Marriage is a covenant, by which a man and a woman establish between themselves a partnership of the whole of life, and it is by its nature ordered toward the procreation and education of children. While marriage was established in the Garden of Eden by God, it was raised from a natural institution to the dignity of a Sacrament by our Lord Jesus Christ. Marriage, when validly received, is a life-long commitment that lasts until the death of one spouse. A truly valid marriage can never be ended by divorce. Through the reception of the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony, God gives actual graces to the couple to live out their marriage. Do not neglect such immense graces! Please make it a priority to have a Catholic wedding.
To worthily receive the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony, the following conditions are required for validity of the Sacrament:
Marriage is between one man and one woman who are free to contract the marital union who are both unmarried and not related to each other within the third degree (i.e., second cousins are in the third degree of blood relationship, and persons whose relationship is nearer than second cousins are in closer degrees of kindred. It is unlawful for persons thus related to marry without a dispensation or special permission of the Church.)
Both individuals must be willing to enter into a marriage under their own decision (e.g., they cannot be forced by their parents). They must be aware of what they are entering (e.g., they cannot be intoxicated and enter into a marriage while drunk).
Both spouses must be open to having children. If one (or both) of the spouses had no intention of raising children, they would not have a valid marriage. On a related point, Canon Law further mentions that if one member of the couple is perpetually impotent at the time of the marriage and is consequently unable to treat this condition with medicine or any other method, the couple would not be able to enter into a valid marriage.
Both individuals must observe the Church's laws on marriage which include requires the presence of an authorized minister (e.g., deacon or priest) to officiate at the wedding ceremony. The presence of two witnesses is also required to testify to the exchange of consent. Those who did not follow the Church’s laws should seek to have their marriage convalidated so it will be valid in the eyes of God and the Church, thus opening the couple to receive the graces which God gives through the Sacrament of Matrimony to aid the couple in the purpose of marriage. Marriage should also not be performed during periods of penance like Advent or Lent.
If you have not already started to do so, begin attending weekly Sunday Mass at a Catholic Church. If you are not yet Catholic, please learn more about the process of becoming Catholic. If you are a Catholic already, make your priest aware of your desire to marry in the Church. Please keep in mind that weddings are usually scheduled at least 6 months in advance so start the conversation as soon as possible. The priest will be happy to help you!
Please also note that you should never let the cost of a church wedding deter you from receiving the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony. The parish will work with your financial means. No one is ever turned away from receiving the Sacraments so please do not let the false stereotype of cost affect your resolution to get married in the Catholic Church.
All Catholic parishes require couples to undergo courses for marriage preparation. Since marriage is an irrevocable commitment until the death of one of the spouses, Catholic couples must be prepared before entering into a marital union. These classes are often called pre-cana classes. Pre-Cana Classes are marriage preparation classes for couples to take who are preparing to receive the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony. Catholic marriage preparation classes are called "pre cana" classes in reference to the town of Cana, where our Lord performed His first public miracle at the Wedding of Cana.
Catholic marriage preparation classes like those offered by CatechismClass.com focus on marriage as a Sacrament and not a mere civil ceremony. Classes cover the purpose of marriage, the duties of husbands and wives, the importance of Catholic weddings, the Church's teaching on contraception and natural family planning, and more. Couples will consider family goals, financial goals, conflict resolution, and much more.
CatechismClass.com is proud to present a highly affordable and convenient online course for this purpose. The CatechismClass.com Marriage Preparation Program is meant to serve as a complete Catholic marriage preparation course. The course draws upon the writings of the Popes, the official teachings of the Catechism, the Scriptures, and the writings of various saints. Catholic marriage classes can range from several sessions to one single class. The online CatechismClass.com Catholic Marriage Class is designed to take no more than 4 - 5 hours. This course is for individuals who are already confirmed Catholics. Someone looking to receive Holy Matrimony who is not confirmed should first become Catholic through RCIA classes.
If you have not yet received the Sacrament of Confirmation, you must first receive Confirmation. With only limited exceptions, Catholics who receive Holy Matrimony must be confirmed. If you need to first study for Confirmation, use our Course Selector to determine which courses of ours will help prepare you. We also happily provide Confirmation Preparation courses.
In addition to finding a wedding reception venue, sending out invites, making a gift registry, preparing to move in together, preparing to jointly consolidate your finances, and more, this is a time to prepare spiritually. In addition to praying together and going to Mass together, consider jointly reading Three to Get Married" by Archbishop Fulton J Sheen, the famous American bishop from the middle of the 20th century. Archbishop Sheen emphasizes that our Blessed Lord is at the center of every successful and loving marriage. Make the Lord the center of your marriage and despite the ups and downs of life which will inevitably come, you will have the grace through the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony to overcome any challenge.