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Your essential guide to the C of E ceremony
An application for the publication of the banns should be made to the church of the parish in which you wish to be married, for which you will have to pay a small fee. A certificate stating that the banns have been published will be issued by the church(es) that will not be holding the ceremony. This certificate needs to be produced to the officiating minister before the ceremony can go ahead.
Banns are usually read out in the parish church (or churches) on three consecutive Sundays during the three months prior to the marriage. If the couple live in different parishes, the banns need to be published in both parishes. Don't forget -- if the marriage does not take place within three months of the publication of the banns, then the banns will have to be published again.
To be married by Common License:
- at least one of you must have been baptised
- the ceremony must take place within three months of the license being listed
- there must be a good reason for requesting a Common License. For example, one party is living abroad, which prevents your banns from being read.
The Archbishop of Canterbury's Special License
Marriage by Special Licence is unusual and it must be approved by the Archbishop of Canterbury at the faculty office.
The license is intended to be used where a couple want to marry in a parish where neither party is resident or on the electoral roll or able to satisfy the 15 day minimum residence requirement, or have a relevant qualifying connection necessary for a Common Licence. A qualifying connection can be any of the following:
- one of them was baptised or prepared for confirmation in the parish;
- one of them has ever lived in the parish for six months or more;
- one of them has at any time regularly attended public worship in the parish for six months or more;
- one of their parents has lived in the parish for six months or more in their child’s lifetime;
- one of their parents has regularly attended public worship there for six months or more in their child’s lifetime;
- their parents or grandparents were married in the parish.
Although there is no minimum residence requirement, the Special License is usually only granted in exceptional circumstances. No application will be considered unless the minister at the church in question is prepared both to take the marriage service and to support the license application. Once granted, the license is valid for three months.
Getting married in a parish other than your own
You may marry at any parish church to which either of you have a qualifying connection.
If you want to get married in a church which is not your own, then contact the minister of that church well in advance and they will be able to advise you.
