Dear Engaged Couple,
First, let us say: congratulations on your engagement!   We look forward to working with you during this important time of sacramental marriage formation.  Below we have laid out what our program entails. Please feel free to contact us with any questions!
The Church asks every couple seeking to get married to have a minimum of six months of engagement before their wedding day. Our marriage formation program (Witness to Love) is designed to be completed over this time period, so please know that we schedule wedding dates six months out (or longer) from when you begin your preparation, not six months from the date you first got engaged. Our goal in this is to ensure that the marriage formation – one of the most vital aspects of preparing for the Sacrament – is taken seriously.
First Step:
1) You will be contacted by the Marriage Preparation Coordinator.   
2) Once your newly issued baptismal certificates and $100 deposit have been received, you will be able to set up a meeting with the clergy.
 
At this first meeting, you will get to know Father or Deacon and he will ask you a few questions and take down some initial information.
Second Step:
1)   After meeting with Father or Deacon, you will receive an email from your coordinator couple with a web link for you to fill out a Prepare and Enrich marriage preparation questionnaire. This will serve as a tool to highlight strengths in your relationship and areas for growth.
2)   At this point, we also ask that you choose a mentor couple. The parish provides you with the coordinator who is trained to facilitate your working through Witness to Love, but we want you to choose a mentor couple who will accompany you during your engagement period. This couple should be someone you are both comfortable with and who will hold you accountable, inspire and challenge you.  They will be expected to meet with you six times to go over the materials in the Witness to Love workbooks as well as be a support for you. The criteria we ask you to use when you pick a mentor couple are simple:
· The couple must be married in the Catholic Church for at least five (5) years.
· The couple must attend church regularly.
· The couple must have a marriage you admire!
Please note: It is only once you have chosen a mentor couple that the date for your wedding will be confirmed on the parish calendar; keep this in mind and don’t delay!
Third Step:
1)   Meet with your marriage preparation coordinator. Once you have completed step two, contact the coordinator to set up a time to meet. They will invite you and your mentor couple over to their house to review the Witness to Love program, explain the results of the Prepare and Enrich questionnaire you filled out, and discuss other important details of the marriage preparation process. You will need to submit your $75 payment for the marriage prep materials prior to or at this meeting. The marriage preparation coordinator will also go over the additional requirements for getting married at St. Matthew the Apostle Catholic Parish.
2)   The next day, the coordinator will email you a “Scavenger Hunt”; this is a check list of sorts which includes some fun activities for you to do with your mentor couple during the marriage preparation process (ex: go on a double date planned by the guys.)
3)   Plan the wedding ceremony with Father.  One month before your sacramental wedding day, sit down with Father to go over the readings you have chosen and any other pertinent details. You will also need to meet with the coordinator and the music director to finalize your wedding details.
  
Most importantly, be assured of our prayers for you both during this exciting time of preparation for marriage! May God bless you along your journey to the altar.

In Christ,
Brooke Warren
Marriage Preparation Coordinator