B) Requirements

1) The initial registration is done at the church with a priest at least one year in advance. The preliminary information includes the name, address, telephone number of each one of the engaged couple; also, the setting of the date of marriage. The priest needs to verify whether there are obstacles to a Catholic wedding and to give proper orientations to the couple.

2. Documents

a) Documents needed for Catholics:

The birth Certificate

The certificate of baptism for the use of marriage, to be obtained from the church of baptism 6 months before the wedding date.

The Confirmation certificate

b) Documents needed for non-Catholics, but baptized Christians

The birth certificate
The baptism certificate from their church of baptism
A certificate of freedom

c) Documents needed for non-Catholics and non-Christians
The birth certificate
Certificate of freedom

3. Pre-marriage instructions, also called “pre-Cana conferences

a) The are being held in our church once a year (click here for schedule)

b) These conferences are mandatory for all couples who can attend either the conferences given in our church or given in other Catholic churches or at the Diocesan Center in Montreal.

4. Pre-nuptial enquête and rehearsal

a) Two months before the wedding date, the couple will be called to the parish office for the final pre-nuptial enquête. At this final meeting the couple must bring all documents needed for marriage.
The couple will signed the pre-nuptial enquête after the answered all questions asked by the priest. Following the pre-nuptial enquête, the priest will send the diocesan authorities a request for the permission to perform the marriage.

b) Rehearsal will take place a few days before the wedding. The engaged couple, the maid of honor, the best man, the bride’s maids and the ushers will gather in church at the set date and do the rehearsal. Usually the priest, or someone representing the priest, will be there too.

C) The Wedding Day

a) The Wedding ceremony can be celebrated with or without a Mass. Usually it is celebrated in the context of the celebration the Eucharist. A couple can request an organist and a singer for their Wedding in church. They can choose to celebrate their wedding without music and without singer, in a simple way.

b) All arrangements for the Wedding celebration are made between the priest and the couple getting married.

c) After the wedding ceremony, the married couple, the best man and the maid of honor will be asked to sign the marriage register and the papers to be sent to the government. A marriage certificate will be given to the couple before they leave the church.