Special Day, Special Place: Weddings with the Church of England

This is a sponsored feature in partnership with the Church of England

You’ll want your wedding day to be full of special memories, and to happen in a meaningful place that can be part of your story for years to come.

Wouldn’t it also be wonderful if the person leading the wedding was doing more than just a job – someone who can be there for you in the planning, on the day and whenever you needed them in the future?  That’s one reason why a ceremony in a Church of England church is the choice of thousands of couples every year.

You might not be religious, or a churchgoer, but there may be something about a church that just seems right for a wedding.

It may be that family weddings or other events that have taken place there before. See how family connections with the church made a difference to Jamie and Becky, who married in Newcastle.

Or, it may be that your church gives invaluable support to the local community and there’s something about that you really like.

Or, it may the special, spiritual atmosphere that can be felt when you sit in the peace and quiet of the church building. See how this made a difference to Lucy and Tommy, married in Teddington.

Many church buildings are ancient and incredibly beautiful. And they are buildings with soul – they’re places full of all kinds of love stories, past and present, heard and blessed by God.

The vicar and the people there want to welcome you. You’re not a ‘customer’. By getting married there, you’re becoming part of the church family’s story, and perhaps some of them will become part of yours too. Becky and Jamie share more about how their vicar calmed their wedding nerves.

You’ll be led through all the planning by the vicar: a personal adviser, guide and friend, and your wedding day will be covered with prayer, before, during and afterwards.

And when you stand at the altar together, repeating the vows, no matter how many wedding guests you have, it will feel like it’s just the two of you, making promises that are still as deep and profound as they have always been.

Just like any other wedding venue, getting married in church is a legal ceremony, so there are a few legal requirements. This applies to your choice of church and you may find that there are lots of beautiful churches where you can legally marry.

Within the legal ceremony framework, a Church of England wedding is flexible to accommodate traditional and more quirky options. Many couples love the sound of a church organ, hymns and well-loved readings, while others will want to be inventive and may decide they don’t want a ‘white’ wedding. That is all possible in a church wedding, and the vicar will help you plan a service with a difference.

For more information about having a personal, meaningful, beautiful church wedding, visit yourchurchwedding.org. To contact your local church, or one that means something special to you, find it on achurchnearyou.com

Did you know?

• You can be married in church regardless of whether you’re christened or not, and regardless of whether you regularly go to church or not.
• If either of you are divorced, there may well still be a way forward for having a church wedding – just ask the vicar to talk this through with you and they’ll explain what’s possible.
• If you already have children, the vicar will make them welcome too and will suggest ways of involving them on the day.