Weddings

Wedding Planner

Congratulations on your forthcoming marriage

Your church wants to help you make your wedding day special and personal.

There are some things about marrying in church that you just can't get anywhere else. The following information contains all you need to know about the practical arrangements for your wedding.

Preparing for marriage

Inevitably you will become overwhelmed by the many arrangements and endless lists it takes to organise a wedding. Certainly you never ever realised that it took so much time and fuss!! In all this hassle it's good to pause to focus on what is at the heart of all this activity - your desire to live lovingly together within the bond of marriage.

Even if you have already been living together for some time, you are still two separate individuals with different backgrounds, personalities, experiences, hopes and fears. You’ll never make such big promises to each other as the day you make your wedding vows. Your church knows that you will want to think these through and provides the time and space to do so. Ask your Vicar about marriage discussion and what they offer to help you consider the vows together.

To get you started, these are some of the key issues:

• "All that I have I share with you"...How will we share our possessions and finances?

• "Will you love, comfort, honour and protect (him/her)"

• How will we cope with disagreements so that we will protect our love and respect for each other for a lifetime?

• "Forsaking all others, be faithful as long as you both shall live"

• How will we ensure we avoid and/or cope with temptations in order to remain faithful throughout our marriage?

• "With my body I honour you" and "all that I am I give to you"...How will we invest in our sexual relationship throughout our whole marriage?

A Church Wedding and Christian Faith

A wedding is one of life's great moments, a time of solemn commitment as well as good wishes, feasting and joy. In his gospel, St. John tells how Jesus shared in such an occasion at Cana in Galilee and gave there a sign of new beginnings as he turned water into wine.

Marriage is intended by God to be a creative relationship, as His blessing enables husband and wife to love and support each other in good times and in bad, and to share in the care and upbringing of children. For Christians marriage is also an invitation to share life together in the spirit of Jesus Christ. It is based upon a solemn, public and lifelong vow between a man and a woman, declared and celebrated in the presence of God before witnesses.

On your wedding day you will face each other, make your promises and receive God's blessing. Receive these three actions as the pattern of your marriage: daily turning to each other; daily living out your marriage vows; and daily listening to God.

Banns

The publishing of banns is a legal requirement. They are read on three Sundays during the 3 months prior to the wedding date. You should make every effort to attend church to hear your banns read.

If either of you does not live in the parish where you are to be married, you must arrange for your banns to be also published in the parish church where you reside. If you are unsure about which parish you live in you can search on the website: achurchnearyou.com or speak to your minister.

After publication you will be given a certificate for which there is a fee. This certificate must be handed to the minister who is officiating at your marriage.

Flowers, organist and bells

Your minister will give you the names and telephone numbers of those to contact. Please remember all are volunteers. They want to help you make your wedding a very special occasion and would appreciate you giving them plenty of notice.

Planning

At least 2 months before your wedding day, the vicar will contact you, to arrange a session to plan and think about the service. It would help if before that session you have given some thought to things like music to come in and to go out to, two or three hymns, and a Bible reading.

The Church of England weddings website: yourchurchwedding.org has all sorts of useful information and tips for your special day e.g. choice of hymns, readings, music.

Order of Service

You may be planning to have an order of service printed for the ceremony. The minister conducting your ceremony will advise you about what needs to be included in the order of service and what your choices are. The minister and organist can help you choose music and hymns. The minister must check a draft copy of your order of service before you have it printed.

Confetti

We would prefer you to use biodegradable confetti so that the birds may be fed or the ground enriched.

Rehearsal

At the planning session a date is fixed for a rehearsal in Church. This should be attended by everyone who has a part in the service; you two, best man, bridesmaids, parents and ushers. It takes about half an hour, and allows you to walk through the service, and settle any last minute details. Please bring your banns certificate to the rehearsal.

Contacts

Minister: Revd Sister Liz Heaton: Tel: 01455 202935- email:uppersoar2019@gmail.com