Marriage

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Marriage Process at Christ Cathedral

Before beginning the process of requesting a wedding date at Christ Cathedral, please acknowledge the following:

• Weddings dates are only available on Fridays and Saturdays

• Wedding dates only within the current and next calendrical year are available.
For example: If this year is 2026, only 2026 and 2027 wedding dates are available. To request a wedding date in 2028, begin the process in March 2027 when the 2028 wedding dates become available. 
• Do not reserve a wedding reception venue until your wedding date at Christ Cathedral is confirmed, as the date you are hoping for may not be available.
• If interested in reserving a wedding reception venue at Christ Cathedral, please visit ChristCathedralVenues.com

• Available worship spaces for marriage: Christ Cathedral, Chapel in the Sky, St. Callistus Chapel, Arboretum

• Contact the Liturgical Administrator, Ana Guardado-Chavez, for any questions about worship spaces
• Review capacities and cost of each worship space in Wedding Guidelines

• Only ceremonies between two baptized Catholics OR between a baptized Catholic and a non-Catholic person are allowed

• Read the Wedding Guidelines (View Wedding Guidelines)

• All previous marriage(s) (civil or in the Church), to someone other than your current partner, must have been annulled by a Roman Catholic Tribunal with a Decree of Catholic Annulment and Final Divorce Decree. You will not be able to receive a wedding date until the previous marriage(s) have been annulled by a Roman Catholic Tribunal. Please contact a local Roman Catholic priest to begin this process.

After acknowledging the above, follow the In-diocese or Out-of-diocese process for marriage:

In-diocese process: for couples seeking marriage at Christ Cathedral where either the groom or bride reside within the Diocese of Orange (see parish boundaries map)
Note: Participation in Christ Cathedral’s Marriage Preparation Course is mandatory for couples following the In-diocese process. Learn about Christ Cathedral’s Marriage Preparation Course Here.

Click here to read In-diocese Process

In-diocese Process

Part I: Collection of Documentation

All documents applicable to the groom and bride in bold in Part I must be submitted to Christ Cathedral in a single envelope during Part II. If any documents are missing, they will be returned to you, and you will not be able to request a wedding date until the remaining documents are submitted. 

1. Call/email the church where you were Baptized and request a new copy of your Baptism certificate that is marked with the church seal. Pickup the Baptism certificate or have it mailed to your home. The date of creation for the new copy of the Baptism Certificate must be within 3 months at time of submission to Christ Cathedral in Part II. We cannot accept Baptism certificates created more than 3 months before the time of submission.
   1. All Roman Catholic churches, including those outside the country (e.g. Mexico, Vietnam, Philippines, Canada), are required to honor your request for a new copy of your Baptism certificate. 
   2. For those whose church of Baptism no longer exists, a photocopy of the page from your family Sacramental Book with your sacramental records (Baptism, Eucharist, and Confirmation) is acceptable. Please submit proof that the Church no longer exists.
   3. For those who received their sacraments at Christ Cathedral or St. Callistus Parish, please complete the following form and wait 1-2 weeks for the fulfillment of your request: Christ Cathedral Sacramental Records Request
2. Create photocopies of the following documents:
   1. (If received First Communion/Eucharist) – First Communion Certificate
   2. (If received Confirmation) – Confirmation Certificate
   3. (If civilly married to your current spouse and seeking a blessing in the Roman Catholic Church i.e. Convalidation) – Civil Marriage License
   4. (If previously married and marriage ended in the death of a spouse) – Death Certificate
   5. (If previously married and marriage ended in annulment/divorce – records of each prior marriage(s), civil or in the church, is required)
      1. Civil Marriage License
      2. Final Divorce Decree
      3. Decree of Catholic Annulment
         1. If you have not begun the process of annulment from any previous marriage(s), civil or in the church, please contact a local Roman Catholic Priest to begin the process of annulment. You will not be able to receive a wedding date until the previous marriage(s) has been annulled by a Roman Catholic Tribunal.
3. Complete 4 Testimonies to Prove Free State to Marry.
   1. Download Testimony to Prove Free State to Marry Here
   2. Testimonies must be completed in the presence of a Catholic priest or deacon, a Christian pastor, or public notary.
   3. 2 Testimonies to be completed by people who have known the groom since he was 18 years old.
      2 Testimonies to be completed by people who have known the bride since she was 18 years old.
   4. Testifiers do not have to be Catholic.
   5. The groom and bride do not have to be present during the signing of the testimonies.
4. Complete Wedding Agreement Form, Wedding Preference Form, and Couple Contact Information Form (one of each per couple)
   1. Download Wedding Agreement Here
   2. Download Wedding Preference Form Here
   3. Download Couple Contact Information Form Here

Part II: Submission of Documents to Christ Cathedral 

1. Mail or drop off the documents in one envelope to Christ Cathedral Parish reception for submission (view Christ Cathedral Parish office hours)
   1. After submission, these documents will not be returned to you unless you cancel your request for a wedding at Christ Cathedral
   2. If there are any missing or incomplete documents, you will not be allowed to request a date and your documents will be returned to you. Please return when all of the required paperwork is ready for submission.
2. You will receive confirmation for a wedding date 3-4 weeks after submission.
3. While waiting, review Marriage Preparation Course requirements.

Mail to:
Fr. Bao Thai
In-of-Diocese Couples
Christ Cathedral Parish
12141 Lewis St
Garden Grove, CA 92840

Part III: Marriage Preparation Course

See Marriage Preparation Course

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Out-of-diocese process: for couples seeking marriage at Christ Cathedral but the groom and bride both reside outside of the Diocese of Orange (see parish boundaries map)

Click here to read Out-of-diocese Process

Out-of-diocese Process

1. To request a wedding date, please mail or drop off in one envelope the following documents to Christ Cathedral (delivery address below):

• Out-of-Diocese Couple Contact Information Sheet (download form here)

• Testimony of Prenuptial Investigation (to be completed by your local parish priest or deacon who will be preparing you for marriage) (download form here)

• Wedding Agreement Form (download form here)

• Wedding Preference Form (download form here)

Once the envelope is received by Christ Cathedral, your wedding ceremony request will be processed at the same time as couples who attended the month’s Wedding Orientation. All couples will be contacted by our Liturgical Administrator in 3-4 weeks after the month’s Wedding Orientation to confirm the wedding date, time, and venue.

Deliver to:

Fr. Bao Thai
Out-of-Diocese Couples
Christ Cathedral Parish
12141 Lewis St
Garden Grove, CA 92840

2. The rest of your marriage preparation and submission of marriage documents should be completed at the parish where you intend on attending after your wedding at Christ Cathedral. Notify the priest/deacon handling your marriage paperwork that a nihil obstat must be received by the Diocese of Orange at least 2 months prior to the wedding ceremony date.

Mail to:

Office of Canonical Services
Nihil Obstat
Diocese of Orange
13280 Chapman Ave
Garden Grove, CA 92840

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Marriage Preparation Course

Participation in Christ Cathedral’s Marriage Preparation Course is mandatory for couples in the In-Diocese Couple process. Couples where both the groom and bride reside outside the Diocese of Orange are to complete their marriage preparation at a parish within their home diocese. Confirmation of Wedding Date and payment of wedding deposit is required to begin. The Marriage Preparation Course is designed to be flexible with couples and requires meeting approximately 10 times over 6 months. Completion of the Marriage Preparation Course should be no later than 2 months before the wedding date and requires submission of the following documents to [email protected]:

1. FOCCUS Inventory Certificate of Completion
2. Witness to Love Certificate of Completion
3. Witness to Love Scavenger Hunt
4. NFP Basics Certificate of Completion
5. NFP Method Course Certificate of Completion

Marriage Preparation Course Roles:

Engaged Couple – You, the couple who is seeking marriage at Christ Cathedral. Includes couples who are civilly married.

Wedding Coordinator – A Christ Cathedral representative who will help you plan the wedding ceremony at Christ Cathedral

Marriage Preparation Coordinator – A Christ Cathedral representative who coordinates the Marriage Preparation Course and the Coach Couples

Presiding Priest – The priest who will be celebrating your Wedding ceremony. You will need to invite him for the 5th Witness to Love Meeting. Please contact your assigned Wedding Coordinator for the name and contact information of your Presiding Priest

Coach Couple – Couple from Christ Cathedral who is assigned to guide you through the Christ Cathedral Marriage Preparation Course

Mentor Couple – A couple who the Engaged Couple chooses to journey with to complete the Witness to Love section of the Christ Cathedral Marriage Preparation Course. Highly recommended to begin the search for your Mentor Couple as early as possible. See Mentor Couple Requirements below.

Click to Read Mentor Couple Requirements

Requirements:
• Married in the church for at least 5 years 
• Attends Mass regularly (every Sunday)
• Goes to the church that you and your future spouse will attending after your wedding at Christ Cathedral 
• Is not family (Because you will be discussing your families of origin with your Mentor Couple during Witness to Love, the Mentor Couple needs to be a neutral couple who does not have a stake in the family dynamics)

This should be a couple who: 
• Will hold you accountable, inspire you, and challenge you
• You both feel comfortable working with
• You can look at and say, “I would be happy to have a marriage like that,” or “I love the way they talk to each other and to their kids.”
• Will take their role seriously and not be a peer or a “buddy”

They will be expected to:
• Meet with you and your Coach Couple to begin the Witness to Love program
• Meet with you and your partner over the next couple of months for 6 meetings in total at the home of the Mentor Couple
• Attend the Witness to Love Retreat at Christ Cathedral

Tips on finding a Mentor Couple:
• Attend Mass regularly and find a married couple who you may want to be your role model in marriage
• Attend family-oriented events at your parish where married couples are expected to attend
• Ask your Coach Couple to attend Mass with you to help find a Mentor Couple
• Ask the priests or ushers to identify the regular Mass attendees that are married

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Marriage Preparation Course Sample Timeline

1. Month 1
   1. Engaged Couple pays deposit (Please note: Marriage Preparation Course CANNOT start until deposit is paid)
   2. Introductory Email sent from [email protected]
   3. Complete FOCCUS Inventory online
   4. FOCCUS Meeting with Coach Couple near Christ Cathedral
   5. Witness to Love Kickoff Meeting with Coach Couple and Mentor Couple near Christ Cathedral
   6. Witness to Love Meeting 1 with Mentor Couple at Mentor Couple’s Home
   7. Sign up for and complete NFP Basics
   8. Sign up for NFP Method Course (NFP Method Courses range from 1 – 3 months long)
2. Month 2
   1. Witness to Love Meeting 2 with Mentor Couple at Mentor Couple’s Home
3. Month 3
   1. Witness to Love Meeting 3 with Mentor Couple at Mentor Couple’s Home
   2. Witness to Love Retreat with Mentor Couple at Christ Cathedral (may be attended at a later time as long as Witness to Love Meeting 3 has been completed)
4. Month 4
   1. Witness to Love Meeting 4 with Mentor Couple at Mentor Couple’s Home
5. Month 5
   1. Witness to Love Meeting 5 with Mentor Couple and Clergy at Mentor Couple’s Home
6. Month 6
   1. Witness to Love Meeting 6 with Mentor Couple at Mentor Couple’s Home
   2. Submit the following to [email protected]
      1. FOCCUS Inventory Certificate of Completion
      2. Witness to Love Certificate of Completion
      3. Scavenger Hunt
      4. NFP Basics Certificate of Completion
      5. NFP Method Course Certificate of Completion
   3. Receive Certificate of Completion for Christ Cathedral Marriage Preparation Course

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Marriage Preparation Course Links

Note: When registering for an NFP Method Course, do not choose another introductory course to NFP that has already been covered by NFP Basics.

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Resources

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Reception Reservation

To reserve a venue for a wedding reception on Christ Cathedral’s campus, please complete the Request for Proposal form using the following link: Request for Proposal