If you would like a church wedding we hope you will find the
following information helpful. You might also like to visit the
Church of England website and also the
Your Church
Wedding website which has lots of general information about
weddings and marriage, including answers to many frequently asked questions.
Who can get married at St Nicholas Church?
You are welcome to be married at
St Nicholas if just one of the following applies;
One of you lives in the parish
One of you was baptised or prepared for confirmation in the
parish
One of you has at any time regularly attended public
worship worship in the parish for six months or more
One of your parents has lived in the parish for six months
or more in your lifetime
One of your parents has regularly attended public worship
in the parish for six months or more in your lifetime
One of your parents or grandparents were married in the
parish
If you can provide
evidence that you fulfil one of the above criteria you will be married at St
Nicholas by banns. This means your intention to get married is announced on
three consecutive Sundays in the months prior to your wedding, at the
10.00am service. If one of you lives elsewhere you will also need to get
your banns read in that parish in the three months before the wedding.
When this has happened you collect a certificate which you pass on to St
Nicholas’ confirming that the banns have been read and that there has been
no legal objection to your marriage.
What about marriage after divorce?
If one of you has been married before
and has a former spouse still living it may be possible for you to get
married at St Nicholas. The Church of England requires that all
couples in this situation answer various questions when they meet the
vicar. The questions will be sent to you prior to the meeting; it is
only after this that a decision is made.
What do we need to do next?
If you think that you
are eligible to get married at St. Nicholas please would you ring the
Parish Office and make an appointment to see
one of the clergy. This will be on a Wednesday evening from 7.30pm onwards
at 7, Elmbank Road. If you live away you will have to
travel on the Wednesday. Weekend appointments are not possible. The
purpose of the meeting is to check your eligibility to get married at St
Nicholas, to complete the paper work, to book the wedding, to get to know
you, to explain what the church will be offering you now and in the future
and to confirm by which of the following you will be married.
Marriage Preparation
After your initial meeting with one of the clergy you and
all the other couples for your year will be invited to a marriage
preparation day in February (usually near Valentines Day and National
Marriage Week!). This is organised by members of the church family and
includes lunch. The focus of the day is on your marriage which is a
lifetime rather than on your wedding which is forty minutes.
About three months before your wedding we will contact you
to arrange a meeting with whoever is conducting the service. This time
the focus is on your wedding, as we think about the meaning of the words
you are going to say and go through the Order of Service. At your first
appointment with one the of clergy you will have received a draft order of
service to base yours on. If you need another copy please contact the
Parish Office.
On the Thursday evening before your wedding there is a
rehearsal for the couple, the best man, the bridesmaids and whoever is
giving the bride away.
Your Wedding
Music
- at St Nicholas we have some excellent organists. When you book
your wedding we book an organist and let you know who this is. Nearer the time of the wedding you should make
your choice of hymns and the music you wish to enter and go out
to. If you are not sure what hymns or music to choose we have a
list to help you; there is also some guidance on the Church of England
website
here. The choir are not able to sing at weddings,
but if you wish to use other quartets or small choirs this is allowed
with the organist's agreement. If you decide to have a friend or
relative play the organ this must be with our agreement and
the organist fee must still be paid.
Bells
- at St Nicholas we have a six bell tower and a dedicated band of
ringers who are happy to ring 25 minutes before your wedding and 15
minutes afterwards. When you book the wedding you can also book the
bell ringers if you wish.
Flowers
- It is always a good idea to brighten up the church with some flowers
for your wedding. At St Nicholas we are fortunate to have a
wonderful group of flower arrangers who are happy to discuss your
requirements.
Photographs
& Video - We are happy for you to have photgraphs and video
taken in church by professionals, providing they are done in an
unobtrusive way, and without the photographer or videographer moving
around. Those filming weddings must meet with the vicar at the
rehearsal or 45 minutes before the wedding to agree where they will be
positioned.
Readings - A church wedding always includes one or
more Bible readings and a large selection can be found in the Marriage
Service booklet which you will receive at your wedding preparation
meeting. A non Bible Reading may also be chosen with the agreement of
the minister conducting your wedding. If you wish a friend or relation to
read remember that it’s best to choose someone who believes what they are
saying.There
are some suggested readings on the Church of England website
here.
Special Needs
- For wheel chair users there are no steps at St. Nicholas and a toilet
for the disabled is provided at the back of church together with baby
changing facilities. Those with hearing aids can turn to T to hear the
service directly.
How much will the wedding cost?
Weddings are expensive as you will have probably
found out! The good news is that the actual wedding
itself is usually one of the cheapest items. We try to keep
costs to a minimum but there are legal fees, payment to organist and
bell ringers, copyright fees etc. This is the current fee list and each January they go up by roughly the rate of inflation. An
invoice detailing fees for your wedding is sent approximately one month
before the wedding. Cheques should be made payable to St Nicholas
Parochial Church Council.
Wedding Fees
for 2012 (fees
are revised in January)
Statutory Fees:
Marriage
Certificate
3.50
Banns
22.00
Marriage Service
262.00
Sub-Total
287.50
Church Fixed
Fees
Verger / Caretaker
28.00
Administration Fee
34.00
Use of professional photography
34.00
Marriage Preparation
Course & Materials (if attended)
We hope
you will want to discover more about what is happening at St. Nicholas by
browsing through the rest of our website. Why not add us to your favourites
list?
Looking for
a venue for your wedding reception?
The Parochial Hall is just
across the road from the church and makes a great venue for wedding
receptions. The main hall can seat up to 120 people at round tables and has
a fully equipped commercial standard kitchen for use by our preferred
caterers and those with food hygiene training. There is also a large garden
with an outside patio and a pleasant lawn surrounded by trees and shrubs.
Take a look at everything it has to offer by visiting the following the link
below to see a photo gallery, online availability calendar and an online
booking request form. We offer Weekend Wedding Packages, which provides
exclusive us of all rooms, facilities and the garden from 6pm on a Friday
until 11.30pm on Saturday, all for £750.
As you prepare for your
wedding we hope you will be able to join us on Sundays at 10.00am and feel a
part of the church family. If you would like to explore more about the
Christian faith then do visit www.rejesus.co.uk . At some point in the future
you may also want to take part in our Christian Basics Course.
