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Marriage Prep Steps
Step 1: Contact your parish and arrange to meet with your Priest
When: BEFORE you set a wedding date or begin any other steps
When you become engaged, you first point of contact should be your parish, your home of faith, whether or not you are being married at your home parish. They are the ones who will guide you through the entire marriage preparation process from start to finish. At that time, you will schedule a time to meet and begin walking together on this joyous journey, receiving the guidance and assistance you need to complete steps 2-7, while keeping in mind they may even have specific recommendations as to which courses or tools listed below are best for the couple to follow. You may also want to take a moment to plan out a timeline for completion of these steps and other wedding arrangements.
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Step 2: Take the Fully Engaged Premarital Inventory and Evaluation
Fully Engaged is a Catholic catechetical premarital inventory that is grounded in Church teaching. This dynamic premarital inventory is a trustworthy guide that meets the real challenges today’s couples face. It helps to get to know each other even more deeply and reveal relationship strengths and grow in them while proactively helping identify areas that may need attention before they turn into issues later.
The bride and groom complete the Fully Engaged Inventory either online or by pen and paper. Once the parish receives the printout, the couple meets with a Facilitator(s) who will help lead the discussion regarding areas of agreement and difference.
This step is completed through the parish. Therefore, be sure to complete Step 1 before moving to this step.
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Step 3: Register and Take your Marriage Preparation Course
The Archdiocese of Miami offers a variety of Pre Cana programs, in English and in Spanish, to prepare couples for the Sacrament of Marriage - Camino del Matrimonio and Transformed in Love for engaged couples and Matrimonio 2000 for couples married civilly – throughout different parishes and at the Pastoral Center. Please keep in mind that the pastor may have specific recommendations as to which course may be more suitable for a couple, so it is best to first ask for his advice.
To see the schedule and register for any of the Marriage Preparation programs, please go to www.miamiarch.org/familylife and click on "Upcoming marriage preparation events."
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Step 4: Natural Family Planning Instruction
Part of a good marriage preparation process is receiving the gift of learning about what some have said may be one of the best kept secret treasures around, Natural Family Planning (NFP). NFP uses great science to plan our families while doing so in accord with God’s plan, and 100% naturally! There is live instruction and local support to answer your questions offered throughout the Archdiocese, as well on demand virtual classes plus plentiful resources on the subject.
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Step 5: Sacrament of Reconciliation
Give yourselves the blessing of coming into your special day prepared spiritually by receiving the gift of the Sacrament of Reconciliation and the wellspring of grace it provides. But why wait until just before the wedding when it is there for you always? The Office of Marriage and Family Life will be happy to share resources about this beautiful Sacrament and other marriage topics if desired.
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Step 6: Final Meeting(s) with your Priest
As you continue to keep in touch with your parish and working together to prepare your special day, you should meet with the Priest who will be celebrating your wedding 4-6 weeks before the wedding. If you are getting married at a different parish, do keep in close touch with your home parish and embrace any opportunities they may offer for you to receive spiritual guidance and final wedding tips there as well. They are your family of faith!
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Step 7: Keep Connected!
Your journey is just beginning, and there are plentiful resources and opportunities available to continue enriching your lives and marriage. By keeping connected and involved, first with your parish and second with any of the other great groups and ministries in the Archdiocese, you tap into one of the greatest resources of all: a family of faith with whom to walk and find mutual inspiration, encouragement, support, while making great new friends in the process! Last but not least, count on our Office of Marriage and Family Life as another support source. We are here to serve you!
We wish you a lifetime of love, happiness, and blessings!
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