Weddings
If
you've chosen a church wedding, we would love to help you create a
service which is meaningful and personal to you. Use the links below
for information on how to get started with your wedding, to find
churches near you
and plan services.
Q/ What do Christians believe about marriage?
Q/ Where can I get married?
Q/ I'm not baptised. I don't go to church. Can I still get married in church?
Q/ How do I book the church?
Q/ What if I want to be married in a different church?
Q/ I heard that you can get married in any church you want to now. Is this true?
Q/ We've decided to get married abroad but we would like a church blessing. Is that possible?
Q/ I'm divorced. Can I still get married in church?
Q/ I'm Church of England and he's a Catholic. Does that matter?
Q/ Why do we need marriage preparation?
Q/ What are the legal requirements?
Q/ How much will it cost?
Church House Wedding books >>
Chuch of England Marriage Service >>
Guide to music and readings >>
A great blog on everything to do with church weddings and married life, answering question from across the country; Vicar Jan Harney helps you through the often daunting process:
Jan Harvey's Wedding blog >>
For Clergy:
If such people are not resident in England they should marry after the issue of a common marriage licence (if they satisfy the requirements) and the affidavit may be sworn before a local surrogate.
All other foreign nationals (Category B) should marry after a common licence (if they satisfy the requirements) and the affidavit should be sworn before the Diocesan Registrar or one of his deputies.
The Chancellor has given guidance on how to deal with applications by foreign nationals in Category B as follows:
| 1. The officiating cleric should interview the couple
before they see
the Registrar and the cleric should send a brief report to the
Registrar covering such matters as how long the cleric has known either
party and in what circumstances, and the parties understanding of and
commitment to the intended marriage. 2. The foreign national should provide the Registrar with some recent evidence of identity such as a passport or a work permit (even if this has expired). If neither of these are available the Chancellor comments that this is not necessarily fatal but we should proceed with caution. 3. There should be plausible evidence that both parties are single. This may well arise from the interview with the officiating cleric or with the Registrar. If there is nothing else their word together with the affidavit will be regarded as sufficient evidence. 4. It should be made clear to the parties that they should check that the marriage will be recognised abroad. If the foreign national is from Category A this will not present a problem. For Category B nationals a letter should be obtained from the appropriate embassy confirming that if the marriage takes place in England it will be recognised in the foreign country, or else indicating what steps need to be taken for the marriage to be recognised in the foreign country. 5. The officiating cleric or the Registrar should be satisfied that the parties seek a "real" marriage in the sense that they are undertaking a commitment to permanence. For example they will need to consider (i) what will happen in the event that one is deported (the fact that they are married will not affect their immigration status) or (ii) the consequences of that for other dependants like minor children from an earlier relationship. |
T F Berry Registrar July 2007
Q/ What do Christians
believe about marriage?
A/ Christians
believe that marriage is a gift from God. In the
marriage
ceremony, a couple make a public declaration of lifelong commitment to
love each other, come what may.
The Bible compares married love with the love Jesus has for his followers. He expressed his love by being prepared to sacrifice himself, even to die for the people he loved. This is amazing, unconditional love. Jesus never said 'I love you, but …'.
In our marriage we can try to follow his model by loving each other in a self-sacrificial way, putting our partner’s needs before our own.
The marriage ceremony gives you a new legal status as husband and wife. Christians believe that marriage offers the right place for the fulfilment of our sexuality and a stable and secure environment for bringing up children.
Q/ Where can I get
married?
A/ Everyone
lives in a parish and belongs to a parish church.
That’s the church you should contact for more information
about getting married. To find out which churches are closest
to you, or to check out parish boundaries, use the search tool below:
Q/ I’m
not
baptised. I don’t go to
church. Can I still get married in church?
A/
Yes! If you live in the parish of the church you
want to marry in.
Q/ How do I book
the
church?
A/ Get in
touch with your local parish priest.
He or she will probably wish to meet with you in person to discuss your
plans.
Q/ What if I
want to be
married in a different church?
A/ If you
are a regular worshipper in that church, it is usually
possible to be married there. Just speak to your minister.
If you are not a regular worshipper why not start attending?
You will normally be expected to attend services for some time before
becoming eligible to be married there.
If you have a special connection with the church, you can apply for a
Special Licence. To apply or find out more contact The Faculty Office,
1 The Sanctuary, Westminster, London SW1P 3JT tel: 020 7222
5381
Q/ I heard that
you can
get married in any church you want to now. Is
this true?
A/ In July
2007, the General Synod (the Church of England's governing
body) approved steps to widen the wedding regulations; these are
expected to come into effect before Autumn 2008. The regulations are
designed to make it easier for couples to get married in a church that
has special meaning to them.
Provided the church is available, couples can choose to get married in:
- their local parish
- the parish where they were baptised
and/or confirmed
- a parish they have lived in for 6
months or more, at any time during their lives
- a parish they have attended worship in
for at least 6 months
- the parish their parents lived or
worshipped in (during the child's lifetime)
- the parish their parents or
grandparents were married in.
The legislation is currently being prepared for parliament's
Ecclesiastical Committee before its passage through both Houses of
Parliament. After that, if it passes, it will receive Royal Assent.
However at the moment, if you want to get married in a church
that is not your parish church you will need to talk to the minister
there (see previous question)
If there is a good reason, couples can apply for a Special
Licence. To apply or find out more contact The Faculty Office, 1 The
Sanctuary, Westminster, London SW1P 3JT tel: 020 7222 5381
Q/
We’ve
decided to get married abroad but we would like a
church blessing. Is that possible?
A/ There is
no reason why you shouldn’t do this, provided
your vicar is happy. There is a service of prayer and dedication after
a civil ceremony and this can be adapted. There are no legal
requirements or set fees.
Q/ I’m
divorced. Can I still get married in church?
A/ The
Church of England believes that marriage is for life. But
it recognises that sadly, some marriages do fail. In
exceptional circumstances, the Church accepts that a divorced person
may marry again.
Speak to your parish priest. He or she will want to talk to
you frankly about your past and your hopes for the future. Even if it
is not possible to do your wedding, they may be willing to offer you
service of prayer and dedication after a civil ceremony.
Marriage in church after divorce, is available or can be ordered from
Church House Bookshop, tel: 020 7898 1300
Q/ I’m
Church
of England and he’s a Catholic. Does
that matter?
A/ People of
all denominations have a right to be married in their
parish church (provided they have not been married before). So it
doesn’t matter from the Church of England’s
perspective.
Q/ Why do we need
marriage preparation?
A/ You have
probably invested a lot of time planning your
wedding. The day is important but your marriage should last
for the rest of your life. However much you think you know
each other, you are still two separate individuals with different
backgrounds, personalities, experiences, hopes and fears. Churches
often offer an opportunity to talk through these issues, sometimes as a
group with other couples.
Q/ What are the legal
requirements?
A/ The
normal preliminary to getting married in the Church of England
is by banns.
If you are under the age of eighteen, you must have your
parents’ consent to marry.
There are circumstances where some form of licence, such as a common
licence or special licence, is more appropriate. Your priest or
minister will discuss with you what you need to do.
There are special guidelines on church marriage if you have been
divorced (See question above).
Q/ How much will
it cost?
A/ How much
have you got?! Only joking, the legal
fees for a marriage cover the publication of the banns,
the marriage service and a certificate of marriage. These fees are
fixed centrally and are currently approximately £240. You can
see a breakdown of these, and other fees, here.
These fees do not cover any extras you may wish to have for the
service, such as a choir, organist, bell-ringers, special lighting,
fees for video recording and so on. Check with your parish priest.