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Weddings & Blessings after a civil ceremony  

Congratulations! A very warm welcome to you if you are thinking about being married at our church!

wedding boquet knightley site

We have created the guide below to answer the main questions you probably have about getting married in our church. We would love to make the day personal to you and get to know you to help make this day special. Please ready have a read through the information below and get in touch so we can discuss your wedding in more detail...

Wedding Guide

We will do our best to make your wedding day memorable for you, your family and your friends. This will be a very exciting time for both of you with many things to think about and plan. However, it is sensible to start with location and date so your first questions are likely to be :

Can we get married at our Church?

Our leaders have a legal responsibility to be satisfied that you can lawfully marry in the parish before any arrangements can be fixed. To make this process as quick and simple as possible, it is best to first of all contact the vicar. There are three questions about you as a couple that will need to be clarified:

  1. Whether you are so closely related to each other that the law does not permit you to marry. You will need to certify that this is not the case.

  2. Whether either of you is not a UK National. Special issues arise in this situation and these need to be considered before further progress can be made.

  3. Whether either of you is qualified to be married at our church. Qualification comes by virtue either of being a resident in the parish; or of being on the church electoral roll; or of having close family links with the parish.

Wedding couples from outside the parish

Do I qualify to Marry at one of the churches?
 
An engaged couple are welcome to be married in church in a parish if just one of these applies:
 
    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.
    (All of these refer to Church of England services)
 
If you do not meet one of these requirements then it may still be possible, please speak to the Churchwarden to explore the possibilities.
 Special Licences 
If you have been in contact with us and you have been advised to obtain a Special Licence in order to proceed with your marriage, then please follow the link below to the Faculty Office of the Church of England to obtain an application form for the relevant license.
 
The Faculty Office


Why get married at our Church?

Our church is a beautiful church building making the perfect location for a wedding. 

However there are certain other important distinctions which make a church wedding different to a civil service in a registry office or other licensed venue. Here's three things which we believe about marriage which might see us take a different approach to a wedding:

  • We believe that marriage is a gift from God; a gift which celebrates joy and love, a gift which helps us care for one another - especially children, and a gift which helps to build and strengthen our communities, so we want to help you celebrate.
  • We believe that there is a certain solemnness and seriousness to marriage, the lifelong vows taken and promises made are hugely important, so we treat marriage with reverence and respect.
  • We believe that marriage works best when God is 'at the centre' - the Bible tells us that 'love comes from God', he gives us the love to be faithful and sacrificial in our marriages. To that end, we will pray for you, include a Bible reading and short talk in the service, and help you to consider God's love as you prepare for marriage.

Is there Marriage Preparation?

Yes, if your wedding is taking place at our church, we want to prepare you not just for the day itself but for your marriage relationship, so attending a couple of meetings prior to your big day is part of the deal. 


What will it cost?

A lot less than the reception! The fee for a wedding is £650. This includes the minister.

There are some optional extras should you wish

  • Organist and organ - £150
  • Church Bells and bellringers - £150
You are welcome to bring your own flowers.

If you would like to use the church hall for your reception, that is a possibility and we can discuss your requirements and work out what the cost will be.

Wedding couple knightley site For more general information about weddings in church, please visit the 'Your Church Wedding' website.

Contact us about your Wedding

To get the discussion about your wedding at our church going please fill in the form below and we will get back to you to arrange a suitable time to discuss your happy day further.

2023 - Copy
Hello and welcome to our church. If you are a new visitor, we have a page for you to get to know us and learn more about planning a visit.
Click here to see more.

Planning your Visit

A Warm Hello 

The following information is specifically for those planning a visit, so that you know, beforehand, what to expect on a Sunday morning.

Where and When

We meet for our Sunday services in St. Leonard's, Ryton-on-Dunsmore. You can find the plan of our services here. Take a look at the online diary to see what service is happening where and when. We recommend arriving about 10-15 minutes before the service is due to start to ensure you find a parking space in thecarpark next to the church and to find somewhere to sit before the service begins. When you arrive, you should be greeted by someone and handed anything you need to guide you through the service.

We serve tea, coffee and biscuits usually following the service so don't dash off, it is a great way to meet people, or simply take time to find your bearings. All refreshments are free.

Accessibility: There is wheelchair access, and a sound loop for anyone who needs it. Please let one of the Welcome Team know on your arrival and they will help you to get set up. 

Our Service

The main service begins with a warm welcome from one of our team members. The service might be led by Malcolm (our Vicar) or one of the lay leaders or even a visiting member of clergy. We will sing a hymn or song, hear a short passage read from the Bible and the leader will then explain what that passage is all about - how God speaks to us through his Word and how we can apply it to our lives. We will pray and join in some responses (you don't have to if you don't feel it is appropriate) and there might be a short symbolic meal called Communion. During the service, there may be a baptism which is when we welcome someone into our Church fellowship and family. Of course, you don't have to do any of these things, they might seem strange the first time you encounter them, so take your time and don't feel any pressure.

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What about my kids?

Children and young people are very welcome in our church buildings and services.

Children stay with their parent or grown-up throughout the service and we provide activities for them if you want - and we really value worshipping God all together as a family.


Children

Getting Connected

 
Serving and Volunteering

If you want to get involved in the life of the church and help us make Sundays run smoothly, you can sign up to serve on a team. 

 
Get in touch with us to plan your visit
If you would like to come and visit the church beforehand you are more than welcome! Get in touch and we can arrange a time that suits you.
 
Name:
Telephone:
Email Address:
Comments / Questions or anything you would like to say?

Next, we will contact you by email to say hello and help arrange anything necessary for your visit.
 

Leadership 

2023   No Photo icon
Rev Malcolm Ingham   Leader 2
Vicar of St. Leonard's   Leader Intro
 
We hope that whoever you are, you will feel at home at our church.

Best Wishes

Malcolm sig (2)