Catholic Church Wedding Ceremony Preparation Guide

A Guide to Catholic Wedding Preparation in Malaysia

Church requirements

If you intend to conduct your wedding ceremony in a Catholic church, here are some guidelines.

Basics

Either the bride and/or the groom must be a baptized and confirmed Catholic.

If both the bride and groom are Catholics, a full Wedding Mass will be conducted. If only the bride or the groom is a Catholic, a Wedding Service will be conducted.

9 months (at least) before your intended wedding date

Go to the parish office to get the Wedding Enrollment form & check if your intended wedding date and time are available. Sign up for the Catholic Marriage Preparation Course (CMPC), a 7-week program for couples intending to get married.

6 months before your intended wedding date

Submit your Wedding Enrollment form with:

• A copy of Baptism certificate by the church where you were baptized.
• A copy of Confirmation certificate by the church where you were baptized.
• Recent passport-sized photos: one for each person, to be used in the Banns.
• A copy of CMPC certificate.
• A copy of IC of 2 witnesses; one for the bride and one for the groom.

3-4 months before your intended wedding date

• Arrange with the parish office for Prenuptial Inquiry (PNI). 
• After PNI, proceed to apply for the Civil Registration of Marriages. Refer Legal requirements (Civil Registration of Marriage) below.

1-2 months before your intended wedding date

• Arrange for a commentator, a lector (reader), and the choir for the Wedding Mass.
• Prepare your wedding booklet.
• Arrange for a florist (with the church or external).
• Arrange for a wedding rehearsal with the sacristan.

1 week before your intended wedding date

• Provide a copy of your wedding booklet for the priest to review.
• Wedding rehearsal.

Legal requirements (Civil Registration of Marriage)

Catholics have the option to conduct their Civil Registration of Marriage at Assumption Church, Petaling Jaya.

• Make an appointment with the Assistant Registrar of Marriage's office and he/she will provide the JPN.KC02 form for you.
• Set your intended registration date and time with him/her.

1 month before your intended registration date

• Fill up the JPN.KC02 form.
• Prepare one color photograph (32mm x 38mm) against a BLUE background for each person.
• Prepare photocopies of IC (both bride and groom).
• Make an appointment to meet the Commissioner of Oath to get their signature. 
• Visit any Jabatan Pendaftaran Negara (JPN) branch to get your form certified. If you want to go on a Saturday, only the Putrajaya branch and ibu negeri branches are open. More information here.
• Prepare photocopies of 2 witnesses' IC (to be brought on the day of registration).
• Submit the signed and certified form to Assistant Registrar of Marriage's office at least 3 weeks before your intended registration day, so that she can put up the Banns.

On the day of registration

• Witnesses have to be present.
• There's no strict dress code. The ceremony can be either simple or grand, it's up to you and your spouse.
• Then, remember to submit a copy of the civil certificate to the church where you've submitted your Wedding Enrollment form a while ago.

Most importantly, enjoy grace in the process. These priceless experiences bring you closer to your spouse and to God too.

Source: http://www.joycescapade.com/2012/02/guide-to-catholic-wedding-preparation.html