Weddings at St James the Great
If you are preparing to marry, please be assured of our prayers for you at this time, and our good wishes for your future life together.
Saint James’ is a Church of England parish and is governed by the legalities around the solemnization of marriage in a Church of England parish. The legalities include the completion of legal preliminaries before a marriage is solemnized, and the solemnization and registration of the marriage on the day. And the legalities mean that in order to marry at Saint James’ you need to have a qualifying connection.
Qualification
If you live within the parish you automatically have a qualifying connection which enables you to marry at Saint James. If you worship at Saint James’, and have done for at least six months, you automatically have a qualifying connection which enables you to marry at Sant James. If you live outside of the parish of Saint James, you can establish a qualifying connection with the parish in order to marry at Saint James’ if you can show that one of you:
Has at any time lived in the parish for at least six months
Was baptised (christened) in the parish
Is confirmed and your confirmation is entered in the parish’s confirmation register
has at any time regularly attended church services in the parish for at least six months
You can also establish a qualifying connection if you can show that one of your parents, at any time after you were born:
Has lived in the parish for at least six months
Has regularly attended church services in the parish for at least six months
And you can also establish a qualifying connection if you can show that:
One of your parents or grandparents was married in the parish
A Prayer
A prayer of thanksgiving for the gift of love which is given and received in marriage:
God of wonder and joy:
grace comes from you
and you alone are the source of life and love.
Without you, we cannot please you;
without your love, our deeds are worth nothing.
Send you holy spirit,
and pour into our hearts
that most excellent gift of love,
that we may worship you now
with thankful hearts
and serve you always with willing minds;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Liturgical prayer taken from Common Worship Pastoral Services, the copyright for which belongs to The Archbishops’ Council 2000
If you would like to explore marrying at Saint James’, please contact the Vicar, Rev’d Julia Babb, who will be pleased to meet with you to talk through the legalities and possible dates and times for a marriage service, and also to think ahead to music and readings and so on for the marriage service itself, as you and your families and friends prepare to celebrate your special day.
You can find further information about marriage in a Church of England parish by following the link below: yourchurchwedding.org
We also offer wedding blessings. Again, please contact Rev’d Julia Babb if you would like to discuss the possibility of arranging a wedding blessing. And, again, you can find further information about wedding blessings in a Church of England parish by following the link below: yourchurchwedding.org
Contact Us
To enquire about a wedding service at Saint James'