Just like you would never expect to be married by a justice of the peace without providing some legal documentation that proves who you are and that you are legally free to be married, the Catholic Church has similar requirements that ask you to also prove that you are sacramentally free to be married.
 
People are often surprised to learn that the Catholic Church is a stickler for record-keeping.  This isn’t just St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church—it’s all the Catholic Church.  More and more, legal entities such as the court system rely on Church records to help verify and establish people’s identities.  So we must be very careful in our record keeping; your cooperation with this is vital.
 
Here is a list of documents required when preparing for marriage. They are placed in your marriage record and are kept on file permanently at the church. If you are preparing for marriage at St. Paul the Apostle but plan to have the actual ceremony at another Catholic church, these documents are placed in your file and then forwarded by Fr. Wencil to the pastor at the Catholic church where you plan to be married.

• Baptismal certificate(s) or a Profession of Faith Certificate issued within six months of your wedding date from the Catholic church of your baptism, or where you became a Catholic, with any sacramental notations listed on the back.

• Proof of baptism (certificate of baptism or letter from minister or witness) for a baptized non-Catholic intended spouse.

• Two Affidavits of Freedom to Marry each for the groom and bride (a total of four).  Couples who marry in the Catholic church are required to provide witnesses who attest to their freedom to marry in the Church.  You will get the affidavits from Fr. Wencil and the witnesses must sign them in front of Fr. Wencil or, if they live elsewhere, in front of their own parish priest.

• A valid civil marriage license can be obtained at any County Clerk’s Office in Texas and be used anywhere in Texas. Texas law states a marriage license expires 30 days from the date it is issued, and it must be secured at least 72 hours prior to the wedding. Without a valid civil marriage license, there will not be a wedding.