Information about getting
married in churches or other religious buildings in England and
Wales.
Can I marry in Church?
The regulations for marrying in the Church of England are
different to those that govern civil marriages. Generally, to be
eligible to marry in a parish church you must:-
- Be a resident in the parish;
- Be on the parish electoral role;
- Have been baptised or prepared for confirmation in the
parish;
- Have previously lived in the parish for six months or
more;
- Have at any time regularly attended public worship in the
parish for six months or more;
- Have a parent who has lived in the parish for six
months or more in their child’s lifetime;
- Have a parent who has regularly attended public worship in the
parish for six months or more in their child’s lifetime;
- Have a parent or grandparent who was married in the
parish.
If you wish to marry at a church other than the Church of England
or Wales, for example a Roman Catholic Church or Baptist. You
either need to be:
- a resident in the local registration district covered by the
church; or
- a regular worshipper at the church.
Some Non-conformist churches will require a Registrar to be
present at your marriage. Your Minister will advise you if this is
necessary. If you do require a Registrar to be in attendance please
contact
Suffolk Register Offices as soon as possible to check their
availability on your chosen date.
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How can I contact my local minister?
The parishes in Suffolk are listed on
The Diocese of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich website and The
Diocese of Norwich
website (for the Waveney area)
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What are the legal preliminaries for religious marriages?
The legal preliminaries for Church of England marriages are
known as the 'Banns of Marriage' - your officiating minister will
arrange these for you. In some cases your circumstances may require
a ‘common' or ‘special' licence which will also be arranged through
your minister.
The legal preliminaries for Non-conformist church marriages are
arranged by the Superintendent Registrar in the area in which you
live.
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I am divorced – can I get married in a church?
Possibly, however the decision is entirely at the discretion of
the minister at the church. Some ministers are very happy to marry
divorcees whilst others are more reluctant. In some cases they may
need to seek guidance from The Bishops Office, church trustees or
other governing body. The first step is to discuss your
circumstances with the minister at your chosen church.
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How can I arrange for my Non-conformist church to be licensed
for marriages?
If your building has been registered for religious worship under
the 1855 ‘places of religious worship act' then you can arrange for
it to be licensed for marriage ceremonies. The cost is currently
£120. You will need to approach at least 20 householders in the
local community to support your application.
For the first 12 months you will need to have a Registrar in
attendance at all marriages conducted in your church, after this
time you may consider applying for your own marriage register for
your church.
Please approach the Superintendent Registrar at your local
Suffolk Register Office who will assist you in the process and
supply you with the necessary application forms.
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I would like to marry in a church in an area where neither of
us lives. Is it possible?
It may be. Initially approach the minister at the church of your
choice to discuss your wishes. You may be asked to establish a
period of residency in the locality of between 7 and 21 days or to
attend church services.
More information about Church of England marriages can be found
on The
Church of England web site .
More information about marriages in the Roman Catholic Church
can be found at The
Catholic Church in England and Wales web site .
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