Preparing for Marriage
Couples usually start by calling our parish office at 313-965-4450 or emailing weddings@mhtdetroit.org to reserve a wedding date. We can check our calendar to see if we have availability on the date(s) you are considering.
- Has the couple ever married before?
- Is at least one member of the wedding couple Catholic?
- Is the wedding date open? (Weddings must be planned at least six months in advance.)
We are also happy to answer any questions that you might have.
The couple is welcome to walk through the church, by appointment on weekdays from 9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. They are also always welcome to join us for Mass on Sunday. Please note that walk-throughs are optional as many couples live far away.
Wedding dates, when discussed with the parish staff, can be held for 10 days without a deposit and completion of the Wedding Date Request Form.
Reservation Process
When you have chosen your desired date, you must complete a Wedding Request Form and submit it to the parish office for review. The form includes contact information for the couple as well as the date and time of the request. The parish staff reviews the form and notifies the couple upon approval. The Wedding Request Form can only be obtained by calling the parish; it cannot be filled out online.
An $925 nonrefundable down payment is due to formally reserve the wedding date.
- Checks should be made payable to Most Holy Trinity.
- Down-payments can be mailed or brought to 1050 Porter Street, Detroit, MI 48226.
- Please list the last names of both the bride and groom on the memo line and the requested date, for example, Smith-Schultz Wedding, Aug. 18, 2021.
- Electronic payment is also accepted. Please call the office.
Preparation Process
Marriage preparation must be completed at Most Holy Trinity or at the couple’s home parish. (Many of our brides and grooms are not Most Holy Trinity parishioners).
Before the wedding takes place, we require the following.
- Completed A-form. (This is a form that all couples married in the Archdiocese of Detroit must complete. It must be completed with a priest and cannot be filled out online.)
- Sacramental records dated within the past 6 months. (These can be obtained by contacting the parish or parishes where the sacraments were performed.)
Marriage Prep at Another Parish
If marriage preparations take place at another parish, you are asked to follow the requirements of the church where you are being prepared. The pastor is required to send the marriage file to Most Holy Trinity at least a month prior to your wedding date for the information to be accurately entered into our sacramental records.
Marriage Prep at Most Holy Trinity
First Phase
- Initial Meeting. At this first meeting, you will get to know the clergy member conducting your marriage preparation; he will ask you a few questions and take down some initial information. Please be aware that due to our clergy and their schedules, the priest or deacon who prepares you for marriage may not be the celebrant on the wedding day.
- After meeting with the priest or deacon, you will receive an email with a web link for you to fill out a “Prepare and Enrich” marriage preparation questionnaire. This will serve as a tool to highlight strengths in your relationship and areas for growth.
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At this point, we also ask that you choose a mentor couple. Please know that the parish does not provide you with this couple. We want you to pick a mentor couple who you know personally to accompany you during your engagement period. They will be expected to meet with you six times (6 chapters) to go over the materials in the Witness to Love workbooks as well as be a support for you. The criteria we ask you to use when you pick a mentor couple are simple:
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The couple must be married in the Catholic Church for at least five years.
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The couple must attend church regularly.
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The couple must have a marriage you admire.
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- Meet with the priest or deacon to discuss the results of the “Prepare and Enrich” marriage preparation questionnaire.
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Attend a Theology of Marriage discussion with a priest. This is scheduled once you have completed up to chapter 4 on your Witness to Love books.
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This is the only in person meeting that your mentor couple will be required to attend at our parish office. This meeting is held in our parish office, because this is considered a group meeting (more than one engaged couple attends) we have preset dates to offer this meeting twice a month.
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Please note that this is not an additional night, but one of the six scheduled with your mentor couple.
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- Plan the wedding ceremony – Two months before your wedding date, select the readings for your ceremony and submit them to our office. Think about all aspects of the wedding like how many people are in the wedding party, deciding whether or not there will be a presentation of flowers to Mary, etc. If you are bringing in your own celebrant, please consult with him before selecting the readings.
Please contact 313-965-4450 or weddings@mhtdetroit.org for more information. You can also visit our Weddings Guidelines page for additional details about weddings at Most Holy Trinity.
May God bless your journey to the altar.
In Christ,
The Most Holy Trinity Marriage Preparation Team
