Some other useful information about getting married at Emmanuel Parish Church
Banns of Marriage
Before you can be married in church your Banns of Marriage must be published. These are read three weeks (Usually at the Sunday morning service) during the 3 month period before the date you set for your wedding.
Banns must be published in Emmanuel Parish Church and in each Parish in which you both live.
A small fee is payable to each church in which your banns are read. It is your responsibility to make contact with your own Parish Church to arrange for this to be done. You can find this out by either speaking to Rev Irene Cowell.
Banns at Emmanuel will usually be read 6 weeks before your wedding date.
Marriage Preparation
During the early part of the year in which you are to be married you will be invited to attend with other couples a meeting to look at marriage and help you prepare for the service. I hope you will make every effort to attend.
Best Man & Chief Bridesmaid
Your best man and chief bridesmaid if they are to sign the register as a witnesses must be 18 years or over . If either is under 18 years, then someone else must be appointed as a witness when it comes to signing the register.
Other bridesmaids and page boys
If you are having any children aged 5 years or under as bridesmaids or pageboys please can you arrange for an adult (not one of the bridesmaids or either of your parents) to look after them and take responsibility for them. Small children can become very restless during a wedding service – and can cause you and others some distraction. You must understand that they do not understand the importance of this day in your lives and you will have to be prepared that they may not co-operate with your plans on the day.
We would encourage you to bring younger bridesmaids and page boys to our family service (2nd Sunday of the month) to enable them to become familiar with the church.
Wedding Rehearsal
The wedding rehearsal takes place usually during the earlier part of the week in which you are to be married, but can be take place at another time if required. The rehearsal lasts about 45mins. The most important people who need to be at the rehearsal are yourselves – but it is helpful if the best man, chief bridesmaid, father of the bride (or who ever is giving you away) can be there. Other bridesmaids and family can attend if you wish but we would ask you to restrict this to a few family members. Sometimes it is helpful if you have young children as bridesmaids To bring them to the rehearsal just to get them used to the church – so it will not seem so strange on the day.
The rehearsal will take place at the church. I will first meet with you both as a couple – to check that I have the right details and to briefly run through the order of service. I will need to know a number of things – like the names of the best man & chief bridesmaid, how many rings will be exchanged, what music has been chosen, whether you want your full names used in the service or just Christian and surnames.
Once I have been through these few details we will then proceed with the rehearsal. Don’t worry if you don’t take it all in – you will not need to remember it all, the main thing is that you get a feel for what you will be asked to do. You will not be asked to exchange the vows in full at the rehearsal just in part – just to give you an idea of how it will be. There will be plenty of opportunity to ask questions if you have any.