Church of England rules about where you can marry have now changed..
Church of England (CofE) spokesman Howard Dobson explains: ‘The rule used to be that you could only marry in the parish where you or your fiancé were resident. As of 1 October 2008, you can now marry in some other CofE churches if either of you meets the following criteria:'
- you were baptised in the parish concerned or
- prepared for confirmation in the parish or
- living in the parish for a period of at least six months or
- regularly attending normal church services in the parish church for a period of at least six months
Or, one of your parents, at any time after you were born:
- lived in the parish for a period at least six months or
- regularly attended normal church services in the parish church for at least six months or
One of your parents or grandparents was married in the parish.
While the rule change doesn’t mean you can just pick and choose any church to marry in, the Church is keen to dispel the myth that you have to be christened to have a church wedding.
‘It’s not true. Churches are very special places and there are some things about a church wedding that you just can’t get anywhere else. Whether or not you are christened and regardless of whether or not you go to church, it’s your church and we welcome you!’
