How to Get Married in the Catholic Church in the Archdiocese of New York (2026 Checklist)

The short answer

To get married in the Catholic Church in the Archdiocese of New York, which covers Manhattan, the Bronx, Staten Island, Westchester, and the Hudson Valley counties to the north, contact your parish priest or deacon at least six months before your wedding. You will each need baptismal, First Communion, and Confirmation certificates issued within six months of the wedding, two witness affidavits each showing you are free to marry, a completed Pre-Marital Investigation, a Pre-Cana certificate from an approved program, and a New York marriage license, which is valid for 60 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. The Archdiocese recommends starting that process at least six months ahead. 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). In New York, plan on at least six months: your sacramental certificates must be dated within six months of the wedding, and the Archdiocese recommends starting any dispensation "at least 6 months before the wedding." Contact your parish before booking a reception venue.

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. 6 to 12 months out: register for Pre-Cana. The Archdiocese's Pre-Cana must be completed no less than six weeks and no more than one year before the wedding. Consult your priest or deacon before you register.
3. About 6 months out: gather documents. Request new baptismal, First Communion, and Confirmation certificates so they are dated within six months of the wedding. Have your witnesses complete their affidavits.
4. 6 months out: permissions. If one of you is not Catholic, your priest or deacon starts the permission or dispensation now.
5. At least 2 months out: file complete. If you are marrying outside the Archdiocese, your file must reach the New York Chancery at least two months before the wedding.
6. Within 60 days of the wedding: get your marriage license. A New York license is valid for 60 days, and the ceremony must take place at least 24 hours after it is issued. Bring it to your parish before the wedding.
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

These items come from the Archdiocese's Domestic and International Marriage Documents checklist and its Marrying in the Catholic Church page. Everything in the later checklists builds on this one.

Sacramental records (each of you)

• Baptismal certificate dated within six months of the wedding. Request a new copy from the parish where you were baptized. Its notations record Confirmation and any prior marriage, which is how the Church confirms you are free to marry. If you are marrying outside your home parish, a "no notations" statement on the certificate or a letter from your pastor shows your freedom to marry.
• First Communion and Confirmation certificates, also issued within six months of the wedding.
• Not confirmed yet? The Archdiocese says Confirmation is recommended but not required. Canon 1065 says Catholics are to receive Confirmation before marriage "if it can be done without grave inconvenience." Tell your priest early.

Freedom to marry

• Witness affidavits, two for each of you. Witnesses swear that you are free to marry. Ask your priest who can serve.
• Pre-Marital Investigation. The priest or deacon interviews you and completes the Archdiocese's Pre-Marital Investigational Form. Your documents are usually due at this interview. It confirms you are marrying freely and intend a permanent, faithful marriage open to children.

Preparation

• Pre-Cana certificate from an approved program (see below), completed six weeks to one year before the wedding.

Civil and logistics

• New York marriage license, valid for 60 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." In New York, your priest or deacon requests it on the Archdiocese's dispensation form, and the Archdiocese recommends starting at least six months before the wedding.

Complete everything in the both-Catholic checklist, plus:

• Proof of the non-Catholic partner's baptism, such as a recent baptismal certificate. The Archdiocese notes that some officiants also ask for a letter from a parent or another adult confirming that partner is free to marry. If the baptism is in doubt, tell your priest; the case may need to be handled as disparity of worship (next section).
• 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 Archdiocese's documents checklist lists a suggested fee of $50 for a dispensation or permission.
• 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.
• The other partner's minister (optional). In a Catholic church, the Archdiocese says "the priest presides, and a non-Catholic minister can offer prayers and ask a blessing on the couple." The Catholic priest or deacon receives your vows.
• Want the wedding in the other partner's church? Under canon 1127, that requires a dispensation from canonical form, which the Archdiocese says can be obtained from the Catholic spouse's bishop. In that case the other minister presides, and a priest or deacon may offer a prayer and blessing. Start early, because "obtaining the dispensation can take time."

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. In New York, your priest or deacon requests it from the Archdiocese, and the Archdiocese recommends starting at least six months before the wedding. 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 take part in the Pre-Marital Investigation, and their witnesses still complete affidavits.
• 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." The Archdiocese says permission for a non-religious building is given only in truly extraordinary circumstances, so ask your priest before planning a non-church venue.

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 Archdiocese says that before you can marry, "the partner in the earlier union must have died, or the Church must have issued a declaration of nullity." Cases go to the Metropolitan Tribunal, and no wedding date can be set until the decision is final. This applies even if your fiancé's earlier marriage was between two non-Catholics.

What the Tribunal handles, and what you will need:

• 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): a Petition for Declaration of Invalidity due to Lack of Form, filled out with your parish priest, who mails it to the Tribunal. The application fee is $100.
• Consent may have been defective (formal declaration of nullity, often called an annulment): an application and petition, available in English and Spanish, mailed to the Tribunal with a $100 application fee. An additional $900 administrative fee applies.
• Other cases, such as marriages involving an unbaptized spouse: the Tribunal does not describe these online. Ask your priest or call the Tribunal.

The Tribunal does not publish a typical timeline. After you apply, a staff member contacts you about the next step. Contact the Tribunal at 646-794-3200 or [email protected], 488 Madison Avenue, 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10022 (Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.).

Already civilly married to each other (convalidation). If neither of you has a prior marriage, or any prior marriage has been resolved, the Church can recognize your civil marriage. Under canon 1160, you exchange consent again in the Catholic form. The Archdiocese says the first step is to make an appointment with your parish. Your file includes your civil marriage certificate, and you do not need a new civil license.

Marriage preparation (Pre-Cana) options in New York

Canon 1063 calls every diocese to prepare couples for marriage. In New York, every couple completes an approved Pre-Cana, registers on the Archdiocese's online portal, and gives the Certificate of Completion to their priest or deacon. Before Pre-Cana, you complete one marriage inventory (Catholic Couple Check-up or Prepare/Enrich) and the online modules, after consulting your priest or deacon.

• Archdiocesan Pre-Cana, in person: for any engaged couple. A one-day Saturday class from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., held at churches around the Archdiocese, with workbooks, breakfast, and lunch. Priests are usually present to give brief talks and hear confessions. A Pre-Cana fee is paid at registration.
• Archdiocesan Pre-Cana, hybrid: online modules that take 3.5 to 4 hours, plus a Zoom class from 10 to 11 a.m. on the first Saturday of the month. Your certificate is ready to download the Monday after you finish.
• Programa de Preparación Matrimonial: Pre-Cana in Spanish, in person on Saturdays year-round or online with a facilitated Zoom session.
• Catholic Engaged Encounter, Lower Hudson Valley: an in-person weekend retreat that the Archdiocese says fulfills its Pre-Cana requirement.

The Archdiocese does not publish its Pre-Cana fee online; you will see it when you register.

Costs, venues, and your New York 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 the Archdiocese's Pre-Cana fee. If you are marrying outside the Archdiocese, the Chancery charges a transmittal fee of $100 for a domestic wedding or $200 for an international one, plus FedEx. 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? Not if you are both Catholic. Canon 1118 says a wedding between two Catholics, or between a Catholic and a baptized Christian, "is to be celebrated in a parish church." The Archdiocese of New York states that permission "is never granted for a marriage between two Catholics to be celebrated in such places as parks," and it lists restaurants, catering halls, hotels, cruise ships, and beaches among them. For a Catholic and another Christian, an outdoor or non-religious site needs special permission reserved to the Chancery. For a Catholic and a non-Christian, a non-religious building may be permitted only in truly extraordinary circumstances. Plan the ceremony at the church and the reception at your venue.

New York marriage license:

• In Manhattan, the Bronx, or Staten Island: both of you book an appointment with the NYC Office of the City Clerk, in person at a borough office or virtually through Project Cupid. Walk-ins are not accepted. The license costs $35.
• In Westchester and the counties to the north: apply in person at any town or city clerk's office in New York State. The fee is $40 outside New York City (New York State Department of Health).
• Both of you bring valid, unexpired ID. List any prior marriages, and be ready to show a final divorce decree.
• The ceremony must take place at least 24 hours after the license is issued, and the license is valid for 60 days.
• New York requires at least one witness besides the officiant. A priest or deacon marrying you inside New York City must be registered with the City.

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 New York?

At least six months before your wedding. Your sacramental certificates must be dated within six months, and the Archdiocese recommends six months for any permission or dispensation. Contacting your parish 9 to 12 months ahead gives you time to secure your date and a Pre-Cana class.

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

Each Catholic needs baptismal, First Communion, and Confirmation certificates issued within six months of the wedding. You also need two witness affidavits each, a Pre-Marital Investigation with your priest or deacon, a Pre-Cana certificate, and a New York 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?

The Archdiocese of New York recommends Confirmation but does not require it. Canon law asks Catholics to receive Confirmation before marriage if it can be done without grave inconvenience, so tell your priest early.

Can we have a Catholic wedding outdoors in New York City or Westchester?

Not if you are both Catholic. The Archdiocese never permits a wedding between two Catholics in parks, restaurants, catering halls, hotels, cruise ships, or beaches. Other venues for a Catholic and a non-Catholic need special permission from the Chancery.

How much does a Catholic church wedding cost in New York?

Fees are set by each parish. Most charge a few hundred dollars, while large or landmark churches can charge $2,000 or more. Add the Archdiocese's Pre-Cana fee, which is paid when you register.

When do we take Pre-Cana in the Archdiocese of New York?

Complete it no less than six weeks and no more than one year before your wedding. You can choose a one-day Saturday class, a hybrid online course with a Zoom session, or a Catholic Engaged Encounter weekend.

How much does an annulment cost in the Archdiocese of New York?

A formal declaration of nullity has a $100 application fee plus a $900 administrative fee. A lack-of-form case has a $100 application fee. Call the Tribunal at 646-794-3200 with questions.

Is Catholic marriage preparation available in Spanish in New York?

Yes. The Archdiocese offers its Programa de Preparación Matrimonial in Spanish, in person on Saturdays year-round or online with a facilitated Zoom session.

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.

• Code of Canon Law, Book IV, Part I, Title VII: Marriage (canons 1055–1165), Holy See
• Marrying in the Catholic Church, Archdiocese of New York
• Domestic and International Marriage Documents, Archdiocese of New York Chancery
• Canonical Services, Archdiocese of New York
• Metropolitan Tribunal, Archdiocese of New York
• Marriage Prep, Archdiocese of New York Office of Family Life
• Marriage Preparation Program, Archdiocese of New York Family Life
• Programa de Preparación Matrimonial, Archdiocese of New York Family Life
• Catholic Marriage FAQs, For Your Marriage, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
• Newsletter, August 2016: The Order of Celebrating Matrimony, USCCB Committee on Divine Worship
• Catholics Dating Non-Catholics, Catholic Answers
• Mass and Disparity-of-Cult Marriages, EWTN (citing the Ecumenical Directory, no. 159)
• Marriage License, NYC311 and the Office of the City Clerk
• Information on Getting Married in New York State, New York State Department of Health