We
are delighted to welcome couples to our beautiful church for their wedding. The
service is central to one of the most important days of your life and we do
everything we can to ensure that it is really special.
We are also here to help you
prepare for your married life together. By getting married in church, you are
asking for God’s blessing on your life together - the best start you can have.
How
do we get married at St. Mary’s?
The first thing to do is to call in at the Parish Office,
preferably on a Wednesday evening between 7pm and 8pm when there will be a
member of staff on duty who can discuss the whole process with you. You will be
able to check that the date you would like is available and then complete an
application form to confirm your church booking. Weddings can be on any day of
the week (although not usually on Sundays) but it may not be possible to arrange
a choir or bells on weekdays.
When do we have to book?
It is best to book the church as soon as you have decided
to get married. We currently have bookings up to two years in advance but there
are still plenty of spare dates in the calendar. It is important to check with
us that the church is available before booking your reception. There is no
booking fee but we do ask that you notify us if your plans change, otherwise we
may have to make a charge for cancellation.
Does it matter where we live?
If one or both of you live in the Parish you may get
married in St. Mary’s by Banns. This is an old tradition, still legally
required, whereby an announcement of your impending marriage is read out in
church on three Sundays beforehand. Traditionally, this gives members of the
public a chance to object to the marriage but this is extremely rare these
days!
If neither of you live in the Parish, it may still be
possible to get married here if you have strong links with St. Mary’s and
Saffron Walden. If you regularly worship at St. Mary’s and are on the electoral
role, you may also be married by Banns. In other circumstances, for example, if
your parents live in Saffron Walden, then it is necessary to apply for a Special
Licence from the Archbishop of Canterbury. We can help you with this.
How do you help us prepare for our marriage?
Early in the year in which you are to be married, you will
be invited to attend a course for all couples who will be getting married in the
same year. The course runs for four evenings (on a weekly basis) and covers
practical aspects such as music, flowers and legal matters, then goes on to look
at what getting married means.
We hope that aspects of the course will be relevant to you,
whether you are just about to set up home together or you have been living
together for some time.
The final session looks at the wedding service itself and
gives you a chance to discuss the various parts of it and to think about how you
would like your service to be special to you.
During the course you will be given lots of explanatory
material to help your preparation.
What
happens next?
During the months before your wedding there may be lots of
questions you want to ask. Our clergy and Parish Office team are always
available to offer help and advice about any aspect of your marriage. About
three months before your wedding we contact you to tell you when your Banns will
be read, if appropriate. We can advise on your order of service and review it
with you; we can offer help with choosing hymns and music if you wish.
We will arrange a convenient day for a rehearsal: this is
usually on the evening before your wedding day.
Do you marry divorced people?
In certain limited circumstances, it may be possible for
divorced people to marry in church. In other cases, we are happy to arrange a
wedding blessing service to follow a civil ceremony and this can have most of
the elements of a wedding service except for the legal requirements. Please
talk to the Rector if you would like more information about this.
How much does it cost to get married?
This depends on whether you just want the service itself or
whether you would like optional extras such as a choir, the organ, bells etc. The
costs range from about £200 to £350. There is generally a small increase each
year.
Any other questions?
If you would like to find
out more, then contact the Rector
rector.saffronwalden@ntlworld.com
or The Parish Office
Church Path,
Saffron Walden,
CB10 2LF
(
01799 506024) st.mary's@virgin.net
At the beginning of creation God made them male and
female. For this reason, a man will leave his father and mother and be united
to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. So they are no longer two but
one. Therefore, what God has joined together, let not man separate.”
Mark 10:17
“God is love, and those who live in love live in God:
and God lives in them.”
1 John 4:1
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