To help you plan your wedding, we have put together a page of information regarding some of the legal aspects surrounding church weddings. Use this alongside the information on our Weddings page and discuss any specific issues with a member of the clergy.

Banns of Marriage

An important part of preparation for your church wedding is to arrange for your Banns of Marriage to be read in church.

This is legal requirement and may need to take place in more than one church. Banns must be read in the parish in which each of you lives and also in the parish church in which you intend to hold the wedding ceremony. It is an announcement to the church of your intention to marry and gives the community an opportunity to raise any objections if there is a reason why the wedding is not lawful - happily, this is very unusual!

The Banns will be read on three Sundays within three months before your wedding date. At St. Johns it is usual for this to take place over three consecutive Sundays, though it does not have to be. After this, a certificate will be issued confirming that the Banns have been read and that the wedding can take place.

The Church of England recommend that (a) in the event that not enough notice is given to the church before the wedding for the Banns to be read; or (b) if the wedding is between people whose nationality is not British; or (c) if one person, or both people do not live in England that a Marriage Licence is applied for. Should this prove to be the case, you can find more information here.

General Rules Surrounding Marriage

- You must be at least 16 years of age to be married. If you are under 18, you will need your parents consent.

- The wedding must take place between 8am - 6pm to be considered legal. This can take place on any day - including Sundays. Most weddings take place on Fridays or Saturdays.

- There are guidelines for divorcees who wish to remarry in church. More details are available here.