If you wish to marry in a Church of England your first step should be to contact the vicar for advice on the legal requirements. Generally these are points that you may wish to know before you contact the vicar.

You are welcome to be married in church in a parish if just one of these applies:


• one of you was baptised or prepared for confirmation in the parish;
• one of you has ever lived in the parish for six months or more;
• one of you has at any time regularly attended public worship in the parish for six months or more;
• one of your parents has lived in the parish for six months or more in their child’s lifetime;
• one of your parents has regularly attended public worship there for six months or more in their child’s lifetime;
• your parents or grandparents were married in the parish.

You don’t have to be regularly attending church, or have been baptised, to get married in the Church of England.

The vicar will read out the banns on three consecutive Sundays. The ceremony must then take place within three months of the banns being read. (The banns are a notice of your intention to marry)

For religious ceremonies of different faiths go to religious wedding ceremonies.