Religious Ceremonies

As you plan your wedding, there are so many things to think about – the dress, the cake, the honeymoon. All of these are important, but the wedding is just one day whilst marriage should last for the rest of your lives.

So alongside all the preparations, it is important to spend time as a couple talking through your expectations of marriage, recognising your different personalities, experiences, hopes and fears.

The minister who is taking your service will want to help you prepare for your marriage and this will give you an opportunity to discuss as a couple, how you are going to look at these areas and help strengthen your marriage, and cover any practical questions you may have.

Here is a comment from one such minsiter

From my point of view, as a C of E vicar, when couples come to me I often find that they chat about problems finding a reception venue etc as well, so it is nice to be able to give them an attractive all-embracing brochure.

And for those who haven't got as far as coming to me, but who wander into church wondering and feeling rather apprehensive, it is a bright and welcoming sign showing that yes, they really can get married in this church!

Best wishes

Joanna

the Revd Joanna Abecassis

Dartington

Totnes

Devon

Whatever your situation, we hope you have a wonderful wedding day and that it will mark the beginning of a long and very happy marriage.

There are many different religious services, for example:

Anglican Church service
For further information and advice please contact
the Family Life and Marriage Education Coordinator Tel: 01392 294919

Roman Catholic Marriages
If both of you are Roman Catholic, the publication of banns goes ahead as normal but they do not form part of the legal preliminaries.
For further information please talk to your priest.

Jewish Marriages
Civil law allows Jewish weddings to take place anywhere, for example, in a synagogue, private house, hired venue or even outdoors. Jewish ceremonies can also take place at any time except on the Sabbath (Saturday) and on festival or fast days.
For further information and advice please telephone the Jewish Marriage Council Tel: 020-8203 6311.

Nonconformist Church Marriages
Marriages in Protestant Churches other than the Church of England, follow similar procedures to marriages in the Roman Catholic Church.
For further information please talk to your minister.

Quaker Marriages
Quaker marriages require an application to be made to the registering officer at the Society of Friends' monthly meeting where the marriage ceremony is to take place.
For further information and advice please contact the Religious Society of Friends, Tel: 020-7663 1000.

Muslim Marriages
UK marriage laws allow for mosques to be registered for the solemnisation of marriages according to the rites of the Muslim religion.
For further information and advice please contact your Imam.

Hindu Marriages
UK marriage laws allows for Hindu temples to be registered for marriage according to its own rites.
For further information please talk to your priest.

Sikh Marriages
UK marriage laws allow for a Gurdwara or Sikh meeting place to be registered for the solemnisation of marriages according to the rites of the Sikh religion.

In all cases
Legal requirements to be fulfilled, are those that apply to civil marriages. If the building in which you wish to marry is in a different registration district to where you live, you need to prove to the superintendent registrar that the building is your normal place of worship.

The superintendent registrar will need to attend the ceremony if the minister is not authorised to register marriages. If the building in which you intend to marry is not registered for the solemnisation of marriages, you must arrange for a civil ceremony beforehand to comply with the requirements of the law.

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Religious Ceremonies