There was a point during the community lockdowns when church weddings were completely disallowed. And then they re-opened the church doors but only for the bride and groom, their parents, and a pair of ninong and ninang. Those were odd times and ones we hope will not happen again.
Church weddings are still strictly regulated, with no more than 10 individuals attending the event. As a remedy, some couples agree to have their wedding ceremony “broadcasted” on Facebook and Zoom via live video sessions. This way, all their families and friends can simply tune in to their channel and watch the ceremony at home.
If you are planning to have a Catholic church wedding during these uncertain times, try to find out which errands you can run online. Securing documents at government offices and attending face-to-face seminars may not be ideal at this point, so to minimize your exposure to the virus, find out which ones you can simply get done over the internet.
I’m here to help you in that area 😊
The basic requirements you need for a Catholic church wedding are the following:
- Marriage License
- Baptismal and Confirmation certificates
- PSA Certificate of Live Birth
- PSA Certificate of No Marriage (CENOMAR)
- Canonical Interview
- Pre-cana/Marriage Preparation Seminar
- Marriage Banns
- List of Sponsors
- Confession
Here are the details on how you can get the above requirements:
| Requirement | Where to Get | Wait Time |
| Marriage License | Local Civil Registry at the City or Municipal Hall. | 10 working days |
| Baptismal and Confirmation Certificates | Parish where you were baptized and confirmed. | Depends on the Parish Office’s policies. |
| PSA Certificate of Live Birth | Order online at PSAHelpline.ph | 3 to 4 working days for Metro Manila orders; 7 to 8 working days for provincial orders |
| PSA Certificate of No Marriage | Order online at PSAHelpline.ph | 3 to 4 working days for Metro Manila orders; 7 to 8 working days for provincial orders |
| Canonical Interview | At the Parish where you plan to get married. Ask if they offer this online. | The interview itself will last for about 10 minutes (depending on how long your answers are to the questions and if there would be follow-up questions.) |
| Pre-Cana/Marriage Preparation Seminar | At the Parish where you plan to get married. Ask if they have an online session you can attend. | Dedicate an hour or two for this seminar. It has a lecture, open forum, and practical activities that will be done to “orient” the couples with married life. |
| Marriage Banns | The wedding banns forms will be given to you during your canonical interview. | Bring the forms to your respective parishes and then return the duly accomplished copies to the parish where you will be married after three consecutive Sundays. |
| List of Sponsors | Churches only allow one pair of sponsors. | You can call or visit (if it’s safe for both parties) your ninong and ninang. |
| Confession | At the parish where you will be married. | Most priests require that the bride and groom go to confession at least once a week before the wedding. |
I hope these details help you in your preparations for your Catholic church wedding. Drop me an email for any additional questions you may have.
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