Getting married is one of the most special things that can come our way in life. Having a Christian service can also be a particularly special thing; it means vowing to love one another with the passion and commitment that God has for all of us, and having God’s blessing placed upon your marriage. St John’s is a beautiful church building in which to get married with a stunningly long aisle and a beautiful garden for your photographs.
Are you able by law to marry at St John’s
We have to obey the law of the land when deciding if we are allowed to marry you at St John’s. Therefore you need to satisfy one of the following qualifying connections:
- if this is the parish where one of you were baptised or confirmed
- if one of you have lived in the parish for over 6mths at any time during your lives
- if one of you have attended worship in this parish for at least 6 months
- if this is the parish where at least one set of parents have lived or worshipped (during your lifetime)
- if your parents or grandparents were married in this parish.
What if none of the above apply to you?
If you don’t satisfy one of the above qualifying connections, you may still be able to marry at St John’s if:
- You begin worshipping with us regularly. Then, after a period of 6 months, you will meet the legal criteria.
Can you marry at St John’s if one or both of us are divorced?
Being divorced is not necessarily a barrier to being married at St John’s but as each divorce has unique circumstances an early discussion with a Vicar, is an important way to begin your exploration.
The Church of England’s website
The Church of England’s website is dedicated to all things wedding-related, which should include plenty of information that you may find useful. If you want to find out more, the best way to start is to come along to a Sunday Service on a Sunday at 9.45am. After the service you can have a preliminary conversation with the Vicar, and if appropriate, you’ll be asked to complete a Marriage Application Form.
