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Click here or on the above banner for lots of information about getting married in a Church of England church.
How do we get married at St. Mary’s? The first thing to do is to contact the Parish Office, and arrange to see a member of staff 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, for example if you have lived here in the past or if your parents live in the Parish. If you worship regularly at St. Mary’s for at least six months, you may also be married by Banns. 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 one-day course for all couples who will be getting married in the same year. The course is run on a Saturday 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 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 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 How much does it cost to get married? Everything that is legally required will cost
less than £350 but most couples like to
choose optional extras such as a choir, the
organ, bells etc. which can increase the
costs to around £750. Full details are Any other questions? If you would like to find out more, contact St. Mary's
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