Matrimony  

                     Para español AQUI

St. Martha Parish welcomes and congratulates you as you come to request marriage in the Catholic Church.  The celebration you are planning and the lifelong commitment you are choosing to make are signs of God’s great love for us all.
 
Marriage Preparation in the Catholic Church takes a minimum of 6 months, 12 months is preferable.

To begin Marriage Preparation please fill out the marriage preparation form at Marriage intake form. On the form, please select a date to attend one of the the marrage information meetings.  For questions, contact Dcn. Gary at [email protected] or Mrs. Cristal Olveda at [email protected]

If you are not registered at the Parish and do not live within the parish boundaries, you are advised to contact your local Catholic parish.  If they are unable to assist you, please ask the pastor or his representative to contact us.
 
Has either the bride or groom (Catholic or non-Catholic) ever been married before?
If yes, please contact Dcn. Gary at [email protected] before beginning marriage preparation.
 

• Bride and groom attend a Marriage Preparation Information Meeting via Zoom.  A link for the Zoom call will be sent the day prior.
• Bride and groom complete the online Prepare-Enrich assessment.
• Bride and groom will be assigned a clergy and then provided his contact information.  Weddings between a Catholic and a non-Catholic will be assigned a deacon.  Weddings between two Catholics will be assigned a priest.
• Bride and groom contact their assigned clergy person to set up their first meeting.  At the first meeting, their freedom to marry is determined by the priest or deacon.
• Weddings take place on Monday through Saturday (weddings on Sundays are not allowed).  For Saturdays, the wedding times for the main church are noon, 3pm, and 7:30pm.  Saturday wedding times for the Holy Family Chapel are 11am and 2pm.
• The priest or deacon sets the date on his calendar and the church calendar, and he confirms the date with you.

• 3 Prepare-Enrich group classes (Conflict Management, Spirituality and Closeness, Communication).  These classes are held using Zoom.
• A Catholic Teaching on Marriage class. All sessions are held in person in the conference room (parish office) and begin at 1:00 p.m.
• An Introduction to Natural Family Planning class.  These classes are held using Zoom.

• ​Additionally, couples should participate in the sponsor couple program “For Better and For Ever”: couples meet in the sponsor couple’s home for five meetings.  Ask your clergy to contact the coordinator to begin this program and for him to provide you with the books used for this program.  Complete Chapters 2 and 3 before your first meeting with your sponsor couple. 
• Wedding music selection:  Please visit https://stmartha.com/wedding-music in order to submit your wedding music selections.

• Am I called to make a life-long commitment with this person?
• What may help me to grow closer to Christ and stay connected to the Church?

• If you are Catholic, a newly issued baptism certificate is required (not your original baptism certificate).  Contact the church where you were baptized and ask them to send send a newly issued certificate to you.  
• If you are not a member of the Catholic Church and are baptized in another faith, proof of the baptism is requested.  It can be an original certificate or a letter from your parents.
• A “Witness Affidavit of Freedom to Marry” form – your clergy will provide blank forms. 
• A civil marriage license (this cannot be obtained more than 90 days or less than 72 hours) prior to the wedding). 

• Twogether in Texas: Texas will discount a marriage license fee by $60 for couples who complete marriage preparation at St. Martha.  Ask your clergy to request this certificate of completion of marriage preparation. 
• Wedding Fees (include the use of the facilities, wedding coordinator and music):
  • The wedding fee for a wedding in the church is $1,200.
  • The wedding fee for a wedding in the Holy Family Chapel is $800.
  • The wedding fee for a wedding in the St. Martha Woodland Hills Chapel is $400.
  • For a simple wedding ceremony in the St. Martha Woodland Hills Chapel with no Mass, no music, and no bridal party, $200.
  • A $100 deposit is required when setting the wedding date.
  • The balance of wedding fees is due two months prior to the wedding date. 
• You are welcome to also extend a gift to the priest or deacon officiating at your wedding and give your gift directly to the priest or deacon.
• Payments can be made online at  https://membership.faithdirect.net/givenow/TX497

• Watch the bulletin, St. Martha Facebook page, parish app, or the parish website www.stmartha.com for details and for updates on the marriage prep group sessions.

 Questions?  Please email Deacon Gary at [email protected] or Mrs. Cristal Olveda at [email protected] 

Click HERE to go to the Wedding Music online form (or to print a PDF copy).