Getting married at St Matthews
First of all, congratulations on your engagement!
If you’re planning a church wedding and considering St Matthews as an option, the first thing to establish is whether you can get married in our church building. Although this process can seem somewhat confusing, hopefully this page will answer your initial questions about whether you are able to get married at St Matthews.
For you to be able to get married at St. Matthews you need to fall within one of three categories.
1. One or both of you currently live in St Matthew’s Parish.
To find out whether you live in St Matthew’s Parish, the best thing to do is to your postcode into the achurchnearyou website. If you are unsure about this, please do get in touch with Pauline Blythe in the church office.
2. You have a qualifying connection with St Matthews.
A ‘qualifying connection’ exists if either of you …
- Were baptised at St Matthews;
- Had your confirmation entered in our register book;
- Have at any time lived in St Matthew’s parish for at least 6 months;
- Have a parent who has lived in St Matthew’s parish for at least 6 months during your lifetime;
- Have a parent who regularly attended our Sunday services for at least 6 months during your lifetime;
- Have a parent or grandparent who was married at St Matthews
3. You are regular attenders at St Matthews
If you don’t live in our parish, or have one of the qualifying connections outlined above, then the only legal basis on which you can get married at St Matthews is if you have regularly attended our Sunday services for at least 6 months. In that case you have also established a qualifying connection with us by being a ‘habitual worshipper’.
If you would like to explore getting married at St Matthews further, please do complete the form here.
Please note that if either of you are divorced, re-marriage will be at the discretion of the minister. Please note this in the comments box of the form and our minister will meet and discuss this with you.