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Preliminaries & Planning

 

Essential Preliminaries

 

Every marriage requires a legal preliminary or notice of marriage.  For most couples this will take the form of banns (notices) read out in church on three consecutive Sundays prior to the marriage.  These must be read at the church you are to be married in (Edensor or Beeley), and at the parish church(es) where you live. So if bride and groom live in different Church of England parishes and these are not Edensor or Beeley then three lots of banns are required.

 

Couples living outside Edensor and Beeley parishes must approach the vicars or administrators of their local parishes and request banns to be read there. There will be a fee for reading the banns and another fee for issuing the banns certificate.  You should hand over the banns certificates to the priest conducting your marriage.

WITHOUT THE BANNS CERTIFICATES THE PRIEST CANNOT MARRY YOU

Banns must be read within 3 months of your marriage since they are only valid for a period of three months from the date of the banns certificate.  It is recommended that you get banns read during the month just before your marriage so that if there is a delay to the ceremony the banns may still be valid at the re-arranged date.

 

 

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Spiritual and Emotional Preparation

 

• Go to Church (and not just when the Banns are read). Don’t go with preconceived ideas about church services and of church people. Be humble enough to expect to find God there.

• The Vicar is very happy to talk things over with you, and talk to you about the Christian Faith (apart from the preparation you will receive before your wedding day). If you are not confirmed you may like to be confirmed before or after your wedding.

• Get into the habit of talking to God in Prayer. Thank Him for the marvellous times you have. Tell Him about your worries; think what He might want you to do.

• Don’t settle for second best. Remember, Christian marriage is for Life. It’s the greatest calling.

 

Wedding arrangements

 

  1. When you have arranged a date and time for your wedding at Church you need to fill in a Banns Form, which we will give to you. Booking is only provisional until we receive a signed Banns Form and deposit. If one of the partners does not live in the Parish, you must arrange to have the Banns read in his/her local Church. You will be given a certificate without which you can’t be married.

     Banns must be read within three months of your wedding day, on three consecutive Sundays.

  2. Three months before the wedding, arrange a date with the Vicar for your wedding preparations.

  3. Flower arrangements - ask for advice at church.  Note that you may find there is another wedding on the same day as yours.  If this occurs the vicar can put you in touch with the other couple with a view to sharing the cost of flowers.  

  4. You need to choose two or three hymns. Ask the Vicar or organist if you need any help with your selection.

  5. Fees are made payable to ‘St Peter Edensor PCC’ or to ‘St Anne Beeley PCC’.

  6. If there is to be any video or audio recording in church then a fee is due and a completed and signed Video Application Form presented.