Christians believe that marriage is a gift from God. In the marriage ceremony, a couple make a public declaration of a lifelong commitment to love each other, come what may. 

The bible compares married love with the love Jesus has for his followers, an amazing love which led to Jesus sacrificing himself, even to die, for those whom he loved. In marriage we try to follow his example by loving our partners in a self-sacrificial way, putting their needs before our own.

If you choose to get married in church, you are asking God to be a part of your marriage and although including God in your marriage doesn’t mean that you will avoid all the usual ups and downs, you will know that you can look to God for help and guidance and that his love will sustain you. You will also have the support and encouragement of the Christian Church family. 

Questions that are often asked by those considering marriage in a church include:

Where can I get married?

You are entitled to be married in the church of the Church of England parish where one or other of you lives. If you are an active, worshipping member of another church congregation, it is usually possible to be married there.  

If the church you wish to be married in is not the local church of either of you, you will need to go on the electoral roll of that parish; and we would encourage you to attend the church services for six months before going on the roll. In certain circumstances you can apply for a Special Licence. 

At the moment it is only possible to have a Church of England wedding in a parish church or some other place of worship- normally one licensed by the Bishop.  

What are the legal requirements?

There are certain legal requirements that have to be fulfilled in planning a church wedding and these can be discussed in more detail with you at the time you contact us to discuss your plans.

Legal requirements include the reading of Banns, parental consent if you are under the age of 18 and special guidelines if you have been divorced. 

What does it cost ?

There are set fees for the legal arrangements and for the service and details of the latest fees can be found on the Church of England web site, www.cofe.anglican.org

There are additional local agreed fees for bells, choir etc which can be arranged as appropriate with the Rector.

If you would like to discuss the possibility of your marriage within one of our churches please contact the Rector, Revd John Carr in the first instance on 01673 838513 or via our Parish office on 01472 398545