Congratulations on your decision to marry in the Catholic Church. Your marriage is an important chapter of your life, and your faith will strongly support you in this journey. The following information is intended to help you understand the requirements and guidelines for marriage in the Archdiocese of Vancouver.

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Process and Guidelines for Marriage

Initial Meeting with Your Priest or Deacon

Please contact your parish priest at the beginning of your engagement or at least nine months prior to your anticipated wedding date.

The process begins with the initial interview with your priest. During this meeting, your priest will learn more about your faith experience, your relationship as a couple, and your understanding of the Sacrament of Marriage in the Catholic Church. This conversation is an important opportunity to help you understand the lifelong commitment to God and to one another that you are about to undertake and enter into it well-prepared.

The parish priest or deacon will then complete and sign your Parish Form, indicating that you may move forward in the process and register for the Marriage Formation course.

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Special Circumstances
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Please discuss with your parish priest if:

• either or both of you have been married before
• either of you are or were in a “common-law” union
• are civilly married to each other and wish to have your marriage convalidated in the Catholic Church
• you are presently living together
• either you or your fiancé/e is a teenager
• a pregnancy is involved
• one of you practices another faith tradition or does not follow any particular religious faith
• You are Catholic but not Confirmed
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If your choice of celebrant is not in the Archdiocese of Vancouver:

• You should discuss your choice of celebrant with your parish priest at the beginning of your preparation.
• The visiting priest must present a Letter of Good Standing from his Bishop or Superior to the Chancery Office of the Archdiocese of Vancouver. If the visiting priest is not from BC, and if he is the main celebrant of the wedding, he needs to be delegated by the pastor, and he also needs a temporary license from the BC government. The Chancery will facilitate this process. Please factor in the time needed to apply for a temporary license.

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Marriage Formation Course

After the initial meeting with your priest or deacon, please register for the Marriage Formation Course. To learn more about the course and to register, please refer to this section.

Send a copy of your signed Parish Form by email: mprep@rcav.org.

Bring the signed parish form to the first session of the course.

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Sacraments

The Sacraments of Penance and Holy Eucharist will prepare you for a more meaningful experience of your wedding liturgy.

Every Catholic should complete his or her initiation into the faith by receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation. If you have not been confirmed, the time of your preparation for marriage is an opportunity to prepare for Confirmation as well.

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Second Meeting with Your Priest

When the Marriage Formation Course is completed, the couple schedules an appointment with the priest to fill out the necessary forms, bringing with them their parents (one parent from each party) or an adult sibling. In case a parent or a sibling of one party cannot be present, it is acceptable that two friends who have known this party for over two years, be present to sign the witness forms.

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Documentation

Your priest will assist in the completion of the required documentation.

If you are getting married in a church outside the Archdiocese of Vancouver, you would still need to contact a local priest who will assist you in completing some of the paperwork listed below.

• If you are getting married in a country other than Canada, the parish preparing your marriage documentation will gather all the required documents and send them to the Archdiocese of Vancouver. The Chancery Department will then send the completed documentation to the diocese in the country where you will be getting married. Please factor in additional time for the paperwork to be sent to the other diocese.‍
• If you are getting married in another diocese within Canada, the parish preparing your marriage documentation will gather all the required documents and send them directly to the diocese where the wedding will take place.
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Required Documentation
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• Dispensation: For a marriage between a Catholic and a baptized Christian of another communion/a member of a non-Christian world religion/a member of no religion, permission is required from the local bishop.‍
• Baptismal Certificate: If you are a Catholic, you must provide a new baptismal certificate issued within the six months prior to your wedding. If you have been baptized in another Christian denomination, you may provide either your original certificate or a copy.‍
• Marriage License: Please apply for a BC marriage license. The license is valid for 90 days and should be purchased two months before the wedding date. Bring the license to the parish office once you have obtained it.
  If you are already civilly married, this is not required for a convalidation ceremony; instead, you will need to provide your existing marriage certificate.‍
• Marriage Form I: Under oath and individually with the priest or deacon, each fiancé(e) answers a series of questions about his or her freedom to marry.‍
• Marriage Form II: Each fiancé(e) needs outside testimonial of freedom to marry. Normally one parent or sibling does this by completing the form with the priest. Otherwise, you will need two witnesses. They must have known you throughout your marriageable years (Church law: 14 for bride, 16 for groom).‍
• Testimonial Letter: When a marriage takes place in another diocese, this letter is required and must be granted by the Ordinary of the diocese or Rite to which one or both parties belong. ‍
• Marriage Formation Course Completion Report: This will be sent upon completion of all requirements of the archdiocesan course to the priest who is doing your paperwork.‍
• Letter of Consent: If your fiancé/fiancée is under 19, there is provincial requirement that a letter of consent from his/her parents is provided to the priest, who will also interview the couple and make an assessment.'

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Wedding Planning

Mass / Ceremony

For couples who are both Catholic, a wedding Mass is recommended and will last approximately one hour.

For couples who are not both Catholic, and out of respect for the non-Catholic family, a wedding ceremony is appropriate, lasting approximately 45 minutes.
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Place of the Wedding

The celebration of marriage is an act of worship and a Sacrament for two baptized Christians. Hence, a church, the house of God, is the proper place for weddings; gardens, beaches, secular “wedding chapels” or other settings are for this reason deemed inappropriate.

• The wedding of two Catholics is a sacramental liturgy and takes place in the parish of either the bride or groom.
• To be married in another parish, permission must be granted from the parish in which you wish to be married, as well as from the parishes where you are registered.
• A wedding in which only one of you is Catholic would take place in the parish of the Catholic party.
• The Episcopal Vicar for Marriage may permit you to celebrate your wedding in the place of worship of the non-Catholic party when a special pastoral reason suggests it.
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Liturgy

Your parish priest will help you plan your wedding liturgy. He will also inform you of any additional requirements that are particular to that parish. Please plan with your priest well in advance of your wedding rehearsal. To help with the planning, you will also receive a wedding liturgy guide at the end of your Marriage Formation course.

• Music choices, readings, and people involved with the liturgy should be made several weeks before the ceremony.
• Traditionally, only live music is permitted during the liturgy. We encourage you to use the parish musicians.
• If a booklet will be provided for your guests, the priest must approve the draft before printing.
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Rehearsal

Traditionally, the wedding rehearsal takes place the day before the wedding. Please arrange a day and time with your priest and the parish office.
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Church-Use Offering and Stipend to Priest

An offering is also usually given to the officiating priest in appreciation for the services given. This is in addition to the church-use offering. Please speak directly to the parish office to discuss this matter, not the priest.
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Church Decorations

The placement of decorations, including flowers, pew decorations, and the welcome table in the foyer need to be communicated to the priest, the sacristan, or the person responsible. Traditionally, the use of confetti, rice, seeds, etc. is not permitted.
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Guest Attire

Out of respect for the solemnity of the sacrament, the officiating minister, and other guests, it is important to notify wedding guests of the need to dress modestly as is proper for attending a church wedding.
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Photography

Regular photography or videotaping is permitted during the ceremony as long as the liturgy is not disrupted. Please advise the photographer to speak with the officiating priest prior to the wedding ceremony.
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Punctuality on Day of Wedding

The bridal party should be at the church well before the wedding ceremony is set to begin, out of consideration for the community gathered for the wedding. Punctuality is an important courtesy for all concerned, including the officiating priest.

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Marriage Formation Course

The Marriage Formation course offered by the Archdiocese will help prepare you for a Christ-centred life together and provide tools for healthy communication and conflict resolution, finance, and more, to set yourself up for a thriving marriage.

The process of preparation for a sacred marriage takes time and care. We strongly recommend taking the course at least nine months before your intended wedding day.

Marriage formation does not stop when a couple gets married; It is ongoing and lifelong. This course is not only for engaged couples; it is also suitable for those who are seriously dating, civilly married couples, as well as couples who are not part of the Catholic Church.
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Overview

We host nine courses per year, one course each month, excluding July, August, and December.

We offer a hybrid course, where the first and last sessions are in-person, and the middle sessions are online via Zoom. All presentations are given by a speaker in real time, and you participate together with other engaged couples.

In-person sessions will be held at the John Paul II Pastoral Centre (4885 St. John Paul II Way, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 0G3).  Unless you have a nursing baby, please arrange childcare for the in-person sessions.

For couples not residing in the Lower Mainland, we will provide a recording of the session. If your partner is not attending the course with you and is completing it in another country, please email mprep@rcav.org.

The Marriage Formation course normally takes 8-12 weeks to complete. It includes the following components:

• A Joyful Marriage
• Communication
• God’s Plan for Marriage
• Prepare/Enrich Relationship Assessment *
• Couple Finance
• Married Couple Testimony
• Life Issues and Fertility Health *
• Conflict Resolution
• Marriage Mentorship *

Course Fee: $285
* Please see below for component-specific details and guidelines.

Civilly married couples and other couples with very special circumstances may discuss a customized course. Please contact mprep@rcav.org.

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General Guidelines
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• Couples, once registered, must take the sessions in sequence.
• Both parties must attend each session together; those not in the same location will log in separately and find another means to communicate during the discussions.
• If you are unable to attend one of the required sessions because of an emergency or another important circumstance, please arrange a make-up session with our office as soon as possible. Please email mprep@rcav.org.
• We understand that arranging childcare can sometimes be difficult. If your baby is nursing, you are welcome to bring him/her to the session. If you are unable to arrange childcare, we are happy to book you a make-up session.
• If none of the course dates listed are suitable, we will review your situation and determine whether we are able to offer you a fully online option. This option is a self-paced course that a couple may take should their circumstances prevent them from attending the hybrid course. Our office must receive permission in writing from your priest to take the self-paced course; If you believe you are eligible for this option, we encourage you to contact us early so that we can explore the options available to you. Please email mprep@rcav.org.
• Our office may waive a session or requirement in specific circumstances, as advised by the pastor.
• Refunds are only considered on a case-by-case basis.

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Component-Specific Guidelines

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Prepare/Enrich Relationship Assessment

With an expert facilitator as guide, this online assessment will help you identify your strengths, weaknesses and major sources of stress. It aims to develop awareness of your relationship health, acquire tools to improve communication and conflict resolution skills, and increase closeness and relationship satisfaction.

After you register for the course, instructions to take the assessment will be emailed to you.

Once both partners have completed the assessment, we will provide you with a Couple Report highlighting the health of your relationship across one of the following categories:

• Vitalized Couples
• Harmonious Couples
• Conventional Couples
• Conflicted Couples

Meeting with a facilitator is optional for vitalized couples and required for the other categories.

Please note that the facilitator has access to two reports: Facilitator and Couple Reports. The Facilitator Report is intended only for the trained facilitator and will not be made available to the couple.

At the end of the Marriage Formation sessions, we will give you next steps of how to meet with a facilitator.

‍The mentorship program takes approximately six months to complete.

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Life Issues and Fertility Health

Natural Family Planning (NFP) is economical, respectful to the body of the woman, and consistent with Catholic teaching. A complimentary private consultation is included in the course.

You will be asked to register for a Fertility Health Awareness webinar at the same time as you register for the Marriage Formation course. You must select an offering of the webinar that takes place after your course begins.

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Marriage Mentorship

This is offered alongside the course to better prepare couples for married life, building a more robust marriage that is resilient to the challenges many face today. You will be invited to journey with a mentor couple picked by you to be an invaluable support before and beyond your wedding day.

If your parish offers Marriage Mentorship, you will be expected to complete this program as part of your marriage preparation. The mentorship program approximately takes six months to complete. Please speak with your parish priest for more information about the requirements and process for your parish. Shortly after you register for the Marriage Formation Course, you will be contacted by the mentorship coordinator at your parish.

If your parish does not offer this, we can arrange one at no extra cost. Please contact us at mprep@rcav.org.

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Course Completion

Upon completion of the course and its required components, as well as the submission of your signed Parish Form, we will prepare your completion report.

If you are getting married in our Archdiocese, you will receive a Marriage Formation Completion Report. A copy will also be sent to your parish administrative assistant and your priest.

If you are getting married outside the Archdiocese, you will receive both a Marriage Formation Completion Report and a certificate. A copy will also be sent to your parish administrative assistant and your priest.

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Register

To complete your registration, please ensure that:

• You have already met with your parish priest or deacon for an initial meeting.
• You have reviewed the guidelines and steps outlined above.
• You have sent us, or will submit immediately after registering, a copy of your signed Parish Form to mprep@rcav.org.

A few weeks before your course begins, you will receive email instructions and a reminder from us. Please check your email regularly, including your junk or spam folder, so you don't miss any important information.

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Contact

For questions, please contact us.

You may also email mprep@rcav.org or call (604) 683-0281 ext. 223.

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