Sacrament of Matrimony

Marriage is a sacred event, a sacrament. The ritual celebrated before the community is only the beginning of the sacrament, not the final step. The couple continues the “sacramenting” process as they live their covenantal relationship and life together. To enter the preparatory period toward the celebration of this sacrament, education and formation are required. Please contact one of the Priests to initiate the process. A priest of deacon witnesses the celebration of the Sacrament (the couple actually administer the Sacrament to each other)

Requirements

• A minimum of 6 months of preparation is required prior to the celebration. Do not make any reservations until the initial meeting with Clergy
• Newly issued Baptismal Certificates with notations
• Attend an Engaged Encounter weekend (to find dates in Reno, click HERE.) 
• The priest may also ask the couple to take a FOCUSS
• The priest will also meet with the couple to further discuss the sacrament and plan out the ceremony
• Only one partner needs to be Catholic

Marriage Ceremony

All Baptized Catholics are obligated to celebrate their marriage in the church presided over by a priest or deacon. Catholic ceremonies outside of a church are not permitted. Catholics married in a civil ceremony or outside of the Catholic church are not permitted to receive Communion until the marriage is sacramentalized.

The following are protocols for a Catholic Marriage Ceremony: 

• only liturgical music may be used (no popular songs);
• no alteration of the Church sanctuary may take place; no decorations that block the view of the altar are permitted
• flowers are welcome, but will need to be removed by the couple after the ceremony
•  photographers and videographers are welcome, but will need to respect the ceremony
• only the official vows of the church are permitted
• cultural aspects, such as the arras, lasso and veil are respected
• flower petals and rice are NOT to be thrown
• the ceremony will begin at the agreed upon time
• for a Catholic and Non-Catholic, a full mass is NOT recommended

Convalidation
When a Catholic marries outside of the Catholic church that marriage is not considered sacramental. Therefore the Catholic in such a case is ineligible to receive communion or be a godparent/sponsor.  Making the marriage Sacramental is relatively easy. Contact a priest to begin the process. It can be as simple or elaborate as the couple desires.

READINGS TO BE USED IS MATRIMONY

The readings at a Catholic wedding liturgy are a proclamation of God’s Word and of the Church’s faith about marriage. For this reason, they are limited to readings from the scriptures (the Bible). There are nine options for the first reading from the Old Testament, thirteen options for the second reading from the New Testament, and ten choices for the Gospel. You choose one from each of these categories.

You may find it helpful to reflect prayerfully on each reading and to choose those that speak to your hopes and dreams for your Christian marriage. The links below include the reading options in their entirety, as well as commentary to provide some context and highlight key themes in each reading.

OLD TESTAMENT READINGS
RESPONSORIAL PSALMS
NEW TESTAMENT READINGS
GOSPEL READINGS
Source: For Your Marriage