Congratulations on your engagement! An exciting and happy time lies ahead and there will be much to think about, and one of those things is where to tie the knot. Tying the knot refers to the moment where the priest wraps the stole, a symbol of their office, when they have announced with great joy and applause that you have become husband and wife. This traditional symbol is one of many reasons why people often feel that the church is the right and best place to get married, and it is one of the cheapest too.
Our church buildings offer outstanding beauty are historic locations to get married, where people, probably your ancestors, tied the knot. When you tie the knot in our churches you become part of that history, the bigger plan, and this feeling helps to make your day feel even more special. This is another reason why so many people see their churches with their peaceful and serene atmospheres as the perfect location for their weddings. However, church weddings offer much more than a perfect venue for your wedding.
Church weddings involve you making choices about your ceremony so that you can have a personalised feel for your ceremony and celebration. Couples are often amazed at what is permitted in their wedding. For example, many secular places do not allow any music that might be considered remotely religious, yet church weddings have included secular music for centuries! There are some things about a church wedding that you just can’t get anywhere else.
Central to this personalisation is the priest. Although secular weddings can feel like a sausage mill process at times, the fact that you will not be married by someone that you have never met and would probably never meet again helps to make your occasion special. The priest will meet with you a few occasions before your big day and for a rehearsal, usually on the eve of your wedding day. By the time your wedding day arrives a priest and the couple know each other and this helps the occasion not only feel extra special because it is led by a friend, but also personal, memorable, meaningful and beautiful. The experience of the priest can help guide couples to blend ancient traditions and modern experiences to help you’re your wedding reflect your individual story as a couple. This level of service is simply unmatched and neither does that relationship with your priest stop on your wedding day, you can be confident that they, their friendship prayer and support, will be there for you as you journey beyond your wedding into your marriage.
Finally, a church wedding will add a spiritual dimension to your marriage. The ceremony includes God and looks to him for help and guidance. God’s blessing is often a key attraction for many couples, regardless of their beliefs. Probably not surprisingly, a marriage that had its wedding in church is statistically more likely to be lifelong, yet, you can marry in church regardless of your beliefs, whether you are christened or not and whether you are a regular churchgoer or not. Getting married is, however, a legal process so there are some laws about who can marry and where but don’t worry, if you fill in the form below, Revd Jo, the Priest-in-Charge, will be able to guide you through this process and answer any questions you have. In the meantime, the answers to your questions and guidance in planning your wedding day can be found here