Who can be married in the Parish of Hawley?

Parish Churches serve a designated area, an ecclesiastical Parish. Those who live in the Parish, whatever their religious affiliation, have certain rights including (with some exceptions) that of marriage.

The new Marriage Act has now come into force. In addition to those already entitled to be married in the parish church (residents and those on the church electoral roll) this privilege is extended also to those who:

In addition to the residential or regular worshipping requirement, you must be a bachelor, spinster, widow or widower. Those who have been married previously with a former husband or wife still alive may not be married here in Hawley. You will also need to be aged 18 or above (or have parental permission if you are 16 or 17) and you must not be seeking to marry someone closely related to you. If you need clarification on any point, please ask us.

We qualify - What next?

You may book the date and time of your wedding as soon as you like. Please telephone or e-mail the Vicar and he will be glad to make the necessary arrangements with you. Please be aware that we check the details you give us.

We don’t qualify - can we do anything?

So long as you have been baptized and declare yourself to be a member of the Church of England, you can qualify by regular attendance at our services (at least twice a month). This takes a minimum of six months and must be continued up until the date of your marriage. Bookings for those using this method of qualification are considered only to be provisional. We recommend that you both come to a service one Sunday morning before you make any arrangements as this will help you decide whether joining our congregations is really for you. Once you’ve decided to join us, you may make a provisional booking. Please note that we do not baptize people just for the sake of qualifying for marriage here at Hawley.

What preparation will we receive for our marriage?

We are currently reviewing our preparation programme. It does seem likely, however, that it will include at least two meetings with the clergy and other couples, in addition to a rehearsal in church. This preparation is designed to help you understand the religious element of your wedding and the significance of the several aspects of the service. We expect you to attend these meetings and contribute to the discussion with enthusiasm.

Are there any regulations affecting the service itself?

Each parish develops its own local rules to help the service run smoothly. Our rules are there to ensure a dignified atmosphere for what is first and foremost a religious celebration. By booking your wedding with us, you agree to abide by our regulations.
Music – We will provide an organist for your service. You are welcome to provide your own organist if you prefer but our organist is entitled to receive the organist’s fee whoever plays. If you are thinking about engaging musicians other than our own, please let us know as soon as you can. This includes booking a choir or singing group (we have no church choir) or a soloist or instrumentalist. We generally disapprove of the use of recorded music at our services.
Videos – We are happy for you to record the service. Video recordings must be made from agreed points in the church and operators must not move about during the service.
Photographs – A designated photographer, professional or amateur, is welcome to take photographs during the service from the back of the church. Flash photography is not permitted, except at the signing of the registers. Once the service has started, no-one else is permitted to take photographs to avoid distraction and disturbance.
Confetti – We have no objection to confetti but we do ask that it is only thrown in the area around the lych gate.
Flowers – Apart from the seasons of Lent and Advent (in 2010 this means 17th February to 3rd April and 28th November to 24th December) you are welcome to decorate the church, pew ends and the lych gate with flowers. You or your florist can usually have access to the church on the day of the wedding or the day before but you will need to check nearer the time. Please note: arrangements must not be attached to our buildings by any nail, screw, pin or tack – nor may any glue or adhesive including Blu-tack® be used. If there is another wedding that day, you will need to negotiate with the other couple(s) as there may not be time between services to change floral arrangements.
Dates to avoid – We will not accept bookings for Good Friday or the next day, Holy Saturday (2011 April 22/23rd). You are also advised to avoid the second Saturday in July (2011 9th) when the Hawley Fayre is held on Hawley Green opposite Holy Trinity when parking in the area is well-nigh impossible.

How much does it all cost?

We have a scale of charges and the total cost will depend upon the choices you make. Some fees are set by Parliament, others by the Parochial Church Council. You will find details below.
Upon making a booking, firm or provisional, you will be asked to pay a deposit of £100. This deposit will be returned to you if you cancel the wedding by letter within eight weeks of the date booked. You can also change the date or time of your wedding without losing your deposit.
The balance of the fees falls due eight weeks before the date booked. We will invoice you for the sum due. You are encouraged to pay all fees by cheque in favour of Hawley Green PCC. Cash is accepted but you must ask for a receipt at the time of payment.

Fees for Weddings and Marriage Blessings celebrated in 2011

Following the passing of the Parochial Fees Measure in Parliament and by resolution of the Parochial Church Council, the following fees are payable in respect of services celebrated in the Parish of Hawley throughout 2011.
In order to simplify the pricing of weddings, we offer 4 fixed cost packages:

1) £499 – Basic package - All statutory fees, verger, organist, heating,video permission
2) £670 – Basic package + Bells

NB.
Permission to record any church service is required by law.

frmartyn@aol.com