship. As such, we hope that you recognize your wedding as a profoundly spiritual experience for you and for the rest of the Church who will see in your love for each other a reflection of the immeasurable love that Jesus Christ has for all the Church.

POPE FRANCIS SPEAKS ABOUT MARRIAGE:
“Marriage is a feast – a Christian feast, not a worldly feast…some are more preoccupied with the exterior signs, with the banquet, the photographs, the clothes and the flowers…These are very important things in a feast, but only if they are able to show the true motive of your joy: the blessing of the Lord on your love.”– Pope Francis, St. Peter’s Square, 14 February, 2014

Catholic Marriage Preparation Guidelines

1. The Catholic Diocese of Arlington requires SIX MONTHS of marriage preparation, beginning with your initial contact with your parish priest.

2. Each couple marrying in the Diocese of Arlington is required to attend a marriage preparation conference such as a Conference for the Engaged.

3. You must currently be meeting with a priest/deacon for marriage preparation in order to register for a conference.

4. Most couples will be asked to take the FOCCUS premarital inventory. It is a tool designed to help engaged couples learn more about themselves and their relationship. It will also pave the way for them to discuss many of the topics that are central to ensuring that their marriage lasts a lifetime.

6. Your priest or deacon may require you to attend Natural Family Planning (NFP) classes. If he does not, we encourage you and your fiancé(e) to learn more about this organic way to plan a family that also respects the integrity of your marriage.

7. The preparing priest or deacon can assist you in preparing the liturgy, readings, music, and other elements for your wedding.

For more information, call the Office for Family Life at 703-841-2550 or visit Arlington Diocese Family Life.