We are pleased that you are considering St. Joan of Arc for your wedding.  This page will assist you in learning some of the requirements to be married in the Catholic Church.  First, the Archdiocese of Denver requires a marriage preparation course prior to the wedding. At St. Joan of Arc Parish your preparation will include a minimum of three meetings with a deacon or priest. During these meetings the couple will complete required paperwork, take a marriage preparation inventory (FOCCUS), and review this with the deacon.

There are multiple options for completing the pre-marriage classes:  A week-end retreat, a workshop, or a series of classes. Participation in a Natural Family Planning course is also required for all those preparing for marriage.  Information on these programs including content, registration, and cost is available on the Archdiocesan website – ‘Office of Marriage and Family Life’.  It is suggested that a couple wait until after their first meeting with the priest or deacon at St. Joan of Arc before enrolling in one of these programs.

Arrange to meet with Marriage coordinator 8-12 months or more before you intend to get married.

1. Reserve a date with the Church.
2. The Marriage coordinator will help you to work through all the classes that you need to complete (Marriage Prep, NFP…)

If you have been married before either in a Church, civil ceremony, or common law union you MUST meet with Marriage coordinator BEFORE you set a wedding date! There is extra paperwork that will need to be completed first.

• Contact the parish office at least 8 months, preferably a year, before making any wedding plans. It is suggested that you wait to schedule your reception until your first meeting with the priest or deacon.  If you plan around the availability of a reception center, you may have scheduling conflicts due to the church already being booked, or there may not be time to properly complete the marriage preparation.
• Use of the church for weddings is normally reserved for St. Joan of Arc parishioners. Parishioners are persons registered in the parish and contributing to its support for a minimum six-month period prior to beginning the marriage preparation process.
• A Catholic wedding is a life-long sacrament.
• The Archdiocese requires that weddings take place in a Catholic church or chapel.
• The usual times for weddings are Saturdays at 10:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.  The Archdiocese policy is that weddings not occur on Saturday evenings or Sundays.
• If the engaged couple are both Catholic, they should plan for a Nuptial Mass, which is officiated by a priest, with the optional assistance of a deacon.
• If one party is not Christian, the couple may only have the Wedding Rite.
• Any couple preparing for a wedding outside of the Archdiocese of Denver but who are completing their marriage preparation should make sure that the preparation complies with all of the local parish and archdiocesan requirements.
• If a couple chooses to do their marriage preparation at a parish other than St. Joan of Arc, but intend to be married here, the pastor will need to give permission for them to do so.