Weddings

If one of you lives within the parish, you are eligible to be married in the parish church. If one or both of you has previously been married or in a civil partnership, you may be able to get married at St Mary’s however you will need to discuss the circumstances with one of the clergy before we can proceed. We also offer a service of prayer and dedication after civil marriage that we would be happy to discuss. This may be of interest to those who have chosen to be married elsewhere but would like a further ceremony locally so that family and friends can be present.

• One of them was baptised or prepared for confirmation in the parish

• One of them has lived in the parish for six months or more

• One of them has at any time attended public worship in the parish for six months or more

• One of their parents has lived in the parish for six months or more in their child’s lifetime

• One of their parents has regularly attended public worship there for six months or more in their child’s lifetime

• Their parents or grandparents were married in the parish

If you live outside the parish, but none of the above applies to you, you may like to consider coming on to the church electoral roll. For this you need to be baptised, and to worship at St Mary’s on a regular basis for six months. For any of these situations, and to discuss any matters about marriage at St Mary’s, please contact us.

The First Step

You can make enquiries at the parish office to discuss your wedding plans. You will need an interview with one of the clergy. These usually take place on a Saturday morning, and you will need to phone the parish office to book this.

At the First Interview

Subject to availability, you will be able to choose the date and time of your wedding. On Saturdays the times are 12 noon, 1.30pm or 3.00pm. You will need to bring your current UK passport with you. If you do not have a passport, please let us know when booking your appointment as we can advise on other documents that are required. You will be asked for a booking fee of £100 which will be deducted from the final cost. If you are booking a year or two in advance, the clergy will be able to give you a rough idea of the cost of your wedding, although the exact fee will not be available until later. You will be given a leaflet giving guidance about a wedding in church.

Preparing for your Wedding

We are committed to supporting and helping all couples getting married at St. Mary’s as much as we can. We will contact you to let you know the date of the marriage preparation session we run. At this session you will meet the clergy and other couples like yourselves, preparing for marriage. Those who have attended these sessions have commented on their enjoyment of this time together. Couples are given a wedding pack with all the information they need. During the session we will also introduce a range of music, hymns and readings to help you choose the words and music that will make your wedding day really special.

Before your wedding day, you will have a second interview with the clergy to make the final plans for your service and book a rehearsal, usually a few days before the wedding. The final balance of fees must be paid six weeks before the date of the wedding, this can be by cheque or bank transfer.

Getting married somewhere else, but need to have Banns called here?

You will need to see one of the clergy to make the arrangements for this. Please telephone the Parish Office to make an appointment, which is usually on a Saturday morning. The fee from 1 January 2024 is £54 which is to be paid in advance. You will each need to bring your current UK passport with you. If you do not have a passport, please let us know when booking your appointment as we can advise on other documents that are required. When the banns have been called (no more than three months before the wedding) a certificate will be issued for you to take to the church where you will be married.

Special Anniversaries and Celebrations of Marriage

We are delighted to arrange services of thanksgiving for marriage. Please contact us for more information.

Wedding Fees from 1 January 2024

Further information is available upon request.

Wedding, after banns to include church fees, organist & other local fees: £722.00

If the service is streamed or recorded, there will be an additional fee.