The matrimonial covenant, by which a man and a woman establish between themselves a partnership of the whole of life, is by its nature ordered toward the good of the spouses and the procreation and education of offspring; this covenant between baptized persons has been raised by Christ the Lord to the dignity of a sacrament.
The matrimonial commitment is to be treated as a sacred commitment that requires a substantive preparation for the service of God and neighbor in carrying out an important part of the Church's saving mission. This requires the commitment and the ability to commit to a bond that is permanent, faithful, and open to children.
The couple's first step is to download and thoroughly read the Marriage Guidelines (on the sidebar to the left). After having read the Marriage Guidelines, the couple (not the couple's parents) are to contact the Church office a minimum of 9-12 months before their desired date of marriage. No commitments are to be made by the couple for facilities (church or reception hall), bride's maids, groom's men, or any other arrangements until they have discussed them with the Priest / Deacon and received his approval. The couple must have been interviewed and given approval by the Priest or Deacon to schedule the date of the proposed wedding and have it reserved on the church calendar with the parish secretary. No date is considered reserved until it has been reserved on both the church calendar and the Priest / Deacon's calendar and the deposit has been paid to the parish secretary. It is the responsibility of the couple to fulfill all the requirements. All plans for the wedding are contingent on the couple's successful completion of all the required preparations.