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St. David's Wettenhall
Wedding FAQ's
Frequently asked questions
Q:
Can we get married at St David's Wettenhall?
A: Yes, we'd love you
to get married here. In order to
get married in a Church of England church, you either have to be on
the church's Electoral Roll, or you have to have a special connection
with the chosen church, such as your parents being married there for
example.
Q: How do I get onto St
David's electoral roll?
A: There are 2 ways. The first is to live
in the parish. The second is to be a regular worshipper here. (By the
way, the church electoral roll is nothing to do with Government or
elections - it's a list of our members.)
Q: What do you mean by regular
worshipper?
A: At St David's, we do understand that you may live
some way away, and may have other commitments at weekends e.g. work
shifts. We do not expect you to attend every Sunday! However, we
would like you to attend a church service at St David's once a month
for six months prior to your wedding day, if at all possible. (One of
you can attend if you cannot come along together) This gives you a
chance to get to know the church and the people here; many couples
like to bring their parents sometimes so they can see the church too.
It also gives us a chance to get to know you, and answer any
questions you may have. Many of our wedding couples really enjoy
coming to church here!
We have a book to sign at the back of the
church which we ask you to sign whenever you attend a service. We do
this simply as a record that you have worshipped here, to support
your entry onto the electoral roll.
Q: What's the first step
now?
A: First of all, we need to agree the date. As soon as you
have a date in mind, please contact Rev'd Keith Hine on 01829732491
email:kehine@btinternet.com
to see
if the church is free on that date. Once this is agreed, then it will
be in our diary and you can start to plan your day.
Q: What happens next?
A: We
will send you an application form for you to fill in, giving your
full names, contact details etc. We will also send you additional
information.
Q: Can we take photos?
A:
Yes of course, though we do ask that there is no flash photography
during the service. There will be plenty of opportunity to take
photos after the service. If you wish to make a video recording of
the service, this will be fine but we are obliged by law to make a
performing rights charge of £69 for this.
Q: Flowers?
A: Yes,
you are welcome to bring and arrange flowers; alternatively we can
recommend local flower arrangers. One of the many advantages of St
David's is that the church is very pretty inside without needing a
lot of flowers - why not come and have a look and then decide If you
do choose to have a pedestal flower arrangement, you are of course
welcome to take it away after the ceremony to the reception.
Q: Is there anything else we
have to do to make the marriage legal?
A: No. The Vicar has the
same legal powers as the Registrar does at a Registry Office, and you
will receive a copy of your wedding certificate immediately after the
service. You do need to tell the Vicar if either of you has been
married before, and if either of you is not a UK citizen - this is
not usually a problem!
Q: What about music for the
service?
A: We have a church organist who plays at all our
services. The hymns of course are chosen by you; we are happy to make
suggestions if you wish. The organist will also play appropriate
music before and after the service (for the entry of the bride, and
the procession out afterwards), and during the signing of the
register; please let the Vicar or the organist know if you have any
particular requests.
Sometimes, wedding couples like to invite a
singer or musician to perform while the register is being signed.
Please talk to the Vicar if you would like to arrange this.
Q: Confetti?
A: Yes, we are
pleased for you to have confetti if you would like. However, we do
ask that your guests throw it as you leave the church grounds (by the
gate) rather than in and around the church itself.
Q:
Anything else I need to know?
A: We understand that it is
traditional for the bride to arrive a few minutes late. We would ask
that this really is only a few minutes - your guests may have
travelled a long way and made an effort to get here on time - and
anything longer than a few minutes causes bridegrooms great stress!
Our experience is that the whole day runs much more smoothly and
happily if the bride arrives in church no more than 5 minutes late.
(Don't forget to allow time for photos to be taken of the bride's
arrival if you wish).
Q: Do we need an interview with
the Vicar?
A: Yes. At St David's, the Vicar likes to meet you
early on - this doesn't have to be a formal meeting. Usually we can
have a quick chat after a service. This allows us to check we have
all the details correct, such as names and dates. About 3 months
before the wedding, the Vicar will contact you to arrange a meeting.
At this meeting, we will discuss the marriage service and answer any
questions you may have about it. We will also talk about your hopes
and expectations for your marriage. I might even mention God!
And
finally, we will meet at the wedding rehearsal. This will be arranged
to suit you - it is often the day before the wedding. We will run
through the marriage service, including where you stand and sit
during the ceremony. Do feel free to bring family and close friends
to the rehearsal - the best man, the bridesmaids and your parents
often like to see where they will be sitting too!
Q: Where can
I find out more?
A:
1. Ask the Vicar. Please contact Rev'd Keith Hine 01829 732491 email:kehine@btinternet.com
2.Website - Take a look at Church of England website for weddings click on
the purple tab marked 'Weddings, Baptisms and Funerals', and then
click on Read More under the 'Weddings' box in the middle of the
page.
3.Whenever possible, you will be invited to a Marriage
Preparation Day sometime in the 12 months before your wedding. These
days have proved very popular with wedding couples; they include
light-hearted activities and discussions. No charge is made.
And
yes, we have a toilet at the church!
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