The Process of getting married at St Mary’s

1. You will be asked to come to the vicarage and complete a banns of marriage form (nothing scary just factual information including addresses, if and where have you been baptised, fathers name and occupation etc.) If one of you does not live in the parish you will need to go to your local church of England church and fill in the same form, This is so your banns can be read there also (there is usually a small cost involved).
2. We will let you know when the next Marriage Preparation sessions will be.
3. You will be asked to fill in a Marriage Checklist (explained and given out at the preparation nights).
4. You will be given the three dates (all Sundays at 10.30am) for when your banns are to be read out in church and it is good for you to be there in the service to hear them. We will also be praying for you (don’t worry you won’t have to come to the front).
5. The rehearsal for the wedding will be set for a few days before and the bride, groom, vicar, best man, bridesmaid and anyone else you can think of will meet in church to briefly run through the service.
6. The big day will arrive!!

Marriage Preparation
Before you get married in St Mary’s you will be asked to attend two Marriage Preparation evening when we give you tips for planning a marriage service and tips for marriage itself. Please be assured that as you plan your Marriage Service and make preparations for married life we will be praying for you.

Tips for Marriage
When we meet together for the second preparation night we will consider what marriage is and four important things within a marriage. For now have a go together at answering the questions in our Marriage Questionnaire.

Marriage Questionnaire

1. Where and when did you meet one another?

2. Groom – What was your first impression of your ‘wife to be’?

3. Bride – What is your lasting memory of that first encounter?

4. What has been the best occasion together so far in your relationship? (it might be different for each of you)

5. Groom – what is ‘your wife to be’ best characteristic?

6. Bride – what is your ‘husband to be’ best characteristic?

7. What do you do to relax together?

8. How was the proposal of marriage made?

9. What do you think are the four most important things within a marriage are?

10. How do you think you could improve the way you communicate together?

11. Bride – how do you show ‘your husband to be’ that you love him?

12. Groom – do you think anything will change when you are married? If so what?

13. How do you resolve your differences now?

14. Bride - What are you looking forward to the most about being married?

15. Groom - What are you looking forward to the most about being married?

16. Bride – what do you think you are most worried about your marriage?

17. Groom – what do you think you are most worried about your marriage?

18. Bride - What are you looking forward to the most about your marriage service in church?

19. Groom - What are you looking forward to the most about your marriage service in church?

20. What do you hope your marriage will be like in 10 years time?

21. Complete this phrase – “Marriage is…

Back to Marriage at St. Mary's