Church Weddings

Many couples choose to solemnise their marriage vows in a church. All British citizens have the right to marry in their parish church. You can choose from a quaint village chapel to a grand church with all the traditional trimmings. If you want a very traditional wedding then a church wedding is a very good option for you. Traditional hymns and familiar vows, a veil and train won’t look out of place.

If you would like a more modern style wedding but would still like to get married in a church, there are more versions of the service to choose from, with traditional or more modern text. Although your vicar or minister must approve your selection of music, most will be open to options other than traditional hymns, perhaps a romantic love song, and instead of a booming organ maybe you could have a resounding choir or harp or soloist.

On your first visit with the minister, you should have a list of questions prepared to make sure you ask he/she everything you need to know. You should ask if he/she will allow you to have photographs taken inside the church and if you wish, a tape-recording or video made of the ceremony. Although most do allow this some don’t so if you will want these things you are best to ask from the beginning. During this first visit you will each have to bring your birth certificate and if either of you have been married before a certificate of divorce must be supplied also, or if you are a widow or widower then a death certificate of your former spouse. The minister will explain to you fees or donations.

Even if you have decided on a church ceremony you will still have to inform the Registrar of your marriage and where it will take place. You can get the forms to do this at any Births, Deaths and Marriages. The minister will explain all that you have to do when you meet. When everything is in order the Registrar will prepare a marriage schedule. One of the partners will have to collect this not more than one week before the wedding. After the ceremony in church two witnesses and the minister who conducted the wedding must sign the schedule and then it must be returned to the Registrar within three days.