WEDDINGS

NOTE: If you are seeking remarriage after divorce please follow this link.

Whether you're already planning your big day or just thinking about it, there are some important things you need to know about getting married in church. We hope you find the following information useful.

Getting married is a daunting process, and the Church is bound by Civil Law in all matters pertaining to Marriage; some of the rules may seem unnecessarily complicated, but they must be adhered to if your marriage is to be recognised as legally binding.

Recent News:

From 1^st October 2008, the rules about residence in the parish are being changed, to enable more people to get married at the Church of their choice. Details can be found on:

http://www.cofe.anglican.org/news/pr5008.html

The changes will mean an engaged couple are welcome to be married in church in a parish if just one of these applies:

• one of them was baptised or prepared for confirmation in the parish;

• one of them has ever lived in the parish for six months or more;

• one of them has at any time regularly attended public worship in the parish for six months or more;

• one of their parents has lived in the parish for six months or more in their child’s lifetime;

• one of their parents has regularly attended public worship there for six months or more in their child’s lifetime;

• their parents or grandparents were married in the parish.

(All of these refer to Church of England services)

Please note that written proof will be required for couples claiming to fulfill these criteria.

If you live outside the parish, you will be asked to attend church for six months twice a month, and then monthly until your marriage.

"Thank you so much to the Vicar,
Choir and everyone involved at
St. John's"




Click here to vists the international wedding guild website

Booking your wedding

This is done by attending the Parish Office, which is open from 7-8pm on Tuesday evenings in the Church Hall. A non-refundable deposit of £50 will need to be paid within four weeks of the booking being made.

Residence

If either you or your partner live in the parish, you can be married at St John’s. If you don’t, you have to worship regularly with us for six months before we can register you, to be able to conduct your marriage. You will be given an attendance record for Church- please ensure that this is signed each time you attend, which must be at least every other week for six months, and then once a month until your wedding. After six months ask for an Electoral roll application form, and return that to the Parish Office.

Banns

These have to be read at the Parish church of residence for three consecutive weeks in the three months prior to your wedding. If you both live at the same address, only one church will read the banns. If you are not resident in our parish, you need to see the Vicar of your parish church to arrange Banns being read, and they will give you (for a fee!) a Banns certificate. Your Wedding cannot go ahead without this certificate, which you should give to the Parish Office as soon as you have it. If you live in our parish, the banns will be read in the month preceding your marriage, for the first three Sundays of the month at the 10am service.

Banns can be called for English/Welsh nationals. If one of you comes from a different country (even Scotland or Ireland) you will need a License- ask at the Parish office.

Fees

The wedding fees are the total for the Wedding. We expect you to pay the balance, in cash, at your Wedding rehearsal, a few days before the ceremony. For an up to date list of the wedding fees please phone Susan Jones on 01322 522916.

Rehearsal

The officiating Minister will contact you about three months before your Wedding- please contact the Parish Office if we don’t. We will go through the music and style of ceremony with you, and arrange a rehearsal. This is usually a few days before the Wedding. It is helpful if the Best Man, Chief Bridesmaid and your Parents attend the rehearsal with you. It is at this point that you pay the balance of fees.

Photography

During the ceremony, photography is by arrangement, and limited to your ‘official’ photographer.

Video Recording

Video- recording your Ceremony requires an extra fee to cover performing rights laws. The official recorder will be told where to position their camera. No other video camera can be used during the ceremony without infringing civil law. Please help us in this matter by explaining the situation to your friends and family.