Getting married at St Mary's
- The marriage service in church
- Who can get married in St Mary's?
- The Banns
- Music and church bells at your wedding
- Further detailed information
In St Mary's, over the last 750 years or so, countless couples have been united through the Christian marriage ceremony in the beautiful surroundings of our church. We like to imagine that something of their love and expectation has, over the centuries, sunk into our ancient walls. We therefore look forward to making every prospective bride and groom feel really welcome. We will try to answer all their questions and help them with everything that has to be arranged so that they may eventually be declared, before their families, friends, and God, to be husband and wife. Here is some preliminary information.
THE MARRIAGE SERVICE IN CHURCH
A marriage service, wherever it is held, is a public declaration of love and commitment to your partner. If you decide to get married in church, you will be asked to promise before God, your friends and your families, that you will love, comfort, honour and protect your partner and be faithful to him or her as long as you both shall live. The minister conducting the service will also ask everyone present to declare that they will support and uphold your marriage.
WHO CAN GET MARRIED IN ST MARY'S?
New regulations came into force on 1st October 2008 called "The Church of England Marriage Measure 2008". This does not affect the existing rights of parishioners to be married in their local church, but extends the entitlement to other people who might not qualify under the existing rules.
Engaged couples are entitled to be married in St Mary's church if just one of these applies from the existing regulations:
- If one, or both of them, are resident in the parish of St Mary's Church, Shenfield.
- If one, or both of them, is entered on the church electoral roll of St Mary's Church, Shenfield.
In addition, engaged couples, may make an application to be married in St Mary's Church if one of the following new conditions called "Qualifying Connections" applies from the 2008 regulations:
- One of them was baptised or prepared for confirmation in the parish and has had his or her confirmation entered in our church register book
- One of them has ever lived in the parish for six months or more
- One of them has, at any time, regularly attended public worship in the parish for six months or more
- One of their parents has lived in the parish for six months or more in their child's lifetime, or one of their parents has
habitually attended public worship in the parish for 6 months - Their parents or grandparents were married in the parish
(All of these apply to Church of England services)
Making an application to marry in St Marys' Church
If you want to apply to marry in St Mary's on the basis of the new regulations, please contact our Rector, David Thomas.
The Rector, David Thomas is sympathetic to those who are divorced and seeking to marry in church. He is happy to meet you both to discuss whether it will be possible and if so to make the necessary arrangements.
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THE BANNS
Banns of Marriage are a public announcement of your intention to marry. It is a legal requirement that Banns must be read at church services, during the three months before the date of your wedding, in the church where you intend to get married - St Mary's - and also the church in any other parish where you or your partner actually lives. The Rector will discuss the arrangements for this.
MUSIC AND CHURCH BELLS AT YOUR WEDDING
You may choose whether or not you would like to have the organ played, the choir to lead the singing, and the bells rung as the wedding procession leaves the church.
FURTHER DETAILED INFORMATION
When you meet the Rector, he will give you information about the Christian marriage service itself, suggested music and hymns you may like to have during the service, suitable readings, a sample Order of Service, and the fees to be charged. We will also let you know of arrangements for flowers in the church. We are happy for the wedding to be videod, but for obvious reasons, we do not allow still photography during the service itself.