Holy Matrimony
Congratulations on your engagement!
We’re so glad you have chosen to celebrate the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony at St. Anastasia. This sacred moment marks the start of your lifelong covenant of love, rooted in Christ and witnessed by the Church. Our parish family rejoices with you and will walk with you—supporting you, praying for you, and helping as you begin this beautiful journey together.
Engagement isn’t just about planning a wedding day—it’s a time to grow closer to one another and to God. With that in mind, our parish has put together the following guidelines to help you prepare for this special moment in your lives. We will guide you every step of the way. We are here to help!
Marriage Preparation
The Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles asks for a minimum of six-month preparation period prior to the wedding day, assuming that both parties are found to be free to marry in the Catholic Church. This allows time for evaluation of a couple’s readiness for sacramental married life. Your priest will lead you in the process of discernment, personal assessment testing, and education. Through these you will gain insights about each other regarding what is required for a successful marriage.
Process Overview
1- Inquire and check availability
Call or email us to inquire about wedding date availability and complete the Marriage Inquiry Form.
2- Meet with our priest
All couples preparing for marriage at St. Anastasia Church are required to meet with one of our priests to assess your readiness for marriage, to set the date in the church calendar and to begin the process of Catholic marriage preparation. Call to schedule a meeting.
3- Next Steps & Planning
Begin following up on necessary documents and thoughtful planning of your wedding liturgy
Administrative Process
Although Marriage is foremost a Sacrament, it is also a binding contract under church codes and civil laws. You will need to obtain the various documents noted below:
- Current Baptism Certificate with all Sacrament notiations issued in the last 6 months.
- Freedom to Marry Affidavits (4 copies needed)
- Pre-nuptial Questionnaire
- Civil Marriage License
- Dispensations: Any required dispensations will be supplied by the priest
The LA County Office of the Registrar-Recorder requires that both bride and groom appear in person to obtain a marriage license, which is valid for 90 days only. The contact number for all offices is: (800) 201-8999 https://www.lavote.net/home/county-clerk/marriage-licenses-ceremonies/generalinfo Bring your marriage license to the wedding rehearsal
Ministry Name
Engaged Encounter is an investment in the future – a weekend experience in which an atmosphere is created that enables each couple to concentrate exclusively on one another while free of the pressures and interruptions of daily life. This Weekend is not a recreational retreat. It is a program designed to give each couple an opportunity to discuss honestly with their fiancé, in a face-to-face manner, their strengths and weaknesses, desires, ambitions, goals, their attitudes about money, sex, family, their role in the Church and in society.
For General & Registration Information
Email: losangelesregistration@engagedencounter.com
-or-
Call: 424-757-4055
Frequently Asked Questions
Who may be married here?
In order to be married in the Catholic Church, at least one of the parties must be a baptized Catholic; ideally one who has completed all sacraments of initiation. Also, while we do have some availability to Catholics living outside the boundaries of St. Anastasia, please understand that preference will be given to active, registered parishioners of St. Anastasia and to those living within parish boundaries.
What times are available for weddings?
Weddings in the parish church are generally celebrated at 5:00pm on Fridays and at 1:00pm on Saturdays. It is not our practice to celebrate weddings on Sunday. The Wedding
When can we reserve time for a wedding rehearsal?
Rehearsal will be 45 mins of time on Thursday or Friday evening as arranged with Parish Staff.
What is the cost?
Please refer to the wedding guidelines book linked above. Offerings and fees are outlined there. If you need more detail prior to your first meeting, please call the parish office 310-670-2243
What about logistics for the wedding day?
From your first phone call until the week before the wedding, Dianalee Dupree, will assist you with all of your questions. She will act as your wedding coordinator and sacristan at the rehearsal and the wedding. One week before the wedding we will reach out to you to discuss all of the wedding day logistics.
Wedding Liturgy Planning
We want your Catholic wedding ceremony to be wonderful. The Catholic Church provides us with a rich resource of Scripture readings, prayers, vows, blessings. You can find some of the most popular readings here and a link to resources with many other details on how to pick the perfect readings for you.
Wedding Old Testament Readings
- Genesis 1:26-28, 31a
- Genesis 2:18-24
- Genesis 24:48-51, 58-67
- Tobit 7:6-14
- Tobit 8:4b-8
- Proverbs 31:10-13, 19-20, 30-31
- Song of Songs 2:8-10, 14, 16a; 8:6-7a
- Sirach 26:1-4, 13-16
- Jeremiah 31:31-32a, 33-34a
Wedding Psalms
- Psalm 33:12 and 18, 20-21, 22
- Psalm 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9
- Psalm 103:1-2, 8 and 13, 17-18a
- Psalm 112:1bc-2, 3-4, 5-7a, 7b-8, 9
- Psalm 128:1-2, 3, 4, 5ac and 6a
- Psalm 145:8-9, 10 and 15:17-18
- Psalm 148:1-2, 3-4, 9-10, 11-13a, 13c-14a
Wedding New Testament Readings
- Romans 8:31b-35, 37-39
- Romans 12:1-2, 9-18 (or Romans 12:1-2, 9-13)
- Romans 15:1b-3a, 5-7, 13
- 1 Corinthians 6:13c-15a, 17-20
- 1 Corinthians 12:31-13:8a
- Ephesians 4:1-6
- Ephesians 5:2a, 21-33 (or Ephesians 5:2a, 25-32)
- Philippians 4:4-9
- Colossians 3:12-17
- Hebrews 13:1-4a, 5-6b
- 1 Peter 3:1-9
- 1 John 3:18-24
- 1 John 4:7-12
- Revelation 19:1, 5-9a
Wedding Gospel Reading
- Matthew 5:1-12a
- Matthew 5:13-16
- Matthew 7:21, 24-29 (or Matthew 7:21, 24-25)
- Matthew 19:3-6
- Matthew 22:35-40
- Mark 10:6-9
- John 2:1-11
- John 15:9-12
- John 15:12-16
- John 17:20-26 (or John 17:20-23)
Wedding Music Selection
Our Music Director Kate Comstock will work closely with our couples to select the perfect pairing to your selected readings. All music must be approved liturgical music for the occasion. Music fees are paid directly to our musicians and will vary based on that musician's rate. We will work with your budget and wishes for the ceremony.
Musicians at Weddings typically include:
- Music Director
- Accompanist - Piano & Organ
- 1 Cantorn or multiple cantors
- AV setup as needed for honorarium musicians
Contact Kate directly at:
musicministry@st-anastasia.org
About the Sacrament of Matrimony
The Sacrament of Marriage is a visible sign of God’s love for the church and is a lasting commitment of a man and a woman to a lifelong partnership based on love and faith. In this Sacrament, the man and the woman administer the sacrament to each other as the priest or deacon stands as a witness on behalf of the church.
It is a sacred covenant, a public promise made by the husband and the wife to be true to each other until death parts them. In order for a marriage to be valid, the couple must enter into the covenant out of their own free will, without fear or coercion. They are also asked to honor and be true to each other for the rest of their lives, as well as to accept children lovingly from God and bring them up according to the law of Christ and His Church.
If you would like to be married at St. Anastasia Church, please complete the Wedding Inquiry Form below, and we will be sure to reach out to you.
