Can I get married in the church? [Return]

 

There are legal requirements about getting married in the Church of England---

--- so this is much more tightly controlled than baptisms. Although there are many places these days where civil marriages can legally take place, the church is still tightly governed by laws over where they can be conducted.

You have three places where you can legally get married in church:
* the bride’s parish church [she must live within the boundary - see below]
* the bridegroom’s parish church [he must live within the boundary - see below]
* the church where one of you regularly worships [if that is other than one of the above]. Evidence that you are a regular worshipper would be that you are on that church's electoral roll.

The parish of Battyeford consists of most of the Brighouse end of Mirfield. If you stand at the Three Nuns pub, you’re in the corner of the parish. The boundary goes up the fields at the back of the pub and emerges onto Leeds Road at the Fountain corner. Then we’re onto the middle of roads, down the middle of Sunnybank Road, Old Bank Road, Water Royd Lane, Knowl Road and Crowther Road. Then it gets a bit funny, going through the middle of Littlemore Grove and The Maltings down to the river. Then you get in your boat if you’re beating the bounds, because you follow the middle of the water back down towards the Three Nuns again.

It is vital that you check with the vicar before you make any other arrangements for your marriage. To book a reception before checking with the vicar is a dangerous way to proceed, because you can lose deposits if you discover that the church or the vicar cannot be booked at your preferred time.

I am divorced – can I get married in the church?
There is a great deal of confusion over this issue. Although the Church of England’s official position discourages marriages in church after one of the parties has been divorced, clergy do have legal discretion to take other decisions if their conscience leads them in that direction. Nobody has the right to expect them to do such marriages. In Battyeford, please discuss your situation with the vicar. He will be able to advise you further on what the position is here and, if you wish him to, he will examine your case closely and see what can be done. You must, however, fulfil the normal requirements for a marriage as outlined above.
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