Check list for a church wedding

Congratulations on your forthcoming marriage! This is a check list of practicalities and you will also need to meet with the vicar to talk about the meaning of Christian marriage and ask any questions you may have. In the meantime, here are some points to cover to make sure that all goes smoothly.

Time

The service itself is about half an hour. The last people will probably be leaving the car park about an hour after the time set for the wedding. There is a legal requirement that the marriage take place between 8am and 6pm so the latest we could start a wedding would be 5pm to be on the safe side.

Cost

See list of fees for details.
Please do not let the fees put you off a wedding in Church. Let us know if you have serious financial difficulties and we shall try to help in any way we can.

Banns (reading your names out in Church)

• Fill in a Marriage Details form for this parish.
• Try to come to church for the three Sundays when your Banns are being read. (This will be two months before your wedding and we will confirm the dates to you in good time)
• If either person lives outside this parish:
  1. Contact the vicar of their parish to read your Banns there.
  2. Get the Banns certificate and give it to me as soon as possible. The wedding cannot go ahead without it!

Music

You will need to contact our Organist to talk about music. The normal is: up to 3 hymns plus music for the entrance of the Bride, the signing of the Registers and as you go out.
The most popular hymns at weddings are:

• All things bright and beautiful
• And did those feet in ancient time (Jerusalem)
• Be thou my vision
• Give me joy in my heart
• I danced in the morning (Lord of the dance)
• Lead us, heavenly Father, lead us
• Lord of all hopefulness
• Love divine, all loves excelling
• Morning has broken
• Praise, my soul, the King of heaven

The Organist is: Mr Martin Penrose 023 8033 8258.

Flowers

There are usually some flowers at St Thomas but there may not be any at All Saints (there are no flowers in either church at certain times of the year such as Lent and Advent). Please check with the contacts mentioned below for further details.
(St Thomas - Mrs Joan Harris, All Saints - Miss Trixie Sheryer).

Making the service 'yours'

• It would be good if you could you write together a short prayer of your own for me to read during the service.
• Would you like any friends or relations to take a special part in the service (eg to read the prayers or Bible passage)?
• Who will witness the signing of the register? (one each)

Order of Service

No order of service is necessary for a wedding service; hymn books are available for the words of hymns. If you wish to print your own personalised booklet, a draft must be approved by me before it is printed. There is a page showing the correct elements for your order of service. You will need to print 6 extra for the minister, Organist etc and a further 20 if you are having the choir.

Bridesmaids

There should be at least one bridesmaid who will take the bride's bouquet and look after her dress. If you have small children, one of the adult bridesmaids should be put in charge of them, leaving the principal bridesmaid free to help the bride.

Ushers and Seating

There should be two to four Ushers, polite but firm, with at least one from each family to make sure people will be recognised. A seating plan for the front few rows is often useful, and a copy should be given to the Ushers. Capacities of the churches are approximately:

• St.Thomas: up to 500 people (300 downstairs, 200 upstairs).
• All Saints: up to 150 people.

Parking

There is plenty of parking at All Saints. Parking at St.Thomas is in one of the public car parks in the town, all of which are within easy reach of the church.
Note that on Saturday there is the street market so parking will be harder in the morning.

Confetti

Please ask your friends to throw only rice-paper confetti or rice outside the church.

Photographs and Videos

Nominate someone as the official photographer. They need not be a professional, but there must only be one. No other photographs are allowed during the service. Similarly for taking a video - nominate one person. The photographer (and video person if there is one) should talk to the minister before the service about where they may stand etc.

The Rehearsal**

This is held in the church, usually a day or two before the service, by arrangement with the minister taking the service. You don't need to learn any lines - it is just good to have been through the order of things before the day so you will feel more relaxed. These people should be at the rehearsal if possible:

• Bride and Groom
• Best Man
• Parents of bride and groom
• Whoever is giving away the Bride
• Bridesmaids and page-boys
• Ushers

**Bring to the rehearsal

• The prayer you have written
• Orders of service if you are having them
• Banns certificate from other parish if required (last chance!)