What is Marriage?
The Church understands marriage to be the lifelong commitment of a man and woman to love and support each other. It is seen as the main context for family life (in particular the birth and nurture of children), and as a way of life that brings stability and strength to wider society. Importantly, marriage is seen to reflect the love that we believe is the very being of God.
In the service we are reminded what Christians understand marriage to be before the couple make a commitment to each other and exchange vows; as a sign of this commitment rings are normally exchanged. We then join to pray that the couple may be strengthened and upheld in their life together by sharing in a love that is beyond us and transforms us – the love that is God.
Marriage services in the Church of England are fully recognised in law, but bring a spiritual dimension beyond the purely legal. We hope that we can work together to help you celebrate your love for each other in a way that brings out its full meaning for you.
The legal bits!
You are entitled to be married in the parish church of whichever parish (or parishes) you live in. This means that if you live within the boundaries of the Parish of Louth (which includes Welton-le-Wold, South Elkington, North Elkington, Keddington and Stewton) you can be married in any of the churches in the parish. Recent changes in the law mean that even if you do not live in the parish you may be entitled to be married in the Parish of Louth so long as you have a ‘qualifying connection’. If this may be the case we can provide more information on what is required.
More information
For more basic information on weddings in the Church of England, please visit www.yourchurchwedding.org.
To make a booking
Please contact the Louthesk Deanery office to check that the date you would like is available, so that you may be penciled in pending return of an application, please then download and complete the application form and return it to: The Deanery Office, 6 Upgate, Louth LN11 9ET.
If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to call us on 01507 610247 or email [email protected]