Welcome!

Congratulations on your engagement!

If you would like to get married at Christ Church please click

here

for information which will help you to decide.

The following information will also be useful...

Planning your wedding Once you have booked a wedding with us, one of the clergy will talk to you about the arrangements.

We would like to help and support you, whatever stage you’re at with your planning.

Here are a few links to help you... For a Ceremony planner click here Popular wedding hymns click here (for words and music) Bible readings click here but do remember to speak to whoever is conducting your service as well! If a wedding in Church is not appropriate for your circumstances we are more than happy to discuss a blessing.

Cost

Our wedding fees are set at £457 for 2014 (including organist, verger and marriage certificate). The choir are an optional extra (and subject to availability). Please use the Contact Us link for further information. Marriage after divorce We wish you a lifetime of love that grows within God's protection. But we recognise that some marriages do fail for all sorts of sad and painful reasons. So in certain circumstances the Church of England accepts that a divorced person may marry again and this has been the case since 2002. There may be a way forward for you to remarry at Christ Church, but you should talk to the clergy about this. Our clergy will want to talk frankly with you about your past and hopes for the future and will then be able to advise you.

Service of prayer and dedication after a civil ceremony

Many people who have a civil wedding feel they would like to dedicate their marriage to God in church soon afterwards. A possible outline Service of Prayer and Dedication can be viewed here.   It is a simple service, open to anyone. The words of the service acknowledge the commitment you have already made and ask for God’s blessing and guidance in your new life together. Because it is not a marriage service, banns are not required, there is no exchange of rings and there is no signing of the Register. It also means that the service can be adapted to your needs. Many couples have opted for this service where one or both of them is remarrying after divorce. If this is your situation, talk thinks through with your Vicar who can offer guidance on remarrying in church.

Renewal of wedding vows

We are always delighted to offer couples the opportunity to renew or reaffirm their wedding vows to each other. This may be to celebrate an anniversary, such as a silver, ruby or golden wedding. It may also be something couples wish to do after a time of separation or difficulty in their marriage. If you have any questions about renewing your wedding vows at Christ Church, you are always welcome to discuss your plans with the Rector, Chris, or his colleague Barbara. But we have compiled some of the common questions that we are frequently asked to get you started... Do we have to have been married at Christ Church? No. Many of the couples for whom we conduct services for the renewal of vows are returning to the church where they were married. However, many are also local people who were married elsewhere and now want to reaffirm their wedding vows at their local church. Where can the service be held? We would normally only offer this service in Christ Church, as either part of one of our main services, or as a separate service. Though there may be good reasons (e.g. illness) which would make it appropriate for it to happen at home for example. What happens on the day? In many ways that is up to you. Couples vary in the kind of celebration they wish to have as part of renewing their vows. At its simplest level, it may be that you just want a simple prayer at the end of one of our regular Sunday services. At the other, you may want a full service at a time of your choosing, surrounded by friends and family. This might look very similar to a wedding service with hymns, readings, a talk, prayers as well the renewal of your vows. Sometimes couples also want to give each other a new ring (or rings). How do we arrange it? The first thing to do is to speak to one of the clergy after one of the services, or by telephone. The clergy will explain the process to you, and arrange to chat with you. How much does it cost? This really depends on the kind of service you choose. There is no charge for a simple prayer at the end of one of our regular Sunday services, but for a service at a separate time fees are charged. The clergy will be able to discuss with you the various options, and possible expenses.