Matrimony

For those who are seeking matrimony, your first point of contact is Fr. Anh Tuan Phan (pronounced fahn) at 615-777-8913 -associatepastor@ctk.org.   You must contact him before addressing any bookings or ceremonies.

PLEASE NOTE: In order to reserve Christ the King Church for those active members who support our many ministries and our facilities, we can only accept weddings for members (or their families) who live within the geographical boundaries of Christ the King Parish OR who have been officially registered in the parish for at least twelve (12) months when the wedding is booked. 

If you are a member and are having your ceremony in another city, we are still responsible for and happy to assist with your marriage preparation.  We need a minimum of six months preparation time from your initial meeting with Fr. Phan until your marriage celebration.

When couples plan on being married in the Catholic Church, they are asking the local community, the Church throughout the world, and God to be involved in their lives together. Their relationship becomes a sacrament, an embodied and life-giving sign of the love shared between Christ and his followers, the Church. The sacrament of marriage is not only the couple's wedding ceremony but is the life that they share together, in its joys and its trials, its successes and its failures. Every time one does something for the other they are living out the Sacrament of Matrimony. And that taps into God’s infinite Grace--an Ode to Joy!

These are the steps for Marriage Preparation and Weddings in the order listed:

1. Complete the Pre-Nuptial Questionnaire with a member of our Clergy. Fr. Phan schedules these meetings.

2. Contact the priest or deacon you wish to celebrate your wedding with you and secure their commitment. A wedding may be celebrated within the context of a Mass or without it. If you choose not to have the Nuptial Mass, you will probably want one of our deacons to officiate.  If you do not have a preference, let us know as soon as possible and we will help you to secure a deacon.

3. Once you have completed steps 1 and 2 you may call the church office to schedule the date and time of the wedding.  A contract will be sent to you for completion. (NOTE: Christ the King cannot schedule a wedding until the pre-nuptial questionnaire is completed.)

4. Once the contract is returned, you may contact our Wedding Coordinator, Lori Ogden, to begin planning your ceremony.  (If you engage a private wedding planner we ask that you inform him or her that our Wedding Coordinator will be in charge of the rehearsal.)
   Once you have met with Fr. Phan and completed the necessary paperwork with the parish office, you can connect with the coordinator.  The parish office will provide that contact information.

5. We will send you the log-in information to complete the PREPARE assessment online. This tool is now used in twenty-three countries around the world and has proven to be a very effective instrument in preparing couples for marriage.  The bride and groom must complete it separately.

6. Once you have completed the questionnaire, we will assign you to meet with one of our team (mentor) couples several times to discuss the PREPARE assessment.

7. We will also assist you in arranging to meet with a local psychologist, nationally known in marriage counseling, for an hour, just to tap into his wisdom.

8. Your wedding officiant will usually require one or two additional meetings for final preparations as needed.  

     9. Our diocese offers a one day retreat for engaged couples.  We recommend you attend, but we do not require it as a part of your preparation.             For more information and registration CLICK HERE.

We require some proof for all who are baptized Christians. For Protestants we need some proof of your baptism--a certificate, personal testimony, or the testimony of a witness. For Catholics, we need a form from your parish of baptism showing all sacraments you have received that they have on record, and dated within six months of your pre-nuptial questionnaire.

All couples are responsible for following our wedding guidelines.  If you did not receive a copy at your initial meeting, please contact the Parish Coordinator for a copy. Before signing your contract, we ask that you read them thoroughly and that you also refer back to them often as you plan.

If you would like to inquire about getting married at Christ the King, please complete the form below.