Weddings

At St Mary's there are usually around a dozen weddings each year. Normally the clergy are able to meet the couple several times before the wedding.

Getting married is straightforward when the bride or the groom lives in the parish or grew up here. It's your right to be married in your parish church. The full policy is below.

If bride or groom have been divorced, there needs to be an interview with the vicar before any arrangement can be made.

Our current fees are £575. If your budget doesn't allow for this, we are happy to be reasonably flexible.

To make enquiries and arrangements for a marriage service, please contact our curate, Rev John Gleaves, on 01270 878169 or rev.johngleaves@googlemail.com

Church of England Wedding Policy

The Church of England in the Marriage Measure of 2008. Any adult living within the Parish boundary is entitled to be married in the Parish Church. (See note* below and also the information about St Mary's Parish on the About Us page of this website). A person who does not live within the Parish boundary, but has had connections with the church may be married in the Parish church if she/he ...

• was baptised in the parish  (This does not apply where the baptism formed part of a combined service of baptism and confirmation.)
• had his/her confirmation entered in a church register book of a church or chapel  in the parish, or
• had at any time his/her usual place of residence in the parish for at least six months, or
• has at any time habitually attended public worship in the parish for at least six months;

Or

• a parent of that person has at any time during that person’s lifetime had his/her usual place of residence in the parish for at least six months, or habitually attended public worship in the parish for at least six months;

Or

• a parent or Grandparent of that person was married in the parish.

Preliminaries to the marriage will include visits by the clergy, and the publication of banns. It is the duty of those wishing to be married to establish a qualifying connection with the parish. Those who do not have a qualifying connection with the parish, yet wish to be married in the parish church should contact the Curate (01270 878169).If neither party has a connection with the parish, then one or both must attend worship at least monthly at the parish church for six months and then apply for entry on the electoral roll. In exceptional circumstances it may be possible to make a successful application for an Archbishop of Canterbury’s special licence.  Where the clergy feel this is the case, guidance will be given to the couple.

* If a person wishing to be married has been divorced, and the previous partner is still living, no arrangements can be made before the vicar has interviewed the couple planning to marry. In cases where the the vicar feels the case is not straightforward, then the advice of the diocesan registrar should be sought. 

Registers

All our marriage registers apart from the current one are kept at the County Records Office, Duke Street, Chester CH1 1RL (01244 972574)