Who can be married in our church?
The Marriage Act 1994 and other ecclesiastical law previously laid down who can be married in a parish church, in general you needed to be able to fulfil one of the following criteria:
- One of the parties to be married must reside in the parish
- One of the parties must have their usual place of residence within the parish
- One of the parties concerned is on the electoral role of the parish church
You can compete our Wedding Booking Form here.
However, Thanks to a new law, you’ve now got more choice about which church to marry in. We know that you might like to marry in a different church 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.
To learn more about the legal matters and constraints around a church wedding CLICK HERE.
Talk to the Vicar there well in advance to discuss the options open to you.
If you have been married before (and are now divorced) or have previously entered into a civil partnership, you may not be able to remarry in church, you should seek the advice of the church. For those remarrying, and those who choose to have a civil marriage, it is however normally possible to arrange a Service of Blessing or Solemnization in Church.
How can I find out if I live in the Parish of Wyke Regis All Saints with St Edmunds?
Go to A Church Near You website enter your postcode, then click on your home location on the map. Your parish church will then appear on the right hand side of the page under the text, “Churches in your area”. If this shows up: “Parish of Wyke Regis: All Saints w St Edmund . This is in the Diocese of Salisbury.”, you live in our parish.
How do I book a wedding?
Please remember we do weddings for lots of people and it may not be possible to give you the exact time, or in some cases even the date you want. So, please do not commit to your other arrangements, such as receptions etc. until you have spoken to the church. There are two Saturdays a year where we do not do any weddings these are the first Saturday in July and the first Saturday in December.
You will then need to meet with the Rector at least 3 months before your wedding to make the legal and practical arrangements. A further meeting with the priest usually happens nearer to the wedding, if necessary a wedding rehearsal can be organised in the two weeks proceeding the weeding.
What does it Cost?
Fees for the basic marriage service are set nationally (and revised on 1st January each year) and as such should be the same in every church. Each church does however have its own set of extra charges, or charges for specific items.
If you are being married in another church and you have been told you need to get your Banns read in your parish church, you should notify the church at least 6 weeks before your wedding and a separate fee is payable for the reading of Banns and provision of a certificate.
More information on banns is and how to apply is available CLICK HERE.
For details of current Fees click here to go to our Church Fees page.
What form does the service take?
The service used in the parish of Wyke Regis follows the form laid out in the book of Common Worship. The service lasts about 30 to 40 minutes. During the service couples can choose two or three appropriate Hymns to be used, and appropriate music for the bride to process in to, during the signing of the registers and for the bridal couples recession from church. Marriage couples can have a printed order of service produced, or their guests can use the church hymn books and service papers. If you have any other questions about the form of service please contact the church. More information on music is below.
Can we have flowers?
Yes, couples can have special flower arrangements placed in church for their wedding almost throughout the year. Flowers are not permitted (other than those worn or carried by the Bride) during the period of Lent or Advent. Where there is more than one wedding on a given day, we ask couples to coordinate their flower arrangements through the church Flower Group. You will be told if this is necessary when you meet with the Rector.
Can we have photos taken at our wedding?
We know it is important for you to record the events of your marriage day, however the marriage service is a formal, but joyful occasion, where important vows and commitments have to be made and we do not want over active photographers spoiling concentration, on the solemn central parts of the service. We therefore politely request that during the service itself that official photographers do not use flash photography and any photographs they take are taken discretely from the back or sides of the church and they refrain from wandering around the church. Of course they can take as many photos as they like before the service and after the service as you process down the aisle and lead your friends and relatives out of church. The photographer may wish to take pictures of the Bride before the ceremony and therefore, the Bridal party should arrive at least ten minutes before the prescribed time of the service.
The photographer should be aware that there may be other weddings on the day and must therefore ensure that the Bride arrives at the church door on time. On no account must the ceremony be delayed by photography. If this is the case the time for photographs at the end of the service, (normally about twenty minutes) may have to be curtailed. All confetti photography must take place at the Lych Gate only. We do not accept liability arising from insurance claims due to injury, loss or damage of equipment.
Can we have a video made of our wedding?
Yes, we are happy for a video recording to be made of the service as long as those videoing the service do this from a fixed location and do not wander around the church during the service, or interfere with, or disturb the service in any way. We can advise on the best positions from which the videos can be shot. Both the service and any music used in the ceremony is copyright and therefore subject to the conditions of the law relating to any kind of recording. The Church does not give the photographer any rights of copyright – only permission for the ceremony to be filmed by one camera under the direction of the minister. It is therefore up to the person recording the video to see that they have the necessary licence. Proof of this documentation may be asked for by the minister conducting the service. Generally an amateur recording on video which is produced for no fee and fewer than 5 copies are produced is covered under the licence held by the church. If however a professional organisation is engaged to video the service or a fee is paid to some other person to video the service a licence may need to obtained. This is called a Private Function Filming Licence (PFFL).
Licences and further information can be obtained from: Christian Copyright Licensing (Europe) Ltd (CCLE), PO Box 1339, Eastbourne, East Sussex BN21 1AD Tel: (01323) 417711; Fax: (01323) 417722; email: .
CCLE grants PFFL licences as agent of the Mechanical Copyright Protection Society (MCPS) for any recording or filming made on church premises for commercial or non-commercial purposes. These licences cover any music within the MCPS repertoire. The MCPS controls the recording rights for the vast majority of music covered by copyright and the words of that music, so that permission to record hymns, anthems or other music should not normally be sought from the publisher.
Does the Bride have to arrive late?
Whilst this is your special day and some believe it is traditional for the Bride to arrive late for her wedding, please remember the Church and Priest may have other commitments that day. This may include other peoples weddings or special occasions. Please therefore ensure that you make sure that you arrive on time, so that your special day, and other peoples special day, or arrangements are not messed up.
How do we choose our music?
There are many good website and music resources on the internet which you can search to find suitable music and hymns. Some of the more popular hymns and wedding music is listed below. The Rector can give you more guidance and assist with this when you meet to discuss your arrangements.
Hymns
(I) means a hymn which provides a good start to the service, (II) is a prayerful hymn suitable for the middle of the service; (III) provides a good finish to end the service.
- All People that on earth do dwell (I)
- All things bright and beautiful (I)
- At the name of Jesus every knee shall bow (I/III)
- Guide me, O thou great redeemer (III)
- Immortal, invisible, God only wise (I)
- Lead us, heavenly Father, lead us (III)
- Lord of all hopefulness, Lord of all joy (II)
- Love divine, all loves excelling (II/III)
- Morning has broken (I)
- Now thank we all our God (III)
- O Jesus I have promised (III)
- O worship the king all glorious above (I)
- Praise, my soul, the king of heaven (I)
- Praise to the Lord, the almighty, the king of creation (I)
- The Lord’s my shepherd, I’ll not want (II)
For the Bride’s entry into church:
- Bridal March (From “Lohengrin”) Richard Wagner
- Trumpet Voluntary (although much better for the end procession) Jeremiah Clarke
- Trumpet Tune * Henry Purcell
- March from “Scipio” * G F Handel
- March from “Occasional Oratorio” * G F Handel
- Fanfare for a Bride * Noel Rawsthorne
- Arrival of the Queen of Sheba * G F Handel
- St Anthony Chorale * Josef Haydn
- Prelude from “Te Deum” * M- A Charpentier
During the signing of the register:
- Jesu Joy of Mans Desiring J S Bach
- The Wedding (La Novia) J Prieto
- To a Wild Rose E MacDowell
- Panis Angelicus Cesar Franck
- Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves fro “Nabucco” G Verdi
- Chanson De Matin Sir Edward Elgar
- Morning from “Peer Gynt” Edvard Grieg
- Ashokan Farewell (lots of grace notes giving a “bagpipe” effect Jay Ungar
- Largo from “Serse” G F Handel
For the newly-weds to process from church at the end of the service:
- Wedding March F Mendelssohn
- Trumpet Voluntary Jeremiah Clarke
- Trumpet Tune Henry Purcell
- Grand March from “Aida” G Verdi
- Hornpipe and Coro from “Water Music” G F Handel
You can also choose the pieces marked * for the newly-weds’ procession out of the church, though for various reasons they are better as voluntaries for the bride’s entrance into church rather than used for the final procession.
More information is available from Your Church of England Wedding website.
You can compete our Wedding Booking Form here.
If you have any other questions that need answering please telephone 01305 784649 or or click here to complete our online enquiry form.
