Marriage – Weddings

Congratulations on your decision to get married. It’s an exciting time with lots of wedding planning ahead! While you need only give 3 months notice of your intention to marry it is common practice for a couple to book the church a long time in advance. So it is important to contact the Parish Office to make sure that the church is available on the day you require.

The following information may be helpful

  • To make an appointment with the priest of the parish regarding your wedding, or to fill out Pre Marriage Papers please call the parish office. 028 30861235
  • Contact your celebrant as soon as possible and at least THREE MONTHS before the date on which you plan to marry. The meetings of the couple with their priest are a key part of the preparation process. These meetings are an opportunity for a couple to reflect on what Christian marriage asks of them.
  • The priest of the parish where you have lived for the last six months is responsible for filling up a Pre-Nuptial Enquiry Form with you and advise you about the various documents that you need to collect. You will need to get a Certificate of Baptism from the parish in which you were baptised, and if your confirmation is not recorded on your baptism certificate then you will need to also get a Certificate of Confirmation from the parish in which you were confirmed. The Baptism cert should be issued within six months of the wedding.

Freedom to marry: The rules governing freedom to marry in the Catholic church can be complicated. The best advice when one party has been married previously (either in a civil or religious ceremony) is not to make arrangements until the diocesan office has been consulted.

  • Mixed Marriages: Special permissions are required for full church recognition of marriages between a Roman Catholic and a baptised non-Catholic or someone unbaptised. Applications are handled by the diocesan office once the priest of the catholic party has forwarded the standard paperwork.

The Accord Catholic Marriage Care Service Portadown Centre (Archdiocese of Armagh) has relocated to Drumcree Pastoral Centre, Garvaghy Road, Craigavon, Armagh, BT62 1EB. 

Marriage and Relationship counselling  and Preparation  for Sacramental Marriage services are available at the new location.

You will also need to look at participating in marriage preparation course which is a lovely way for you as a couple to take a look at the gift of your own relationship. To book on a Pre-Marriage Course contact ACCORD. To book a Marriage Preparation course visit their website page:

http://booking.accord.ie/courses/?region=101 or visit our website on www.accord-ni.co.uk