Weddings

Weddings

Congratulations on your engagement!

St Mary’s is a beautiful venue to confirm your love for one another and ask God’s blessing on your relationship. A Church of England wedding service can combine the traditional and the contemporary. At St Mary’s we offer a professional organist, an excellent choir, and a team of bellringers.

There are legal requirements to getting married in any parish church. The easiest way is to live within the parish or being a regular worshipper at the church.

But there are still other ways to qualify to getting married at St Mary’s which you can see below:

That one of you:

has at any time lived in the parish for a period of at least 6 months or
was baptised in the parish or
was prepared for confirmation in the parish or
has at any time regularly gone to Sunday church services in the parish church for a period of at least 6 months

that one of your parents, at any time after you were born:

has lived in the parish for a period of at least 6 months or
has regularly gone to normal church services in the parish church for a period of at least 6 months

That one of your parents or grandparents:

was married in the parish
It is easier than you think! If you would like to discuss booking a wedding, please contact the Parish Office, and they can also provide the information about the fees. A meeting will then be arranged with a member of the clergy team to help you make further plans, and you will be taken through the whole process, making all your choices, and then booking a rehearsal. You do not have to attend church to get married at St Mary’s but people often start to come along so that they really feel at home on their wedding day, and then continue to attend.

At St Mary’s we recognize that although marriage is a life-long commitment, sometimes relationships break down. We are happy to discuss the remarriage of divorcees, and a conversation with the Parish Office or Rector will allow you to talk about your own circumstances.

At the moment, the Church of England does not allow the conduct of same-sex marriages. But same-sex couples are very welcome at St Mary’s and we can arrange prayers of blessing following a civil ceremony.