We’re getting married!
Well congratulations! How wonderful and exciting! So, if that’s you, you probably want to know if you can be married at either of our beautiful wedding venues of St Johns and St Philips.
Qualifying Connections and other useful information
The rules about where couples can marry are set out in law. You can marry in a church where you have a qualifying connection. You can marry in one of our churches:
if either of you…
- lives in the parish or
- is baptised and on the church’s electoral roll or
- has at any time lived in the parish for a period of at least six months or
- has regularly gone to normal church services in the parish church for a period of at least six months or
- was baptised in our parish/benefice or
- was prepared for confirmation in our parish or
- was confirmed in the parish
or, if one of your parents, at any time after you were born,…
- has lived in the parish for a period of at least six months or
- has at any time regularly gone to normal church services in the parish church for a period of at least six months
or, if one of your parents or grandparents:
- was married in the parish.
Non – British Nationals
English law has special guidelines for non-British nationals being married in the UK. Please contact the Vicar va the contact details below. We will be able to provide more information about who is eligible to be married in one of our churches.
After Divorce
If either of you has been married before, that does not automatically mean you cannot have a church wedding but you will need to discuss your situation with the Vicar before we can agree to conduct the service. Please contact the Vicar via the link below to arrange for that to be done at the earliest possible opportunity. It might be possible to offer a service of blessing after a civil marriage if a church service is not possible.
Banns and other preliminaries
The law requires all couples intending to marry to give notice of that to the community in which the wedding is to take place. If you are marrying in church, this is most usually done by reading of Banns of Marriage. You will need to have Banns read in the church where you are marrying and the parish church where you live if that is different. If you are marrying elsewhere but need Banns read here because one or both of you live in our parish, again please contact the Vicar to make arrangements. There is a small fee for banns to be read. If you are having Banns read here because you are marrying here, the details will be covered for you in marriage preparation.
Banns are read on three occasions during the main morning service in the three months prior to the wedding and we let you know the dates of your Banns whether you are marrying here or elsewhere. We are always delighted to welcome wedding couples to hear their Banns and to have the opportunity to pray for you. In some cases, marriage after Banns is not possible and it may be necessary to obtain a marriage licence or a Superintendent Registrar’s Certificate but we will advise you about that when you contact us to enquire.
Preparing for your big day
We are probably the only wedding professionals you will deal with in your planning who are interested in helping you to invest in your relationship and in your marriage – not just in your wedding day! To do this we may invite couples to a marriage preparation day early in the year you are due to be married when we spend time thinking about marriage and married life, as well as the practical arrangements for your special day.
You will also have a couple of meetings together with the vicar/priest who will be conducting your service to make plans for the day itself and to have space to think about your hopes and dreams for your future together. We aim to work with you to ensure that your day is memorable and that your marriage is built on a firm foundation.
How much does it cost?
The fees for a church wedding are set by law but there are optional extras that you can choose to have in our church. The statutory fees change every year, so please enquire of the Vicar to help you budget for your wedding.
- Verger £65
Optional items at this church:
- Organist £85
- Flowers Dependent of church
- Heating £75 (we would recommend heating between October and March)
Get in touch
Alan Warburton; Mobile : 07464 669690
Wedding Forms
If you have agreed a date and qualify to have your wedding at St Johns or St Philips the please select the link below to complete the online wedding application form.