Your first step would be to complete a "Marriage Intake Form". Once you've completed and returned this form to the office, a Priest or Deacon will contact you to schedule your first of (typically) three appointments. At least one of the parties must be a Baptized Catholic.
When do we set the date?
You will be able to set your wedding date and time during your first appointment with the Priest or Deacon (provided there are no special circumstances). If there is a previous marriage, regardless of where it took place, no date can be set until final permission has been granted from a Marriage Tribunal of the Catholic Church. Also, if one of you is not Catholic, a Permission and Dispensation form will need to be completed and sent into the Archdiocese.
Weddings are generally held on Saturdays at 10:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m., as well as on Friday afternoons.
For those couples being married in a Catholic Church outside the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, we are happy to assist you with your marriage preparation by completing the first two wedding preparation appointments. Afterwards, we will forward all the paperwork through the Diocesan Office where you are to be married. For those couples desiring a wedding outside a Catholic Church, whether it is within the Archdiocese of Los Angeles or elsewhere, you must obtain the necessary permissions for the ceremony before we can begin any preparation work.
Since marriage celebrates the unbreakable commitment between a man and a woman who are free to make this mature decision in the community of believers, certain documents are required to establish your sacramental status within the Church, your freedom from any previous unions, as well as sworn statements attesting to your clear understanding of the nature and responsibilities of Marriage. The following are required documents:
Baptismal Certificate
A newly issued copy of your Baptismal Certificate (with notations regarding confirmation and prior marriages) is required for those who are Catholic. This can be obtained by contacting the Church of Baptism and requesting a new certificate. For those Baptized in another Christian faith, a copy of the original certificate is sufficient.
Letters
of Freedom (forms provided by the parish)
This is a sworn
statement, witnessed by a Priest, minister or notary public, attesting
that you have never been married before, in either a Church or civil ceremony,
and that there is no known impediment to the marriage. Parents normally
fill this out, or others who have known you most or all of your life may
complete it. Two witnesses are required for each party to the marriage. We also have specific Letters of Freedom for those who are widowed and
those who have been granted a Church annulment.
Permissions
and Dispensations
In the case of
an "Ecumenical Marriage" (the union of a Catholic and a person baptized
in another Christian faith), a Permission for Mixed Marriage form must
be completed by the Priest/Deacon and either signed or witnessed by the
parties. In the case of an "Interreligious Marriage" (the marriage of a
Catholic and a person that has not been baptized in another religious tradition),
a Petition For Dispensation From Disparity of Worship must be completed by the Priest/Deacon and either signed or witnessed by the parties.
In both cases, the parties are expected to demonstrate a willingness to commit themselves to honest dialogue concerning their respective religious traditions, and to make sincere efforts to understand and respect each other's beliefs. As part of the process, the Catholic party signs a declaration stating that he/she is prepared to remove dangers of falling away from the faith, and promises to do all in his/her power to have all the children baptized and brought up in the Catholic church. The non-Catholic party acknowledges an awareness of the obligations of his/her Catholic spouse to preserve and profess his/her faith, and to do all possible to baptize and educate the children of the marriage in the Catholic faith.
Civil License
The County Court
registers all civil documents. Therefore, any questions you have regarding the procurement of the civil license or other civil concerns should be
addressed to the Court. Licenses are valid for ninety days from the date
they are issued. The marriage license must be given to the Wedding Coordinator
no later than the day of the rehearsal. Please note that it is against
the law for the ceremony to take place without a civil license. You may
obtain additional information at the Los Angeles County Register-Recorder/County Clerk website:
HTTP://REGREC.CO.LA.CA.US/CLERK/MARRIAGE.HTM.
Pre-Nuptial Inquiry
This documents
your freedom to marry and is generally completed at the initial interview.