Getting Married at St Peter's
Churches are special and unique places to get married in – the prayers, promises and the whole service of celebration become part of your marriage, on the day itself and beyond enquire about getting married hereWe want to make your wedding personal and memorable for you. Churches are special places and there are some things about a church wedding that you just can’t get anywhere else.
A church wedding will add a spiritual dimension to your marriage. The ceremony includes God and looks to him for help and guidance. God’s blessing is the main attraction for many couples, whatever their beliefs.
You can make amazing vows, or promises, in a church. You can only make vows this big in a church. These vows, made in public, will help you to stay together and grow together. God and your church are there for you to help you keep your vows.
The Vicar has a very particular role to play in your wedding. She or he can blend ancient tradition and modern experience to reflect your story. Because of the relationship with the Vicar, your wedding can be made personal, memorable, meaningful and beautiful.
Contact the Vicar via the contact us page, with any questions you may have.
‘Thank you for all you did to make our wedding day so special. The church flowers were amazing – thanks, Flower Guild – and it was lovely to have your choir singing for us. Thank you, too, for all your help and advice beforehand. It was really appreciated.’
Good News! Thanks to a new law, you’ve now got more choice about which church to marry in.
If you want to find out more about being married at St Peter’s Hale, contact the Vicar or the Parish Office.
We know that you might like to marry in a church away from where you live because it has special significance for you through family or other special connections. An engaged couple can now do just that if either of you can show just one of the following seven connections with the parish.
That one of you:
- was baptised in the parish concerned or
- was prepared for confirmation in the parish or
- has at any time lived in the parish for a period of at least 6 months or
- has at any time regularly gone to normal church services in the parish church for a period of at least 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
In all cases involving church services – i.e. going to normal church services, baptism, confirmation or marriage – this applies only to Church of England services. Even if you cannot demonstrate any of the above connections, we want to help you explore whether it may still be possible for you to marry in your special church.
Talk to the Vicar there well in advance to discuss the options open to you.
If you’re marrying in a special church that’s not where you live, your local church would still love to support you as you prepare for the wedding, and afterwards too.
Marriage after divorce
We wish you a lifetime of love that grows within God’s protection. But we recognise that some marriages do fail for all sorts of sad and painful reasons.
So in certain circumstances the Church of England accepts that a divorced person may marry again and this has been the case since 2002.
There may be a way forward for you to remarry in a church, so please contact our Vicar about this, who will be able to talk frankly about your past and hopes for the future.
Enquire about getting married at St Peter's
F.A.Q.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much will it cost?
The legal fees for a marriage cover the publication of the banns, the marriage service and a certificate of marriage. These fees are fixed nationally but do not cover any extras you may wish to have for the service, such as an organist, fees for video recording and so on. Please contact St Peter’s Parish Office via the Contact us page for details of current fees for weddings.
We’ve decided to get married abroad, but we would like a church blessing. Is that possible?
This is a great idea. Please talk to the vicar about the possibilities. There is a service of prayer and dedication after a civil ceremony and this can be adapted. There are no legal requirements for such a service.
Why do we need marriage preparation?
You have probably invested a lot of time planning your wedding. The day is important but we pray your marriage will last for the rest of your life. However much you think you know each other, you are still two separate individuals with different backgrounds, personalities, experiences, hopes and fears.
We ask couples getting married at St Peter’s (Hale) and St Elizabeth’s (Ashley) to join us for ‘Looking at Marriage’, a day of preparation in the months before their wedding. The minister conducting your wedding will also spend time with you and arrange a rehearsal.