The Journal

How to Get Married in the Catholic Church in the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston (2026 Checklist)

Gabe Gessler
Gabe Gessler
Posted on October 27, 2026

The short answer

To get married in the Catholic Church in the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, contact your parish priest or deacon before you book a reception venue. The Archdiocese tells couples to "secure your Church first," and most couples should start 9 to 12 months ahead. You will each need a recently issued baptismal certificate, a prenuptial interview with your priest or deacon, any freedom-to-marry affidavits your parish requests, a marriage preparation program approved by the Archdiocese, and a Texas marriage license used within 90 days.

If only one of you is Catholic, you can still marry in the Church. Under canon law, a baptized Christian partner needs permission for a mixed marriage, and an unbaptized partner needs a dispensation from disparity of worship. If either of you was married before, the Church must first confirm that the earlier marriage is null or dissolved, and no wedding date can be set until it does.

Marriage is a sacrament and a vocation, not just a ceremony. The paperwork below exists so the Church can confirm you are both free to marry and ready to make vows for life.

What makes a Catholic marriage valid

Every requirement in this checklist serves four conditions the Church holds for a valid marriage, everywhere in the world:

  • You are both free to marry. Neither of you is bound by a prior marriage or another impediment (canon 1085).
  • You both consent freely. No one is pressuring or forcing either of you.
  • You both intend marriage as the Church understands it: for life, faithful to one another, and open to children. At the wedding, the priest or deacon asks you about each of these before your vows.
  • You exchange consent in the proper form: before a properly authorized priest or deacon and two witnesses (canon 1108). Any exception, such as a different officiant or place, needs the bishop's approval.

A marriage between two baptized people is a sacrament. A marriage between a Catholic and an unbaptized person can be valid and holy, but it is not a sacrament.

When can we get married?

Church law allows weddings on most days of the year. They are avoided altogether only on Good Friday and Holy Saturday. Some dioceses and parishes do not schedule weddings on Sundays, holy days, or during Lent, so confirm your date with your parish before you book anything else.

Timeline: how far in advance to start

Canon law requires that, before any wedding, "it must be evident that nothing stands in the way of its valid and licit celebration" (canon 1066). The Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston does not publish a minimum notice period online, but it asks couples to begin with the Church before reserving a reception venue or making down payments. Your parish sets its own lead time.

  1. 9 to 12 months out: contact your parish. Meet the priest or deacon, confirm you are both free to marry, and reserve the church date.
  2. 9 to 12 months out: register for marriage preparation. Complete your prenuptial interview first. The Archdiocese's online program, for example, asks couples to get clearance from their parish before registering. Engaged Encounter weekends are small, so reserve early.
  3. About 6 months out: gather documents. Request new baptismal certificates from your baptismal parishes, and ask your witnesses to complete any affidavits your parish requires.
  4. 6 to 3 months out: finish preparation. Complete your program and give the certificate of completion to your pastor.
  5. 2 to 3 months out: permissions and liturgy. Your priest or deacon requests any mixed-marriage permission or dispensation. Plan readings and music.
  6. Within 90 days of the wedding, and at least 72 hours before: get your marriage license. A Texas license is valid for 90 days and cannot be used for 72 hours unless you have a Twogether in Texas certificate.
  7. After the wedding. Your marriage is recorded in the parish register, and each of your baptismal churches is notified so it can be noted on your baptismal record.

Checklist: if you are both Catholic

The Archdiocese does not post a single document checklist online, so these items follow the universal Church norms for the prenuptial investigation (USCCB complementary norm on canon 1067). Your pastor gives you the final list. Everything in the later checklists builds on this one.

Sacramental records (each of you)

  • Recently issued baptismal certificate. Request a new copy from the parish where you were baptized, not your original. It carries notations for First Communion, Confirmation, and any prior marriage, which is how the Church confirms you are free to marry. Ask your parish how recently it must be issued.
  • First Communion and Confirmation records, if they are not noted on the baptismal certificate.
  • Not confirmed yet? Canon 1065 says Catholics are to receive Confirmation before marriage "if it can be done without grave inconvenience." Tell your priest early. It is usually not a barrier to setting a date.

Freedom to marry

  • Witness affidavits, if requested. The USCCB norms allow additional documentation, "such as affidavits of parents," to show that you are free to marry. Ask your parish how many it needs and who should sign them.
  • Prenuptial interview. You are each questioned by the priest or deacon about your freedom to marry and your intention to enter a permanent, faithful marriage open to children.

Preparation

  • Marriage preparation certificate from an Archdiocese-approved program (see below).

Civil and logistics

  • Texas marriage license, valid for 90 days.
  • Liturgy planning. When both of you are Catholic, the wedding is normally celebrated within Mass.

Checklist: if one of you is Catholic and the other is a baptized Christian

A Catholic marrying a baptized Protestant, Orthodox, or other Christian is a mixed marriage. It is valid and sacramental. Canon 1124 requires the "express permission of the competent authority." Your priest or deacon requests it as part of your file. The Archdiocese does not post its form online, so ask your parish.

Complete everything in the both-Catholic checklist, plus:

  • Baptismal certificate from the non-Catholic partner's church, if at all possible. The USCCB norms call for "satisfactory proof of baptism and freedom to marry." If there is no record, ask your priest what other proof he can accept.
  • Permission for a mixed marriage. Under canon 1125, the Catholic declares they will remove dangers of falling away from the faith and promises to do all in their power to have the children baptized and raised Catholic. The non-Catholic partner is informed of these promises but makes no promise themselves. Both of you are instructed on the purposes and essential properties of marriage.
  • The rite. A mixed marriage ordinarily takes place outside of Mass, so that one spouse is not left unable to receive Communion. A Nuptial Mass is possible only with the bishop's permission, and Communion is not given to the non-Catholic spouse.
  • One wedding, not two. Canon 1127 forbids a second religious ceremony to give or renew consent, before or after the Catholic one. It also forbids a joint service in which the Catholic and non-Catholic ministers each ask for your vows using their own rites.
  • Want the wedding in the other partner's church? Under canon 1127, that requires a dispensation from canonical form from the Archdiocese. Ask early. It is not a parish-level decision.

Checklist: if one of you is Catholic and the other is not baptized

A Catholic marrying someone who was never baptized (for example, someone who is Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, or of no religion) needs a dispensation from the impediment of disparity of worship, also called disparity of cult. Under canon 1086, the marriage is invalid without it. Your priest or deacon requests it from the Archdiocese. The marriage is valid and holy, though not a sacrament.

Complete everything in the both-Catholic checklist, plus:

  • No baptismal certificate is needed from the unbaptized partner. They still complete the prenuptial interview and show "satisfactory proof of freedom to marry."
  • Petition for dispensation from disparity of worship, submitted by your priest or deacon. Allow extra time, since it goes to the Archdiocese.
  • The Catholic party's promises. Canon 1086 requires the same conditions as a mixed marriage: the Catholic promises to remain faithful and to do all they can to have the children baptized and raised Catholic.
  • The rite. The wedding is celebrated outside of Mass, using the rite for marriage between a Catholic and a non-Christian.
  • One wedding, not two. The same canon 1127 rule applies here (canon 1129): no second religious ceremony and no blended service with two officiants each receiving your vows.
  • Location. Canon 1118 allows this wedding "in a church or in another suitable place." Ask your priest before assuming a non-church venue will be approved.

If either of you was married before, or you are already civilly married

Previously married, Catholic or not. Under canon 1085, a person bound by a prior marriage cannot validly marry, and a civil divorce does not end that bond in the Church's eyes. The earlier marriage must be declared null or dissolved by the Archdiocese's Metropolitan Tribunal first. The Tribunal's FAQ says no priest, deacon, parish representative, or petitioner may set a wedding date until a final affirmative decision is granted and no appeal is filed. Start with a Case Sponsor at your parish. There is no fee for the Case Sponsor, and the Tribunal will not accept a petition without one.

What the Tribunal handles, and what you will need (Types of Petition Forms):

  • Prior spouse has died: no case is needed. Bring the death certificate.
  • A Catholic married outside the Church without a dispensation (lack of canonical form): the Lack of Canonical Form petition, plus certified copies of the civil marriage record and the final divorce decree signed by the judge.
  • Consent may have been defective (formal declaration of nullity, often called an annulment): the Formal Petition, marriage and divorce decrees, any Catholic sacramental certificates, and at least three witnesses. Immediate family members are usually the best choices.
  • Your former spouse had an earlier marriage that was still valid (prior bond): the marriage licenses and signed divorce decrees for both marriages. The Tribunal contacts both prior spouses.
  • Both spouses were unbaptized, and you now seek baptism (Pauline Privilege): the marriage certificate, the final divorce decree, your former spouse's name and address, and at least three witnesses for each party on non-baptism.
  • At least one spouse was unbaptized (Favor of the Faith, decided in Rome): a petition prepared with your Case Sponsor. The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith charges $530.

Canon law suggests a formal nullity case be decided within about 12 months, but the Tribunal gives no guarantee and will not speed up a case to fit a date you have already booked. The formal case fee is $100, and it is waived if you cannot pay: "No one is refused the services of the Church based upon an inability to pay." Petitions are mailed on paper. Contact the Tribunal at (713) 807-9286.

Already civilly married to each other (convalidation). If neither of you has a prior marriage, the Church can recognize your civil marriage. Under canon 1160, you exchange consent again in the Catholic form. You complete the same paperwork as above, and the Archdiocese lists separate preparation programs for couples already married civilly. Call the Family Life Ministry at (713) 741-8710.

Marriage preparation (Pre-Cana) options in Galveston-Houston

Canon 1063 calls every diocese to prepare couples for marriage. In Galveston-Houston, your priest or deacon decides which Archdiocese-approved program fits you. The Archdiocese encourages trained sponsor couples where your parish has them, and its Family Life Office has several programs registered with Twogether in Texas.

  • Sponsor couples: for couples whose parish has trained sponsor couples. Meetings with a married couple, which may be held virtually. Ask your priest or deacon.
  • Catholic Engaged Encounter: for any engaged couple. An overnight retreat from Saturday at 8 am to Sunday at about 5 pm at the Cameron Retreat Center in Houston. $250 per couple, including lodging, meals, and materials. Register at archgh.swoogo.com/EngagedEncounter26 or call (713) 741-8710.
  • Encuentro de comprometidos: the Spanish-language Engaged Encounter. Call (713) 741-8710.
  • Agape Catholic Marriage Prep: a fully online program with one-on-one mentoring by trained married couples, recommended for couples who live apart. Offered in English, Spanish, French, and bilingual. $239 per couple, or $319 for rush. Complete your prenuptial interview and get your parish's clearance first, then give your certificate to your pastor or parish Family Life Director. The Archdiocese suggests asking your parish about online Natural Family Planning classes.

Marriage preparation is offered in English and Spanish across the Archdiocese. For help finding a program, contact the marriage preparation support team at (713) 741-8710 or [email protected].

Costs, venues, and your Texas marriage license

Church fees. Fees are set by each parish, not by the Archdiocese, so ask your parish for its schedule early. Most parishes charge a few hundred dollars. Large or landmark churches can charge $2,000 or more. Musicians, flowers, and photography are usually separate. Add $250 for Engaged Encounter or $239 for Agape online preparation. If money is tight, talk to your pastor: you do not need to postpone the sacrament because of cost, and the Church does not require expensive flowers, attire, or extras.

Can we get married outdoors or at our venue? Almost never. Canon 1118 says a wedding between two Catholics, or between a Catholic and a baptized Christian, "is to be celebrated in a parish church." Any other place requires the local bishop's permission, which is rarely granted for outdoor or venue ceremonies. A wedding between a Catholic and an unbaptized partner "can be celebrated in a church or in another suitable place," still with approval. Plan the ceremony at the church and the reception at your venue.

Texas marriage license:

  • Apply in person with the Harris County Clerk at 201 Caroline in downtown Houston or any of its 11 locations. The fee is $81 if at least one of you shows a valid ID proving Texas residency, or $181 if neither does.
  • Bring a valid ID, such as a driver's license, DPS ID card, or passport. If one of you cannot attend, that person completes a notarized Affidavit of Absent Applicant.
  • There is a 72-hour waiting period before the ceremony. Active-duty military are exempt, and a Twogether in Texas certificate waives it.
  • The officiant must sign the license within 90 days of issuance.
  • If either of you is divorced, the divorce must be final at least 30 days before you apply.
  • Twogether in Texas is a state-approved premarital course of at least eight hours. Its certificate takes up to $60 off the license fee, waives the 72-hour wait, and is valid for one year (Twogether in Texas FAQ). Faith-based programs can qualify, so ask whether yours is registered.
  • Living in Fort Bend County? The Fort Bend County Clerk charges $71, or $11 with a qualifying premarital course certificate.

Frequently asked questions

What makes a Catholic marriage valid?

You must both be free to marry, consent freely, and intend a lifelong, faithful marriage open to children. You exchange consent before an authorized priest or deacon and two witnesses, unless the bishop approves an exception.

How far in advance do we need to contact the church in Houston?

The Archdiocese does not publish a minimum, but it asks you to secure your church before booking a venue. Contacting your parish 9 to 12 months ahead gives you time for preparation, paperwork, and any permissions.

What documents do we need to get married in the Catholic Church in Houston?

Each Catholic needs a recently issued baptismal certificate with First Communion and Confirmation notations. You also complete a prenuptial interview, any witness affidavits your parish requests, an Archdiocese-approved preparation program, and a Texas marriage license.

Can a Catholic marry a non-Catholic in the Catholic Church?

Yes. A baptized Christian partner needs permission for a mixed marriage. An unbaptized partner needs a dispensation from disparity of worship. In both cases, the Catholic promises to remain faithful and to do all they can to raise the children Catholic.

Do I have to be confirmed to get married in the Catholic Church?

Canon law asks Catholics to receive Confirmation before marriage if it can be done without grave inconvenience. Tell your priest early so he can help you prepare.

Can we have a Catholic wedding outdoors in Houston or Galveston?

Almost never. Weddings between Catholics, or between a Catholic and a baptized Christian, take place in a parish church unless the bishop grants permission, which is rarely given. A wedding with an unbaptized partner may be approved for another suitable place.

How much does a Catholic church wedding cost in Houston?

Fees are set by each parish. Most charge a few hundred dollars, while large or landmark churches can charge $2,000 or more. Add $250 for Engaged Encounter or $239 for the Archdiocese's online Agape program.

Do we need Twogether in Texas for a Catholic wedding?

No, but it helps. A Twogether in Texas certificate takes up to $60 off your Texas marriage license and waives the 72-hour waiting period. The Archdiocese's Family Life Office has several registered programs, so ask whether yours qualifies.

How long does an annulment take in the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston?

Canon law suggests about 12 months for a formal case, but the Tribunal gives no guarantee. The fee is $100 and is waived if you cannot pay. You cannot set a wedding date until a final affirmative decision is granted.

Is Catholic marriage preparation available in Spanish in Houston?

Yes. The Archdiocese offers Encuentro de comprometidos, the Spanish-language Engaged Encounter, and its online Agape program comes in Spanish and bilingual versions. Call (713) 741-8710.

Planning your Catholic wedding? Cana is built for couples getting married in the Church. Keep this checklist, your registry, and your vendor search in one place.

Sources

Requirements can change. Always confirm with your parish priest or deacon. Last checked October 27, 2026.

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