Weddings, Marriage Blessings and Renewal of Marriage Vows
Any of our churches are an ideal venue for a wedding. Even St Leonards, our smallest church, seats over 80 people comfortably. All of our church grounds are well maintained either by our team of volunteers or, sometimes, council workers.
We want to guide you through this process and ensure your special day is as smooth as possible. The availability of your chosen reception venue is likely to be the most restricted. It is wise to approach these first and get some provisional dates. However, the availability of the church is NOT guaranteed, so couples are advised to contact the Parish Priest as soon as possible. The Vicar can give some guidance about dates before making a firm booking with a venue for your reception. Do NOT commit to a firm date with the venue before contacting the church.
The Church of England’s website has information on the legal issues involved in getting married. It also has some great advice on how to get the best out of your ceremony: Click here.
Can I get married in church?
If it is your first wedding for both you and your partner, you have a right to be married in your local Anglican church. That’s as long as one of you lives in the parish or has a significant connection here.
What if one of us has been married or been in a civil partnership before, though?
Well, then there isn’t an automatic right, but it’s up to the Parish Priest’s discretion. However, being divorced is certainly no longer a bar to being married in church. A firm believer in second chances, the Vicar will do everything he can to help you through this process. We understand that each situation is unique, and we will do everything we can to help. We are here to support you in making your wedding a special and meaningful event.
Wedding blessings.
It may be, though, that for some reason, you want to get married in a civil ceremony but feel that a church ceremony of some sort would be fitting. We can help here, too. Having a service of blessing after a civil ceremony can be a great way to show the world that you value the help of God in your relationship. We are flexible and can accommodate your needs.
Or it may be that you have been married for some time (whether you had a church wedding or a civil ceremony) and feel that you would like to renew your vows, either publicly or in private. Once again, we can help you. There are as many different ways to do this as there are couples, so the Vicar will work with you to personalise the experience and produce a service that is appropriate to you and suitable for your relationship’s needs.
Same-sex couples
Please be aware that Church of England churches currently cannot conduct marriage ceremonies for same-sex couples, nor can we hold stand-alone public services of blessing for such unions. However, we are committed to supporting LGBTQ+ individuals and couples in their faith and relationships. It’s worth talking to the Vicar to explore ways in which we may be able to offer support.
