Promulgated in 2007 by Archbishop Brunett, the Archdiocese of Seattle's Matrimony Policy identified best practices for sacramental ministry related to Matrimony seeking to strengthen ties between parishes, faith communities and other Catholic institutions. With the establishment of the Office of Marriage and Family life in 2019, we are conducting a review of these policies in order to ensure that they continue to represent best practices and strengthen relationships thorughout the Church. The policy related to Matrimony is available using the link below:

Archdiocese of Seattle Matrimony Policy

If you have questions or ideas about how to improve the policy, please contact Carlos Carrillo, Director of Faith Formation and Marriage and Family Life at 206-654-4644 or carlos.carrillo@seattlearch.org

FOCCUS offers training that "Facilitate Open, Caring Communication, Understanding and Study."

• For parishes that wish to register with FOCCUS for marriage inventories, go here.
• To become a facilitator for FOCCUS, go here.
• For engaged couples looking to find a FOCCUS facilitator, click here to find the directory.​​​​

Fully Engaged is a Catholic catechetical premarital inventory designed to help engaged couples solidify the foundation upon which they, together with Christ, will build their Sacrament of Marriage. Grounded in Church teaching and loaded with catechetical content, this dynamic premarital inventory is a trustworthy guide that meets the real challenges today’s couples face.

Prepare-Enrich is one of the most widely researched assessment tools. Professors and students at colleges and universities worldwide use the scales as a tool to conduct and evaluate their research.

REFOCCUS (for second marriage) A packet of five questionnaires that a married couple can use and score by themselves, as part of a weekend retreat, or in five weekly evenings in which the general topical areas are discussed with other couples. REFOCCUS is ideal for married couples who wish to spend time and energy on their relationship, but desire a little direction and skill building assistance in doing so.

Agape Catholic Ministries - Catholic Marriage Prep

CatholicMarriagePrep.com is based on Saint John Paul II's Theology of the Body and is the only online pre-Cana program offering personalized one-on-one mentoring by trained married couples. These mentors guide couples throughout the entire process. CatholicMarriagePrep.com encourages couples to deepen their relationships with each other and with Christ. A key objective of their marriage preparation is to foster meaningful discussions between the future bride and groom, helping them build a foundation for a strong, healthy, holy, and Christ-centered marriage. The program is available in English, Spanish, and French, and also offers separate courses for Convalidation, Military, and Urgent Care.

Beloved (Augustine Institute)

In twelve sessions, Beloved explores the true meaning of Marriage and how to live it out together. Here you’ll discover the deepest spiritual, emotional, and practical realities of Marriage through Scripture, Tradition, and Church teaching. You’ll see firsthand how to experience the wonder, mystery, and joy of this sacrament—from that first “I do” through the rest of your lives.

Better Together (Dynamic Catholic)

A marriage prep program that meets couples where they are and equips them to build lasting, happy, and faith-filled marriages.

Joined By Grace (Ave Maria Press)

Joined by Grace provides parish leaders, mentor couples, and engaged couples the most comprehensive, innovative, and up-to-date marriage preparation program for Catholic parishes today and the first to emphasize the connection between marriage and the other six sacraments.

Together in God's Love (Our Sunday Visitor)

Focuses on marriage as a communion of persons, just as the Holy Trinity is a communion of persons. Marriage is also presented as a visible sign of Christ's total self-giving relationship with the Church. DVD combines relevant cultural references, modern psychology and Catholic theology to teach couples. Four sessions: Marriage & Faith, Marriage & Communication, Marriage & Sexuality, and Marriage & Stewardship.

Witness to Love

Witness to Love is a virtues-based, catechumenate model or marriage renewal and preparation that integrates modern principles of psychology and the virtues to help couples facilitate an authentic dialogue about their relationship.

Betrothed

The Betrothed retreat (provided by the Archdiocese of Seattle) invites couples to prepare for a joyful, lifelong marriage. Blending hands-on learning of practical life skills with excellent catechesis, this marriage-prep retreat is designed to impact on the quality of a couples’ communication, conflict resolution, and shared sense of mission. Completion of this retreat fulfills the requirements of marriage preparation for the Archdiocese of Seattle.

February 2025
October 24-26, 2025 (Information & registration coming soon)
February 27-29. 2026 (Information & registration coming soon)

Engaged Encounter (Seattle)
Engaged Encounter (Portland)

Catholic Engaged Encounter is a weekend retreat away with other engaged couples with plenty of time alone together to plan for a sacramental marriage. It is designed to give couples planning marriage the opportunity to dialogue honestly and intensively about their prospective lives together-- their strengths and weaknesses, desires, ambitions, goals, their attitudes about money, sex, children, family, their role in the church and society--in a face to face way.

2025 Dates - Seattle
January 11-12
March 15-16
May 3-4
June 7-8
September 27-28

2025 Dates - Portland
February 21–23
April 25–27
June 27–29
September 19–21
November 7–9

The pastor of the parish in which a wedding will be celebrated holds the primary responsiblity for ensuring proper formation of couples preparing for marriage.

For a comprehensive marriage preparation guide, we encourage you to refer to the For Your Marriage Resource Page, prepared by the USCCB. This resource page is geared towards couples but is also a very helpful compilation of resources for parishes.

These resources include:

• Complete Marriage Preparation Programs
• Premarital Inventories
• Workbooks and Books for Engaged Couples
• Supplemental Curriculum
• Videos
• Preparing for the Wedding Liturgy
• Prayer Resources