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Couples planning to get married in church will have more churches to
choose from this autumn. The new rules will apply from 1st October
2008, the day when the new Church of England Marriage Measure comes
into effect.
It means that the Church of England’s network of 16,000 churches;
ancient or modern, intimate or grand, simple or spectacular, can offer
a wider wedding welcome than at any time in the Church’s history.
The Marriage Measure completed its parliamentary process in May
2008. That has made it possible for the Bishops to issue the official
guidance to clergy on how the new rules will work, which has now been
published on the Church of England website. Click here for more details.
Existing law establishes a right for a couple to marry in the Church
of England in the parish church where one or both of them live, whether
they are baptised or not, and whether they are churchgoers are not. To
marry in any other parish requires a special licence or six months of
regular attendance followed by entry on the local church electoral
roll.
But new laws, initiated by the Church of England and now approved by
Parliament, will add to this right of residency, making it just as easy
for couples to marry in a church where they have a family or other
special connection, even if they don’t live there.
The changes will mean 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.
To make use of these new provisions, you need to complete a form which can be downloaded here.
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