A wedding is one of life’s great moments, a time of solemn commitment as well as good wishes, feasting and joy. St John tells us how Jesus shared in such an occasion at Cana, and gave there a sign of new beginnings as he turned water into wine.
Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude, It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things (1 Corinthians 13.4-7).
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 covenant between a man and a woman, declared and celebrated in the presence of God and before witnesses.
On their wedding day the bride and bridegroom face each other, make their promises and receive God’s blessing.
Can I get married at All Hallows?
You may be married at All Hallows or any parish church with these qualifying connections :
- Baptised in the parish
- Confirmation entered in the register of the church
- Has or had usual place of residence in the parish for at least 6 months
- Has or have worshipped habitually in the church for 6 months
- During his/her lifetime parents has lived in the parish for 6 months
- During his/her lifetime parent has habitually worshipped at the church for at least 6 months
- Parents or grandparent married in the parish
(References to Baptism, Confirmation, Marriage and public worship are all confined to services according to the Church of England)
“Parent” includes adoptive parent or person who undertook the care and upbringing of the person concerned and “grandparent” has corresponding meaning.
What if one of us has been previously married and divorced?
Christians believe that marriage is intended to last until one party dies: ‘till death us do part’. This is mainly for two reasons: first, it gives a sense of permanence, and builds trust between the couple, which will enable them to negotiate the difficult periods that occur within any marriage. Second, the Bible teaches that marriage is a reflection of God’s love for and relationship with the church, which, of course, can never be broken because God is always faithful.
That is the ideal! However, as human beings we sometimes fail in this area as we do in any other, and God is all about forgiveness, mercy, blessing and new beginnings. So, since 2002, the Church of England has decided that remarriage after divorce may be possible under certain circumstances. This would need to be discussed personally with Nicola. Please note, it is unlikely that remarriage would be possible if this relationship began during the life of the previous marriage.
Do I need to be baptised?
There is no legal requirement for you to have been baptised in order to get married in church. But if you feel that baptism is something you want to explore, then we are always happy to talk to you about that.
Can I have any date I want?
All Hallows is a very popular church for weddings. The best way to avoid any disappointment is to request your chosen date in good time – the earlier you request a booking the more chance there is that the date and time you prefer will be free.
What if I have any special requests?
Sometimes couples have special requests: e.g. they want a friend to sing during the service, or they would like a particular priest to take the wedding, etc. Please advise us of any such requests when requesting your booking. We will do our best to accommodate them. We cannot guarantee that we’ll be able to but we will, of course, tell you very quickly of anything we cannot do.
What will the wedding cost?
The total fees for 2024 are £xxx.00 plus £xx.00 for heating between October and March. Our choir is always willing to provide the music for your big day (though weekdays may be more difficult for the choir) bit there is a further charge for this and for videoing the whole service.