1. At least six months prior to your wedding, and before you set your wedding date, make initial contact with your parish to schedule a meeting with the priest, deacon or pastoral administrator. You will receive information about parish guidelines as well as a marriage booklet explaining archdiocesan guidelines. This booklet also includes information on all marriage preparation programs as well as registration forms. You can then schedule a date for the wedding. You may also begin to complete some of the required paperwork.

2. Next, you will set a time to take a premarital inventory. The FOCCUS Inventory (Facilitating Open Couple Communication, Understanding and Study) is widely used as part of marriage preparation in the Archdiocese of Louisville. Some parishes may offer a different inventory, or special circumstances may dictate another inventory.

3. Then you will meet with a facilitator from the parish to discuss the results of the inventory, including the areas of strength in your relationship as well as the areas that need attention.

4. Your next step is participation in a parish-based or archdiocesan marriage preparation program. The decision about the best program for you was probably discussed at your initial meeting with the priest, deacon or pastoral administrator. These programs are most helpful when attended early in your preparation time.

5. It is recommended that you attend a Natural Family Planning training session to learn about a scientific natural method that is completely safe, has no harmful side effects, and is 99% effective. It can be used to achieve, space or avoid pregnancy. Click here for more information.

6. You will meet one or more times with the priest, deacon or pastoral administrator to discuss any issues or concerns about your marriage that arose from the preparation sessions, to review all details of the wedding ceremony including the readings and music, and to complete any final paperwork.

7. A day or two before the wedding, the wedding rehearsal will take place with all the principal people. They are the ones who have an active role in the ceremony. Check with the priest, deacon, pastoral minister or the parish wedding coordinator to see who will need to be included. 

8. At last! It’s your wedding day! Congratulations! Celebrate this day with family and friends as you begin your lifetime commitment to one another.

*As a norm, the wedding date is finalized only after preparation has been completed. Therefore, it is wise to complete your marriage preparation at least three months prior to the proposed wedding date.