ARRANGING YOUR
WEDDING
In
this benefice we aim to help you at every stage in planning and preparing for
your wedding. The best thing is to phone
the Rector (01275 873257) to arrange a meeting where we can discuss your
wedding and begin the preparations for the day.
To be married in any of our churches either you or
your fiancée must:-
- live in any of the parishes in our benefice (All Saints; St Mary’s,
Walton;
St Michael’s,
Clapton in Gordano);
- Be on the electoral roll (membership list) of any of our churches;
- Have a strong pastoral link to any of our churches (eg your parents live here, you were Christened here,
etc) in order to apply for a licence to be married.
It is advisable to book your wedding as early as you
can to ensure the day and time you require is available. Please remember that some periods of the year
are very busy so it is advisable to ensure the church is available before you
commit yourself to a reception venue.
Why get married in church?
Christians
believe that marriage is a gift from God.
In the marriage service, a couple make a public declaration of lifelong
commitment to love each other, come what may.
The Bible compares married love with the love Jesus
has for his followers. He expressed his
love by being prepared to sacrifice himself, even to die for the people he
loved. This is amazing, unconditional
love. Jesus never said ‘I love you,
but…’. In our marriages we can try to
follow his model by loving our partners in a self-sacrificial way, putting
their needs before our own.
The marriage service gives you a new legal status as
husband and wife and a new stability within which your relationship can
flourish and grow. Christians believe
that marriage offers the right place for the fulfilment of our sexuality and
that it provides a stable and secure environment for bringing up children.
We hope that you have a wonderful wedding day and
that it will mark the beginning of a long and very happy marriage.
What are the legal requirements?
You
must have your banns read out in church on three Sundays during the three
months before the wedding. Banns are an announcement of your intention to marry
and a chance for anyone to put forward a reason why the marriage may not
lawfully take place. Banns need to be
read in the parish where each of you lives as well as at the church in which
you are to be married if that is another parish. (In some cases there may be an alternative to
banns – see the Church of England web site www.cofe.anglican.org )
If you are under the age of eighteen, you must have
your parents’ consent to marry.
How much will it cost?
|
The legal fees are: |
|
|
Banns and Certificate |
£ 22 + £ 12 |
|
Service |
£247 |
|
Verger |
£ 10 |
|
Organist* |
£ 55 |
|
Bells* |
£ 80 |
|
Choir* |
£ 50 |
|
Heating* |
£ 20 |
|
* Optional |
|
Can I choose what
kind of service I want?
You can choose to have a modern language service or
one in more traditional language. Talk over the options with the
Rector. There are usually one or more readings from the Bible in the
service and other suitable readings or poems you may wish to have – we can help
you select the most appropriate. Click here
for suggestions. There will also be some prayers, which you may help to
choose, or you may write your own.
Which hymns and songs can I have?
Mr
Nigel Guzek, Director of Music (Tel: 01275 543254), can advise on suitable
hymns and songs, as well as music for coming in, going out and during the
signing of the register. If you want to
set out the words and/or music on a printed service sheet, you will need to
comply with the copyright laws – you should consult the Rector about this.
Here
are some suggested hymns, but there are many more.
Love divine all loves
excelling (Blaenwern)
Lead us heavenly Father lead
us (Mannheim)
Praise to the Lord the
Almighty, the king of creation (Lobe D.H.)
Praise my soul the king of
heaven (Praise my soul)
Now thank we all our God
(Nun Danket)
All things bright and
beautiful (Monk)
Lord of all hopefulness, Lord
of all joy (Slane)
O Jesus I have promised
Father hear the prayer we
offer (Sussex)
Dear Lord and Father of
mankind (Repton)
Who would true valour see
(Monk’s Gate)
Amazing grace
Morning has broken
At the name of Jesus
(Camberwell)
Be thou my vision, O Lord of
my heart (Slane)
Blest are the pure in heart
Come down, O love divine
Immortal invisible God only
wise
Let all the world in every
corner sing (Luckington)
May the mind of Christ my
saviour (St Leonard’s)
O for a heart to praise my
God
Take my life and let it be
(Emma)
The king of love my shepherd
is (Dominus regit me)
The Lord’s my shepherd
Jerusalem
Please make sure that the
tune is the one you want!
Traditional entrance
music
Bridal March from Lohengrin – Wagner
Trumpet Voluntary – Jeremiah
Clarke
Trumpet Tune and Air –
Purcell
During signing of the registers
Sheep may safely graze –
Handel
Jesu Joy of Man’s Desiring – Bach
Morning – Grieg
Largo – Handel
Traditional music to leave
Wedding March – Mendelssohn
Toccata - Widor
Rings
A
wedding ring is a symbol of unending love and faithfulness, and of the
commitment you are making to each other.
It is entirely up to you whether you have one ring or two.
Can we have a
Video and photographs?
Yes, please discuss this with the Rector.
What if one of us
is divorced?
The
Church of England teaches that marriage is for life. It also recognises that, sadly, some
marriages do fail and, if this should happen, it seeks to be available for all
involved. The Church accepts, however,
that in some circumstances a divorced person may marry again in church during
the lifetime of a former spouse.
We will be very pleased to discuss this with you and
will treat your application with the utmost confidence and sensitivity.