How do I go about booking my wedding?
In the first instance, by far the easiest way is to contact our Parish Administrator, Claire Morrell-Stone, on office@bramcoteparishchurch.com, or leave a message with the Church Office on (0115) 943 0137.
Must I live within the parish?
In order to be married at St Michael’s, either or both of you will need to satisfy one of the following conditions:
(a) live within the ecclesiastical parish,
(b) be an active member of the congregation with your name entered
on the electoral roll, or
(c) have some prior ‘Qualifying Connection’ with the parish.
A person has a ‘Qualifying Connection’ with the parish if they meet any one of the following criteria:
- baptised in the parish (this does not apply where the baptism formed part of a combined service of baptism or confirmation)
- had his or her confirmation entered into a church register book belonging to any church or chapel in the parish
- has at any time had his or her usual place of residence in the parish for at least 6 months
- has at any time habitually attended public worship in the parish for at least 6 months
or if a parent of that person has at any time during that person’s lifetime:
- had his or her usual place of residence in the parish for at least 6 months
- habitually attended public worship in the parish for at least 6 months
or if a parent or grandparent of that person was married in the parish.
In all cases involving church services (i.e. coming to/going to/attending normal church services, baptism, confirmation or marriage) this applies only to Church of England services.
Read more about the Marriage Measure 2008
To view the Parish Boundary, please refer to the map on the Contact page of this website, or else enter your home postcode into the following website www.acny.co.uk which will show you precisely which ecclesiastical parish you live within.
We will be very happy to guide you through any of these requirements.
How much will my church wedding cost?
The statutory fee for providing a church wedding in your home parish is currently (2023) £480.00.
Fees are fixed by the Church of England nationally and approved by parliament.
Additional fees may be added by the Parochial Church Council (PCC) to cover the cost of any additional services which you might require, such as organist, choir, musicians, bell ringers, verger etc. All such fees are fully detailed once we know your specific requirements.
There is also a small statutory fee for calling Banns of Marriage prior to a wedding at St Michael’s. Banns read in other churches, or Licenses issued, are charged separately by the parishes concerned or by the statutory authorities.
The cost of any Marriage Preparation Course undertaken is not included in the above figures.
All fees are reviewed each year in January.
Giving Notice (The legal preliminaries)
It is always necessary to give public notice that you wish to be married.
Within the Church of England this is almost always done by calling your banns on three occasions during the main (10:00am) Sunday Morning Service. We normally do this for 3 weeks, 4-8 weeks prior to your wedding.
If you and/or your fiancée live in another parish, you must also arrange for banns to be called there. We can, in all probability, provide you with the name and telephone number of the person you will need to contact to arrange this.
IMPORTANT CHANGES TO THE LAW REGARDING MARRIAGES
The Immigration Act 2014 makes important changes to the law relating to the marriage of persons from outside of the European Economic Area (‘EEA’).
With effect from March 1st, 2015, if one of the parties wishing to be married is a non-EEA national the parties will each have to obtain a Superintendent Registrar’s Certificate (SRC) to authorize the marriage (unless an Archbishop’s Special Licence has been granted). At this time it will cease to be lawful for the marriage of a non-EEA national to be solemnized after the publication of banns of marriage or on the authority of a common licence.
When application is made for banns to be published, all couples should be asked to provide specified evidence that both of them are EEA nationals. If the parties cannot provide specified evidence that they are both EEA nationals they will both need to obtain an SRC.
NOTE: These procedures may be subject to change post-Brexit.
What if I’ve been married before?
If you are a widow or widower, there is no restriction on you being married in church. However, if you have been divorced and your previous partner is still living, we follow the Church of England guidelines on the marriage of divorced people. If you wish to explore the possibility of re-marriage, please contact us to arrange an informal meeting to discuss the specific circumstances surrounding your previous marriage.
Can I change the date or time after booking?
If you have to make changes after booking we will do all we can to fit in with your new arrangements. However, it may not always be possible to guarantee an alternative date or time.
Please ensure that you advise us of any proposed changes to your arrangements as soon as possible. It is particularly important that you advise us immediately should you decide not to proceed with a wedding at St Michael’s.
Please be aware that the most difficult booking to arrange is often the reception venue, particularly if you are using a very popular hotel, so it is advisable to get a few alternative dates and times from them before making a firm booking with us.
IMPORTANT
Because changes in the law and other determining factors are frequent, the information provided on this page is intended to be purely illustrative.
Please feel free to contact us for more information on any of the above.