“Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers a multitude of sins.”

THE MARRIAGE PREPARATION PROCESS

The Archdiocese of Los Angeles requires that a couple planning marriage meet with their parish priest at least six months before their proposed wedding date. If either the bride or groom has been previously married in any manner; civilly, in another Christian church, or by common law, and the former spouse is still living; no date can be given for a subsequent marriage until an annulment or dissolution of the previous marriage is granted by the Catholic Church. The priest will assist in processing such cases. When the bride or the groom is not a member of the Catholic Church, the interfaith and ecumenical issues should be addressed with the priest at the first meeting. This is so the non-Catholic party will feel welcome, his or her religious convictions will be respected and that he or she will be aware of the Catholic understanding and requirements for marriage. When one or both of the parties are 19 years of age or less, consideration for marriage in the church will be given only after an in depth discussion with the couple, consultation with their parents, and a favorable recommendation from a professional counselor. The priest will provide a list of recommended counselors.

SCHEDULING

Weddings are scheduled on Saturdays at the following times: 10:00 A.M., 12:00 Noon, and 2:00 P.M.

On the day of the wedding, the wedding party should arrive at the church at least 45 minutes before the wedding.  Arriving on time ensures that the ceremony can start on time.

Rehearsals are scheduled on a weekday evening, prior to the wedding day.

 NECESSARY DOCUMENTS

1. Marriage License: Valid for 90 days. It is not necessary to be married civilly before being married in the church. This document is obtained from the Office of the County Clerk. The Norwalk office is located at 12400 Imperial Highway, Room 1002; (562) 462-2137 or (800) 201-8999.
2. Baptismal Certificate: One recent copy issued within the last six (6) months (not an old copy or the original copy) is required for both the bride and groom.
3. First Communion and Confirmation Certificates: New certificate or copy of the original is required for both the bride and groom.
4. Marriage/Engagement Encounter Certificate: This verifies that you have attended the retreat. The Office of Family Life of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles sponsors these preparation programs. Either the Catholic Engaged Encounter Weekend or the One Day Program for the Engaged will fulfill this obligation.
5. Testimony of Freedom for Marriage: Two witnesses for each; they cannot be the same people for both (i.e. his witness cannot be her witness). They can be family members or good friends. They must give testimony in person, and can do so in front of a priest, that neither the bride nor the groom is bound by a previous marriage.
6. Pre-nuptial Questionnaire: A confidential Church document filled out with you by the priest/deacon/married couple preparing you for marriage.
7. FOCCUS: As part of the preparation for your marriage, we include a FOCCUS assessment. FOCCUS stands for “Facilitating Open Couple Communications, Understanding and Study.” This is an inventory of questions that measures the couple’s percentage of agreement in sixteen areas that can be vital to a successful marriage.
8. Dispensation: Only necessary if this will be a “mixed” marriage, i.e., one party is Catholic and the other is not.
9. Annulment: Only necessary if either party has been married before, even a civil marriage, and the previous spouse is still living.

DONATIONS AND FEES

Every wedding involves a considerable amount of time and preparation on the part of the priest and other ministers. Your church ceremony is the most important part of your wedding day celebration. Accordingly, your donation to the church should reflect that appreciation. This donation helps to cover church operating and maintenance expenses. Musician’s fees vary and should be discussed with the music coordinator. If you wish to give the priest a gift, it should be separate from the church donation.

DONATION TO THE CHURCH

$625.00 of which a non-refundable deposit of $100.00 is required to secure your wedding date. This donation pays for the use of the church, the Priest, the Altar Servers and the Wedding Coordinator. If using outside priest who will complete all paperwork the fee is $525.00. Money should never be a reason to marry or not marry. Therefore, should money pose a hardship, please discuss this with the priest celebrating the liturgy. He will be happy to assist you.

WEDDING COORDINATOR

Please call our Parish Office at 562.921.6649 to schedule an appointment with the wedding coordinator.  

Once your deposit for the church is made, you must contact the Wedding Coordinator. The wedding coordinator will conduct the rehearsal and will be present to supervise the actual ceremony.

MUSIC COORDINATOR

Contact the parish office at (562) 921-6649.

Music is an integral part of your wedding liturgy, and it is expected that the parish musicians will be used. Only religious/liturgical music will be permitted during the wedding liturgy. Discuss any secular music choices, mariachis, or family/friends with the Parish Office. It is recommended that you contact the Parish Office no later than four months prior to your wedding date to plan the music and discuss the fee(s).

MUSICIAN FEES ARE AS FOLLOWS:

Pianist and Vocalist $200.00

Piano or Organ $100.00

Vocalist $100.00

Microphone set up for outside musicians $50.00.