Frequently asked questions
Can I choose
what kind of service I want?
Can the church help
me with my wedding preparations?
How do I contact
the parish priest?
Should we have one or two
rings?
What are the legal
requirements?
What if one or both of
us are divorced?
Which hymns and songs can I
have?
Can
I get married in the churches of the Medlock Head team of Churches?
At the moment, English Law says that just about
anyone is entitled to be married in a Church of England church
wherever you live. But there are very strict rules concerning which Church. For
a guide to whether you are eligible, click here.
If it is not possible for your proposed marriage to take place in one of
the churches in our Team, we are happy to discuss other alternatives with you,
such as a Service of Prayer and Dedication after a civil ceremony that has
taken place in, for example, a local Hotel.
As soon as you have decided that you would like to get married in one of
our churches, get in touch with us to see if we are the available on your
preferred date. Click here for our contact details. Usually, one of our priests will wish to
meet with you in person to discuss your plans.
How do I arrange a marriage service in the Medlock
Head team of parishes?
Phone us
or write to us. To obtain our contact details, click here.
Can the church help me with my wedding preparations?
Yes! If
you need advice or help, please contact click
here. Alternatively, the Church of England’s
national wedding guide is very, very good. Click here.
Alternatively,
the Church of England hosts a website to help you plan the church wedding of
their dreams. The new website contains useful case studies of real
weddings, information about the ceremony and marriage, a wedding planner, tips
for choosing church music, and a church finder.
What are the legal requirements?
It is easiest to get married after your banns have been read out in our
church on three consecutive Sundays. These Sundays must occur during the three
months before your wedding day. (Banns are a public announcement of your
intention to marry and a chance for anyone to put forward a reason why the
marriage may not lawfully take place.)
Please note that 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 website or
our own summary of the eligibility rules.
If you are under the age of eighteen, you will need your parents’
consent to marry.
There are special guidelines on church marriage if you have been
divorced, as below.
The fees
for a marriage cover the publication of the banns, certificate of banns (if
necessary), the marriage service itself (including heating and lighting, the
priest and verger’s time), and the certificate of marriage. These fees are
fixed centrally by the Church of England. Please click here for details.
Can I choose what kind of service I want?
You can
choose to have a modern-language service or one expressed in more traditional
language. Talk over the options with us. There are usually one or more readings
from the Bible included in the service –
Click here
for a selection of appropriate Bible passages.
The minister will probably give a brief talk or sermon during the
service.
If you have friends or family members you would like to involve in the
service, for example by reading or playing a musical instrument, please discuss
this with
Which hymns and songs can I have?
We 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 – consult
Click here
for a selection of popular hymns for a church wedding.
Do not worry if the list does not include your personal favourites: it is merely intended to illustrate the breadth of choice available.
Should we have one or two 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 your choice whether you have one ring or two.
The churches in the Medlock Head team of parishes do permit marriage services to be recorded on video. We usually
charge a small fee to cover copyright issues. Please discuss your requirements
with us.
What if one or both of us are 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 lf or all involved. The Church accepts
that, in exceptional circumstances, a divorced person may marry again in a
church during the lifetime of a former spouse.
We are usually willing to conduct such a marriage in our churches. It is
always wise to make an appointment to speak to us before setting a date.
If for any reason it is not possible for your proposed marriage to take
place in the Medlock Head team of parishes, we are happy to discuss other
alternatives with you, such as a Service of Prayer and Dedication after a civil
ceremony that has taken place in, for example, a local Hotel.