Search
Sacrament of Matrimony
-
-
Congratulations!
Your decision to enter married life is a joyful and serious one, and a sign of hope to our whole parish family.
This guide will walk you through everything you need to prepare not just for your wedding day, but for a lifetime of marriage.
Learn more about the Sacrarment of Matrimony Here
-
-
-
-
- Please do not book a reception venue or make destination wedding arrangements until you have received permission from our pastor, Fr. Dean Wilhelm, and confirmed that St. John Neumann can accommodate your marriage preparation and wedding date.
- Booking a venue in advance does not guarantee that we will be able to provide preparation or accommodate your requested date.
-
-
-
Preparation TimelinesMarriage preparation involves paperwork and meetings with clergy and a sponsor couple.These minimum timelines are set by the wider Church and are beyond the control of St. John Neumann, so please plan accordingly.
-
-
Wedding preparation at St. John Neumann takes four months.
Add 3 months of processing time if you are getting married at another parish.
Add 6 months of processing time if you are getting married in another country.
-
-
-
Steps to Receiving the Sacrament of Matrimony
-
-
Speak with a priest or deacon to confirm parish availability and your preparation timeline before setting a wedding date or reserving a reception venue.
Who is eligible to marry at SJN?- Due to the volume of requests, our Pastor gives priority to registered parishioners and their family members, including children of active parishioners.
- To qualify as a parishioner, you must have been a registered, active, contributing member for at least six months when you book your wedding date.
When Weddings Are Celebrated- Fridays at 2 pm, subject to church availability and Pastor approval.
- Saturdays at 2 pm.
- The 2 pm start time is fixed to accommodate Confessions and the Saturday Vigil Mass.
-
-
-
Submit your Marriage Intake Form to begin.
A parish staff member will email you for details, and a priest or deacon will follow up to schedule your orientation.
Complete Marriage Intake Form Here
-
-
-
- Discuss your upcoming marriage with the deacon, with time for prayer and reflection.
- Complete the Prenuptial Questionnaire and obtain the deacon’s approval.
- Review your required paperwork and confirm when to request your baptismal certificates.
- The required time for getting the certificates is no more than 6 months before the wedding.
-
-
-
- Contact your baptismal church to confirm that your sacramental notations are on file.
- Request your baptismal certificates.
- The required time for getting the certificates is no more than 6 months before the wedding.
- Review and sign the Covenant for the Celebration of a Christian Marriage.
- Submit your required documents and pay the church fee to reserve your wedding date.
- Submit four Witness Affidavits of Freedom to Marry
Download Witness Affidavit of Freedom to Marry Form
-
-
-
Once the deacon approves your questionnaire and confirms your required paperwork, submit the $2,000 payment to reserve your date.
This includes the $1,500 wedding fee and a $500 refundable deposit.
-
-
-
- After the Prenuptial Questionnaire is complete, an online link will be sent to each person to complete the Prepare/Enrich Premarital Inventory. After both parties complete the online inventory, couples then attend a follow-up (in-person) meeting to review the results.
- After the follow-up meeting is completed, couples will receive Together in God’s Love workbooks and a folder of exercises from the church to prepare for the first meeting with their sponsor couples.
-
-
-
Register for the Natural Family Planning Course Here
- Attend an introductory Natural Family Planning course to learn about the Church’s vision for planning your family together.
- Online and in-person courses are available.
- A certificate of completion is required for the couple's marriage file.
- The engaged couple must complete the course before the third meeting with the sponsor couple.
- Attend an introductory Natural Family Planning course to learn about the Church’s vision for planning your family together.
-
-
-
- After the follow-up Prepare/Enrich meeting, your sponsor couple will contact you to set up a date & time for the first meeting.
- Your sponsor couple will accompany you through five marriage preparation sessions in their home.
-
-
-
Review the parish’s cancellation policy and guidelines for music, flowers, photography, and videography.
Familiarize yourself with the services and building access included in your wedding fee.
Fees- Total payment to book your date: $2,000.
- Wedding fee: $1,500.
- Refundable deposit: $500.
- Priest or deacon stipend: A suggested voluntary offering, separate from the total payment.
- Marriage preparation materials: Some require a separate purchase.
- SJN-assigned organist and cantor.
- Wedding liaison at your rehearsal and wedding.
- One hour of building use for your rehearsal.
- Three hours of building use on your wedding day.
- Utilities and custodial service.
- Six or more months before your ceremony: Full refund minus a $200 fee.
- Three to six months before your ceremony: Reschedule at no charge or receive a 50% refund minus a $200 fee.
- Less than three months before your ceremony: No refund.
-
-
-
- Select your wedding readings from here.
- Fill out the Ceremony Choices Form two months before your wedding to provide the parish with the details for your celebration.
Fill out Ceremony Choices Form Here
-
-
-
Documents & Downloads
-
-
- First, contact the parish where you were baptized to confirm that all sacramental notations (Eucharist & Confirmation) are on file.
- If sacramental notations are not on file, then contact the parish where you received those respective sacraments and instruct that parish to notify the parish of baptism.
- Please do not request the certificate itself until six months before your wedding, so the notations are current.
- First, contact the parish where you were baptized to confirm that all sacramental notations (Eucharist & Confirmation) are on file.
-
-
-
Ask your witness to complete the affidavit confirming your freedom to marry.
Download Witness Affidavit of Freedom to Marry Form
-
-
-
Frequently Asked Questions
-
-
No, St. John Neumann does not offer or provide any live-streaming services for weddings.
-
-
-
Catholic weddings are celebrated in the church.
See this short video on outdoor weddings and the Catholic Church for the reasons behind this.
-
-
-
-
Contact Us
-
Angela HoobenAHoobenSJNAustin.orgSacraments of Infant Baptism & Matrimony Coordinator
-
-
