Here are some answers to commonly asked questions. If there are any further questions that you would like to ask prior to meeting with our Vicar, feel free to contact us.

Q. I’m not baptised and/or I don’t go to church, can I still get married in church?

Absolutely! Yes you can. God’s love and blessing is available to everyone who wishes to be married in church and not just those who come regularly.

Q. How do I book the church for a wedding?

It’s pretty easy. Get in touch with the Church Office, via phone or our contact form, and they will put you in touch with the Vicar who will guide you through the process, and book a time to meet with you to begin to discuss and plan your wedding. Booking the church for a particular date is all part of that chat.

Q. We’ve decided to get married abroad (or in a civil ceremony) but we would like a church blessing afterwards, is that possible?

Yes, there is a service called ‘Prayer and dedication after a civil ceremony‘. You can find out more about the wedding blessing service and other options on our website.

Q. Are there restrictions on when we can get married?

To be legal, a church wedding must take place between 8am and 6pm but it can take place any day of the year. Actual dates are usually arranged in conjunction with our Vicar. It is possible to hold a wedding on any day of the week, Sundays are often difficult (but not impossible) because of regular church services. Please note that Christmas and Easter are particularly busy times of the year for our Vicar and the wider church community. It is not always possible to accommodate requests for a wedding during these major Christian festivals.

Q. I’m divorced, can I still get married in church?

In the Church of England, we believe that marriage is intended to be life-long, but we also recognise that sadly, some marriages do fail and cease to be life-giving. We understand and recognise that, and we want to respond appropriately. Divorced people can re-marry in our church under certain circumstances. Each case is different and circumstances are always unique so the important next step is to speak to our Vicar in confidence about your situation. They will want to talk to you frankly about your past and your hopes for the future. You will need to be honest and open with them about your past and they will then let you know whether they can go ahead with the marriage. Even if it is not possible to have your wedding in church, they will be able to offer you a service of prayer and dedication after a civil ceremony; sometimes known as a ’Wedding Blessing’

Q. What is ‘marriage preparation’ and why do we need it?

You will never make such big promises to each other as you will in church on your wedding day. You are still two separate individuals with different backgrounds, personalities, experiences, hopes and fears. The average wedding takes 200 hours to prepare, but very few couples give some of that time over to investing in their relationship. Marriage is a serious commitment and ‘marriage preparation’ is an opportunity to make some of that investment in your future together. We use a nationally recognised course called (very obviously) The Marriage Preparation Course.

Q. How much will the wedding cost?

Fees for weddings are set nationally so that the same basic fees apply no matter the church in which you choose to get married. However, there are some variations – usually dependent on your circumstances and what you want in your service (e.g. an organist or a choir may vary in cost) and also what licences to marry apply to your personal circumstances. We have prepared a special page about fees for you to read through but please do speak to our Vicar to discuss the fees in more detail. We’ve also created a page to give you some tips on how to financially plan a wedding.