Here we answer common questions about getting married at St Andrews.

How do we arrange a wedding at St Andrew's?

Having decided you want a church wedding, the first thing to do is to come along to church, either to our main Sunday service at 10.45 am or our Families@4 services (4pm, every 4th Sunday of the month), to book your wedding. After the service please approach the minister leading the service and ask them to point you in the direction of the Parish Clerk, who is responsible for filling out wedding booking forms. We do understand that church attendance can be difficult to fit in around work patterns and family commitments, so if your circumstances make it awkward, please This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or telephone to discuss a mutually convenient time to meet.

Once your booking form has been completed, we ask for a £50 non refundable deposit to secure your wedding date and time.

When you have booked your wedding, the minister taking the ceremony will arrange to meet with you to make more detailed plans. Decisions on matters such as a Bible reading, hymns and other music are usually made at this meeting.

Prior to your wedding, we will invite you to attend a marriage preparation day. This includes the opportunity to reflect as a couple on the key features of a lifelong relationship such as good communication, the capacity to resolve differences, a common approach to financial management, and so on. We also devote some time to looking at the spiritual aspects of marriage, and the content of the service itself. This course usually takes place during February.

 

What are the legal requirements for getting married at St Andrew's?

The normal preliminary to getting married in the Church of England is by Banns. 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. There is a small fee for publishing the Banns. You must have your Banns read out in Church for three Sundays during the three months before the wedding. This is often done over three consecutive Sundays but does not have to be.

If you do not live in the Parish of Haughton, and want to marry at St Andrew's, then the banns need to be read in the parish where each of you lives as well as in St Andrew's. If you are unsure of your parish church, a helpful website is http://www.achurchnearyou.com/, where you can type in your postcode and it should give you details.

The Parish of Haughton le Skerne covers the areas of Haughton Green, Whinfield, Springfield and Red Hall. Those who do not live in the parish but have a connection to St Andrew's Church may also be allowed to marry here. Church of England regulations define the following connections as appropriate:

That one of you:

  • has at any time lived in the parish for a period of at least 6 months or
  • was baptised in the parish concerned or
  • was prepared for confirmation in the parish or
  • has at any time regularly gone to normal church services in the parish church for a period of 6 months or

That one of your parents, at any time after you were born:

  • has lived in the parish for a period of at least 6 months or
  • has regularly gone to normal church services in the parish church for a period of at least 6 months or

That one of your parents or grandparents:

  • was married in the parish.

There are special guidelines on church marriage if you have been divorced, see below for more details.

Finally, if you are under the age of eighteen, you must have your parents' consent to marry.

 

What happens in a wedding at St Andrew's?

The wedding promises:

'...from this day forward;
for better, for worse,
for richer, for poorer,
in sickness and in health,
to love and to cherish,
till death us do part'

The service consists of prayers, readings, hymns, and songs. The minister will also say a few words about the meaning of a Christian marriage. The marriage is also registered during the service itself, usually at a table near the High Altar. However, the most important elements are the promises that are made. The bride and groom make vows promising to remain faithful to each other.

We pray with God's help that these promises will be kept and that your marriage will be both life-giving and life-long.

 

How much does a wedding at St Andrews cost?

The wedding fee that we charge covers the legal and administrative aspects of a marriage by Banns, as well as the use of the church building and personnel. There is an additional charge payable for permission to make a video recording. This covers the use of the copyright for hymns and readings.

For current wedding fees, please This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

One or both of us are divorced. Can we get married at St Andrew's?

The marriage service makes it clear that marriage is for life. However, some couples find it difficult to maintain their relationship for better or worse and marriages do break down. At St Andrew's we wish to show care for those who have tried and failed and honestly want to try again. Please speak to the Rector if you are divorced and would like to get married at St Andrew's.

Can you help us plan the service?

We will help planning the content of a service. There are other pages on readings, music and Order of Service on the website will help you in your thinking.

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