Ministry & Mission - Weddings & Blessings

Do I live in St Matthew's Parish

Please refer to the parish boundary map. This should help you decide whether or not you are resident within the ecclesiastical parish. Knowing which parish you live in is of particular importance when you are wanting to get married in church or seeking baptism. Please refer to our guidelines to the law.

For the most part, the parish boundary travels along the middle of the road, where those resident on one side of a road are within the bounds of the parish and those on the other are not. In each case those resident within the parish will be living on the side nearest St Matthew's Church, as follows:

	on the southwest side of Park Avenue North
	the northwest side of Abington Avenue
	the north side of Abington Grove and Kingsley Road

There may be particular uncertainty where the parish boundary crosses a road, as is the case at the north end of Park Avenue North, the Kettering Road, and Hazeldene Road. In these cases we will be able to help you.

Marriage (also known as Holy Matrimony)

Today more than a quarter of all marriages in England take place before God in the traditional setting of a Church of England church. You're welcome to marry in church whatever your beliefs, whether or not you are baptized, and whether or not you go to church.

The Initial Enquiries Evening is for couples living in the Parish who wish to be married at St Matthew's, and those living in the Parish who wish - in certain circumstances - to be married in church elsewhere. In either case Banns of Marriage need to be arranged. More information can be found on our Initial Enquiries Evening page.

Legal aspects of marriage

In marriage you take on a whole new legal status as man and wife and this can have many benefits. To ensure the marriage complies with both UK Civil and Church law, there are certain aspects of a church wedding that must be fulfilled.

Reading of Banns

Banns are an announcement in church of your intention to marry and a chance for anyone to put forward a reason why the marriage may not lawfully take place. Banns need to be read in the parish where each of you lives as well as the parish church in which you are to be married, if that is somewhere else. You must have your Banns read out in church for three Sundays during the three months before the wedding. This is usually done over three consecutive Sundays but does not have to be.

If there is not enough notice given for the Banns to be read before the marriage is due to take place, or in the case of the marriage of people whose nationality is not British, or if one or both of you do not live in England, it is recommended that the Licence procedure be used rather than Banns. This is especially recommended if there is any doubt as to the legal requirements of the home country of a non-British person for recognition of an English Church marriage.

You must be old enough

If you are under 18 years old you will need your parents' consent to marry, and by law you cannot be married in the UK until you are 16.

Time of wedding

To be legal the wedding must take place between 8.00am and 6.00pm.

Licences

There are some circumstances in which you may need a Special Licence, Common Licence or a Superintendent Registrar's Certificate to marry in church. We will let you know if these apply to you.

Marrying outside your parish

It is now much easier to marry in a church that has a special connection for you, even if it is not in your own local parish. Lots of people marry in their own local church, but we know that you might like to marry in a church away from where you live because it has special significance for you through family or other connections.

An engaged couple can now marry in a Church of England church away from where you live if either of you can show one of the seven connections with the parish listed below.

You can marry in a Church of England church if you can show that one of you:

	has at any time lived in the parish for a period of at least 6 months
	was baptized in the parish concerned
	was prepared for confirmation in the parish
	has at any time regularly gone to normal church services in the parish church for a period of at least 6 months

Or, that one of your parents, at any time after you were born:

	has lived in the parish for a period of at least 6 months
	has regularly gone to normal church services in the parish church for a period of at least 6 months

Or, that one of your parents or grandparents:

was married in the parish

In all cases involving church services - i.e. going to normal church services, baptism, confirmation or marriage - this applies only to Church of England services.

Dedication of a Civil Marriage

The Church of England provides a form of service for those who have been married at a civil ceremony and wish to come to church as husband and wife to dedicate to God their life together and seek his blessing.

Thanksgiving for Marriage (Wedding Blessing)

	Renewal of Vows The Priest says to the couple(s) I invite you now to recall the vows that you made at your wedding. Husband and wife face each other and hold hands. The husband says I, N, took you, N, to be my wife; The wife says I, N, took you, N, to be my husband; The couple say together to have and to hold from that day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part, according to God's holy law, and this was our solemn vow. Today, in the presence of our family and friends, we affirm our continuing commitment to this vow. The Priest says to the congregation Will you, the family and friends ofN and N continue to support and uphold them in their marriage now and in the years to come?
All	We will.

This service is intended for a number of different occasions:

	on occasions when a number of couples reaffirm their vows together
	to celebrate an anniversary of marriage
	after a time of separation or difficulty in marriage

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