Can I Get Married at St. Wilfrid's?
St. Wilfrid's Church is a popular wedding venue and we rejoice that so many people wish to get married here. Regulations regarding church weddings are complex and below you will find the basic guidelines however it is always worth contacting us and discussing the options.
- You have the right to be married in the church of the (Anglican) parish in which you reside as long as neither party is divorced.
- You have the right to be married in any (Anglican) church to which you belong. You 'belong' to a church by being admitted onto the church electoral roll.
- You have the right to be married in any Church of England church with which you can prove you have a 'qualifying connection'. A qualifying connection can be any of the following -
- One of you was baptised in the parish concerned (If you were baptised and confirmed at the same time, the provisions on confirmation rather than baptism apply)
- One of you has been confirmed, and was prepared for confirmation in the parish
- One of you has at any time lived in the parish for at least 6 months
- One of you has at any time regularly attended public worship in the parish for at least 6 months
Or:
- One of your or your fiance/e's parents has lived in the parish for at least 6 months at any time after you were born (or, in the case of your fiance/e's parents, at any time after your fiance/e was born)
- One of your or your fiance/e's parents has regularly attended public worship in the parish for at least 6 months at any time after you (or your finace/e) were born.
- A parent or grandparent of you or your fiance/e was married in the parish.
When Can I Get Married?
By church law, weddings can take place on any day of the week including Sundays and Holy Days between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. as long as they don't interfere with Divine Service. Local custom, and the Parish Priest's stamina and holiday arrangements, may well put some limits on the possibilities so if your heart is set on getting married at St. Wilfrid's please book the wedding with us before booking the reception et al. You will find a list below of restricted and unavailable dates.
What Does It Cost?
Wedding fees are split between statuatory fees that are set by the church nationally and local fees charged by the individual parish. These local fees include a basic parish charge for the use of the building which will include elements of heating, lighting, upkeep and maintenance costs. This basic charge is a fixed part of the basic wedding costs. On top of the statuatory are items such as organist, choir and bells which you can decide whether to include them or not.
Fees for 2024 -
- Publication of banns £36.00
- Marriage Service £531.00
Basic Marriage Cost £567.00
Extras are
- Organist £100.00
- Choir £150.00
- Bells £190.00
- Verger £35.00
- Additional Heating £40.00
- Wedding Video £100.00
Please note that if you wish to use your own organist you may do so however the organist is still due his fee. The services of a Verger are invaluable on the day in preparing the church, welcoming guests, assisting both the priest and the ushers. Finally please be aware that many of our bell ringers work and so it may not always be possible to have the bells if you are getting married mid-week.
Fees are payable at the wedding rehearsal and you will receive a full invoice at the wedding preparation meeting.
What Is My First Step?
The first thing you need to do is contact the Rector, you will find a way to do this by following the 'Contacts' tab above. You will be asked to fill in a booking form that, in most cases, also acts as your banns form. Banns are read on three Sundays, normally consecutively, prior to the wedding taking place and give people a legitimate opportunity to object to your marriage. You will need to have banns read in the parish where you wish to marry and the parish(es) where the couple getting married reside.
What Happens Next?
In most cases weddings are booked a year or more in advance so, once the wedding is confirmed, there is little that needs to be done for a while. If you live outside the parish and need to develop a Qualifying Connection (QC) you will have to maintain regulat attendance so as to be eligible. It is entirely your responsibility to ensure that the QC criteria are met.
Church of England clergy are licensed to officiate at weddings in Church of England churches you do not therefore need to book a registrar.
Approximately 6 months before the wedding the Rector will contact you to arrange dates for the reading of the banns, for your marriage preparation and wedding rehearsal. Marriage preparation meetings are done in a group with others getting married at around the same time. The Rector will also confirm whether you require the organist, choir and bells.
If you or your partner live in a parish or parishes other than Mobberley you will need to arrange for your banns to be read in those church/churches also.
Dates for 2024
It will not be possible to marry at St. Wilfrid's on the following dates -
March 24th - April 7th inclusive
May 27th - June 2nd inclusive
July 29th - August 18th inclusive
Autumn Half term - (Prob. 21st-27th October inclusive)
November 10th
December 22nd - January 5th 2025
The following dates are in some way restricted -
July 13th, wedding of Neil Stubbs & Megan Cookson at 1.00 p.m.
August 19th, wedding of James Lait & Ellen Bergin at 2.00 p.m.
August 24th, wedding of Adam Roche & Roberta Dewar at 12.30 p.m.
August 31st, wedding of Thomas Southworth & Tiffany Lavin at 2.00 p.m.
September 6th, wedding of Adam Nicholas & Molly Horsman at 12.30 p.m.
December 6th, wedding of Alexander Steel & Lucy Clancy at 1.30 p.m.
Music
We have an excellent organist and choir at St. Wilfrid's as well as a top notch PA system. There are excellent music resources on the internet, just type 'Wedding Music' into Google. Before making your finally decision about music please speak to our organist.
There are normally five opportunities for music at a wedding, not all which have to be taken up.
- Before the Service: Some couples like to choose specific music to be played before the Bride arrives. Remember however that if you are also having the bells ringing any music inside the church will be playing second fiddle to the bells.
- Entrance of the Bride: This music tends to be more elegant than lively and many wedding Music websites will categorise music appropriately for entrance and exit etc.
- Hymns: The service will take up to three hymns and I wouldn't recommend less than two, unless you are not having any at all. Hymn suggestions again can be found on the net or else speak to our organist.
- Performances: Some couple wish to include a piece of music, a song sung by a friend or a piece from a string quartet as a focal piece within the service. This is normally fine however you will need to consult with the Rector.
- Recessional Music: At the conclusion of the service there is normally music whilst the bridal party make their way out of church. This music tends to be loud and lively and, again, advice can be sought from the internet or our organist.
Flowers & Fings?
- Flowers: A sheet is available outlining our guidelines for the use of flowers, where they can be put, what can be used, and equally importantly how they will be disposed of. If there is more than one wedding in a day we strongly suggest that the couple involved co-operate on one set of decorations.
- Car Parking: The is a reasonable amount of parking available on the verge opposite the lych-gate. At weekends and during school holidays it is normally possible to park in the school carpark.
- Confetti: We ask couples to insist that wedding guests use only bio-degradable or preferably natural confetti such as rose petals. We also request that guests do not throw confetti in the graveyard but wait until they are beyond the lych-gate.