Sacraments

Sacrament of Marriage

Congratulations on your engagement! This time marks the beginning of an adventure where your mutual life goal is the well-being, joy, and holiness of your spouse. Through the Sacrament of Matrimony, God’s love becomes present to you in your total commitment to each other.

Here are some guidelines to help you plan the wedding:

In addition to planning your wedding, it is very important to set aside at least 6-9 months of quality time for lifelong marriage preparation. It will give you time to prepare the necessary documents, attend the marriage preparation classes and reflect deeply about the lifelong commitment you will be making.

Please call the parish office (408-729-0101) and speak to one of our priests or deacons to set up an appointment. At that time, he will check the availability of your planned wedding date.

Please note that the wedding date is not confirmed until the deposit is received. Fee and deposit information is found below. Please DO NOT make any arrangements for events that depend on the wedding until the deposit is paid and the wedding date is confirmed.

  • Baptismal Certificate: Catholic parties need a certificate of their Baptism,
    issued within a six-month period prior to the wedding date. Contact the church
    where you were baptized, give them your name, the (approximate) date of your
    Baptism, the name of your father and the maiden name of your mother.
    If you are not Catholic, please speak to the priest/deacon about this requirement.
  • Certificates of First Communion and Confirmation: If you don’t have them, the church where you were baptized should have all your sacramental records. They will annotate them on the back of your baptismal certificate.
  • Interviews: The Bride and Groom will be interviewed separately by the priest/deacon regarding the freedom to marry and consulted about the understanding of the nature of marriage.
  • Testimony of Witnesses: Each party must present one witness to the priest/deacon who can testify to the party’s freedom to marry. Parents or relatives are preferable, but close friends who have known the bride and/or groom for several years are also acceptable.
  • Marriage Preparation: Couples are required to attend a Marriage Preparation course sponsored by the Diocese of San Jose. You may find information on Marriage Preparation programs and their schedules here.
  • FOCCUS (Facilitating Open Couple Communication, Understanding) Pre-Marriage Inventory: A recommended process designed to help couples appreciate their unique relationship, learn more about themselves, and discuss issues important to their lifelong marriage such as communication, problem-solving, religion, dual careers, parenting, intimacy, and finances.
  • Wedding License: In Santa Clara County, there are two ways to apply for a marriage license: online and in-person at a Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk branch office. Get information to secure a license here. Please bring the wedding license to the priest/deacon at least one week before the ceremony.
  • Fee: The church offering for registered parishioners is $1,000.00, with an initial non-refundable deposit of $100.00 to reserve the date and time in our calendar. For those who are not registered, the offering is $1,500.00 with an initial non-refundable deposit of $100.
    • You are considered a registered parishioner if you have been in our records for at least six months. During that time, you should have been making donations with a set frequency (e.g. weekly, monthly) or have been actively involved with at least one of our ministries.
    • The wedding date will not be confirmed until the deposit is received. The balance should be paid at least one month before the wedding.
  • Wedding Date/Time: 90 minutes are allowed for the entire ceremony including time for photography. Promptness is appreciated. Please note that delays may result in fewer photographs as we cannot inconvenience the service that follows. Requests for weekdays are considered on a case-by-case basis. No weddings are scheduled on: Sundays, Solemnities, during the Paschal Triduum, All Souls Day, during the Lent and Thanksgiving weekends, and from the weekend before December 25th to the weekend after January 1st. Exceptions for weddings during Lent can be allowed by the Pastor.
  • Wedding Format: We may use the Together for Life booklet to organize the ceremony. Your priest will go over it with you. Resources are found here.
  • Rehearsal: Please make arrangements with the priest who is celebrating your wedding. Please be on time as there may be a rehearsal after yours.
  • Music: All arrangements must be made through the Director of Music, Sal Rojas, at least one month prior to your wedding (srojas@mht-church.org or 408-234-9428). No outside musicians may be brought into our church without the permission of the Director of Music. Approved outside musicians are paid directly by the couple. The Director will see to it that the musical selections for your wedding fit the liturgical context of a Catholic service. Secular music is not allowed. There are wonderful selections from non-religious sources, and they are more appropriate for your reception.
  • Other Celebrant(s): Please discuss this with the priest/deacon during your first interview and advise your priest/deacon that he must get in touch with our pastor. Priests from outside the Diocese of San Jose should secure a letter from their bishop stating they are in good standing with their diocese.
  • Flowers: The bridal party needs to make its own arrangements with a florist. Be mindful that there can be other weddings in one day. Please remove your flowers and containers immediately after your service. Tape, tacks or staples cannot be used on the pews. Use rubber bands, ribbons or plastic clips supplied by your florist to attach the decorations. Flower petals cannot to be strewn in the aisle.
  • Photographs: The photographer must meet with the priest/deacon before the ceremony. Please remind your families and friends that they should not be involved with photography during the wedding as they are part of the religious celebration. Photos may not be taken from the sanctuary area or the side sanctuary areas. Photographers should not be disruptive (for example, they should not be crossing from one side of the church to the other). For posed photographs, please leave ample time as we cannot delay a wedding or other service that follows.
  • Restrictions: No rice, no birdseed, no confetti, no flower petals! The bridal party is responsible for ensuring that nothing is thrown which can be hazardous to those coming into or walking out of the Church. No candles are to be lit during the ceremony except the altar candles and, if applicable, the Unity Candle.

    • Other possible situations:

    Convalidation

    A Convalidation is for couples who are civilly married but would like their marriage validated (consecrated) in the Catholic Church. Same process applies as above.

    Marriage Preparation Only

    If you will be celebrating your wedding at another parish but need your documentation prepared at Most Holy Trinity, the fee is $500.

    Marriage of a Catholic to a Non-Catholic

    Please make an appointment with one of our priests.

    If you’d like to print this handy checklist, click here for English – Vietnamese

    Marriage-checklist