| Choosing whether to have a civil or church wedding is | | | | personalise your ceremony and offer greater flexibility. |
| usually a clear cut decision for most couples based on | | | | The ceremony can be tailored to incorporate a variety |
| their beliefs. With a little thought and imagination, both | | | | of vows, music and personal readings (all non religious). |
| types of wedding can be beautiful and meaningful | | | | Your ceremony can also be held at your reception |
| occasions. | | | | venue which reduces stress on time and makes |
| Church of England Wedding | | | | planning and organisation easier (and cheaper!) |
| Many couples choose to celebrate their marriage by | | | | The ceremony can be held at any register office or |
| opting for a church wedding. It epitomises the ideal of | | | | licenced venue of your choosing regardless of where |
| the traditional white wedding - ladies in hats, church | | | | you live. Licenced venues offer a wide variety of |
| bells ringing,the bride in a beautiful white gown and the | | | | options from hotels and castles to zoos, botanical |
| groom in full morning dress (as immortalised in ('Four | | | | gardens and permanent open air structures such as |
| Weddings and a Funeral!') | | | | gazebos and bandstands. The legal ceremony cannot |
| You can marry in church whatever your beliefs, | | | | be performed in a venue's chapel (except in Scotland) |
| whether or not you are baptised and whether or not | | | | though you may have a member of the clergy or a |
| you go to church (If you are divorced you will need to | | | | celebrant perform a subsequent ceremony there for |
| discuss your options with your vicar.) Marrying in | | | | you if you wish. |
| church has never been easier thanks to a change in | | | | Choose where you would like to marry and check |
| the law which means you now have more churches | | | | availability with the local superintendent registrar. You |
| to choose from. Basically if you attend church services | | | | will need to give 15 days notice and produce proof of |
| in the church of your choice for a minimum of 6 | | | | identity and address. If you are re-marrying you will |
| months prior to the wedding, have previously lived in a | | | | need to provide final divorce papers or a death |
| parish or you have another family connection eg | | | | certificate. |
| parents or grandparents were married at the church, it | | | | The law is currently awaiting review to allow weddings |
| may now be possible for you to marry there too. | | | | to take place outside of an approved venue or |
| Civil Weddings | | | | structure, e.g. under the cherry tree in your garden or |
| Civil weddings are currently the most popular choice of | | | | at your favourite beauty spot so watch this space.... |
| UK couples as they give freedom of choice to | | | | |