Weddings

If you are thinking of getting married – CONGRATULATIONS!

Marriage is a joyful but solemn undertaking to commit yourself to another person for the rest of your life whatever happens in the future. It’s a challenge but also a great adventure in which both partners can grow and flourish. The church in Leek is glad to share with you in the wedding and to offer support before and after.

What do I do next?

You need to contact the church where you wish to marry (contact numbers below) and arrange to see the minister or church administrator who will help you with the legal preliminaries and practical arrangements.

Contact the church using the details below:

Where can I be married?

There are new rules governing marriage in Church of England churches that came into force on October 1st 2008. These changes in effect make it easier to marry in an Anglican church where residency is hard to establish.

The new Marriage Measure allows people who have a ‘qualifying connection’ with a church but are not resident in the parish or on the electoral roll to marry in that church. It clears up the grey area where people had grown up in a parish but moved away for work or study and wished to come back to the parish to marry.

There is a ‘qualifying connection’ if a person:

  • Was baptised in the parish, or
  • Had his/her confirmation entered in a church register book of a church or chapel in the parish, or
  • Has at any time had his/her usual place of residence in the parish for at least 6 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 6 months, or habitually attended public worship in the parish for at least 6 months, or
  • A parent or grandparent of that person was married in the parish.

What if one of us has been married before?

In some circumstances it is possible to be married in church if either one of you has been married before. Please speak to the minister of the church in which you wish to be married. He or she will be sympathetic!

Is there marriage preparation?

There is and we consider it as important a part of the getting ready for the big day as buying the dress or booking the reception. The course is either three separate afternoon sessions or a full day session. On booking the wedding you will be given details. As part of these sessions you will meet with one of the clergy and can ask any questions about the ceremony itself.