How to Get Married in the Catholic Church in the Diocese of Rockville Centre (2026 Checklist)

The short answer

To get married in the Catholic Church in the Diocese of Rockville Centre, which covers Nassau and Suffolk counties on Long Island, contact your parish priest or deacon as early as you can, ideally 9 to 12 months ahead. The Diocese's standard wedding file includes a baptismal certificate issued within six months of the wedding, affidavits of freedom to marry, a completed Pre-Nuptial Investigation (PNI) form, and a Pre-Cana certificate or other proof of marriage preparation. You also need a New York marriage license, which you can use starting 24 hours after it is issued.

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 Diocese of Rockville Centre does not publish a single notice period, so ask your parish what it requires and start early. 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 talk through a date.
2. 9 to 12 months out: register for marriage preparation. Your parish will tell you which Pre-Cana program to attend.
3. About 6 months out: gather documents. Request new baptismal certificates so they are issued within six months of the wedding. Have your witnesses complete their affidavits of freedom to marry.
4. 4 to 6 months out: interviews and preparation. Complete your Pre-Nuptial Investigation with the priest or deacon and finish Pre-Cana.
5. 2 to 3 months out: permissions and liturgy. Your priest or deacon sends any mixed-marriage petition or dispensation request to the Diocese. Plan readings and music.
6. Within 60 days of the wedding: get your marriage license. A New York license is valid for 60 days, and you must wait 24 hours after receiving it before the ceremony. 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.

Special circumstances. If there is a pregnancy, or if either of you is or was in counseling, your priest submits the Diocese's Special Circumstance Marriage form. The form states: "No date can be set for the wedding until permission is granted."

Checklist: if you are both Catholic

These items come from the Diocese's standard wedding file, listed on its Marriage Outside the Diocese form, and from canon law. Everything in the later checklists builds on this one.

Sacramental records (each of you)

• Baptismal certificate issued within six months of the wedding date. 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.
• Confirmation record, if it is 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

• Affidavits of freedom to marry, or banns referenced in your pastor's letter. Ask your parish who can serve as your witnesses.
• Pre-Nuptial Investigation (PNI) form. You are interviewed by the priest or deacon, who confirms you are marrying freely and intend a permanent, faithful marriage open to children.

Preparation

• Pre-Cana certificate or other proof of marriage preparation (see below).

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.
• Marrying outside the Diocese? Your local priest or deacon prepares you and sends your completed file to the Diocese's Chancellor's Office, which forwards it with its approval to the other diocese. The Diocese asks you not to send the file directly to the wedding parish. Couples include a suggested shipping offering of $75 for a domestic wedding or $150 for an international one. Your pastor also writes a letter giving you permission to marry outside the parish.

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 Rockville Centre, your priest or deacon sends the Diocese a Petition for Mixed Marriage in the Catholic Church.

Complete everything in the both-Catholic checklist, plus:

• Baptismal certificates for both of you. The petition asks for a copy of each. If the non-Catholic partner's certificate is not submitted, or the baptism is doubtful, the Diocese grants a dispensation from disparity of worship instead (next section).
• The promises. 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. On the Diocese's form, the Catholic promises "to do all in my power to share the faith I have received with our children." The non-Catholic partner signs that they are aware of these obligations but makes no promise themselves. Your priest or deacon certifies that you have both been instructed on the essential ends and 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.
• The other partner's minister (optional). Ask your priest how a non-Catholic minister can take part. 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. Your priest files the Diocese's Petition for Dispensation from Canonical Form with the mixed-marriage petition. The form lists reasons such as family harmony, a special friendship with the non-Catholic officiant, or a close family connection with a particular church or synagogue. It adds: "The officiant must receive the vows from both parties for validity."

Marrying an Orthodox Christian: tell your priest at your first meeting. These marriages have their own canonical rules, and he can explain how to make sure the marriage is recognized.

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 Rockville Centre, your priest or deacon requests it through the same Petition for Mixed Marriage. 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 Pre-Nuptial Investigation and an affidavit of freedom to marry.
• Dispensation from disparity of worship, requested by your priest or deacon. Allow extra time, since it goes to the Diocese.
• 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.

Marrying with a rabbi or other officiant: a wedding led by a non-Catholic officiant needs the Diocese's dispensation from canonical form, so talk with your priest early.

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 before a wedding date can be set. This applies even if your fiancé's earlier marriage was between two non-Catholics. Start with your parish priest or deacon.

Common situations:

• 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): your priest files the Diocese's Declaration of Invalidity due to Lack of Canonical Form petition.
• Any other prior marriage (formal declaration of nullity, often called an annulment): the Tribunal hears these cases. It considers whether a marriage was invalid because of "some impediment, inadequate consent or the inability to fulfill the duties of the married state."

The Diocese does not post Tribunal timelines or fees online, so ask your priest or call the Tribunal at (516) 678-5800, ext. 503. Its mailing address is P.O. Box 9023, Rockville Centre, NY 11571-9023.

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 preparation and paperwork as above, plus a copy of your current civil marriage license.

Marriage preparation (Pre-Cana) options on Long Island

Canon 1063 calls every diocese to prepare couples for marriage. In Rockville Centre, every couple's file needs a Pre-Cana certificate or other proof of marriage preparation. The Diocese's forms accept attendance at Pre-Cana or, in some cases, a statement of personal instruction from a Catholic priest.

The Diocese does not publish a central Pre-Cana schedule or fee online. Your parish will point you to the program it uses, its format, and its cost.

• Spanish-speaking couples: ask your parish about Spanish-language preparation. The Diocese's Office of Hispanic Ministry is at (516) 678-5800, ext. 560.
• After the wedding: the Office of Hispanic Ministry lists marriage movements such as Marriage Encounter, REMA (Renovación Matrimonial), and MFCC (Movimiento Familiar Cristiano Católico).

Costs, venues, and your New York marriage license

Church fees. Fees are set by each parish, not by the Diocese, 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. Ask your parish about any Pre-Cana fee. 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.

New York marriage license:

• Get your license from a town or city clerk. In New York State, licenses "can be obtained at any Town or City Clerk's Office" (Town of North Hempstead). Some clerks, like North Hempstead's, see couples by appointment only.
• You both apply in person; the application "must be sworn and signed in the presence of the issuing clerk by both individuals." Bring valid photo ID. Expired IDs are not accepted.
• The fee is $40, set by New York State (Town of Huntington).
• If either of you was divorced, bring the original divorce decree with its seal. Widowed applicants bring the original death certificate.
• "State law requires couples to wait 24 hours after receiving a license before they can be married," and the license is valid for 60 days.

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 on Long Island?

The Diocese of Rockville Centre does not publish a single notice period, so ask your parish what it requires. Contacting your parish 9 to 12 months ahead gives you time to secure your date, finish Pre-Cana, and gather documents.

What documents do we need to get married in the Catholic Church on Long Island?

The Diocese's standard wedding file includes baptismal certificates issued within six months of the wedding, affidavits of freedom to marry, a Pre-Nuptial Investigation form, and a Pre-Cana certificate or other proof of preparation. You also need 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?

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 on Long Island?

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 on Long Island?

Fees are set by each parish. Most charge a few hundred dollars, while large or landmark churches can charge $2,000 or more. Ask your parish about Pre-Cana costs.

Is there a waiting period for a New York marriage license?

Yes. New York requires couples to wait 24 hours after receiving the license before they marry, and the license is valid for 60 days. The fee is $40 at Long Island town clerks such as Huntington and North Hempstead.

We are from Long Island but marrying somewhere else. What do we do?

Your local priest or deacon prepares you and sends your file to the Diocese's Chancellor's Office, which forwards it to the other diocese. Include a suggested shipping offering of $75 for a domestic wedding or $150 for an international one.

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
• Chancellor's Office and chancery forms, Diocese of Rockville Centre
• Form A: Declaration of Invalidity due to Lack of Canonical Form, Diocese of Rockville Centre
• Form B: Petition for Mixed Marriage in the Catholic Church, Diocese of Rockville Centre
• Form C: Petition for Dispensation from Canonical Form, Diocese of Rockville Centre
• Form D: Marriage Outside the Diocese, Diocese of Rockville Centre
• Form F: Special Circumstance Marriage, Diocese of Rockville Centre
• Tribunal, Diocese of Rockville Centre
• Hispanic Ministry and Evangelization, Diocese of Rockville Centre
• 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 Information, Town of North Hempstead Town Clerk
• Marriage Licenses, Town of Huntington Town Clerk