LOTS OF USEFUL WEDDINGS INFORMATION!

Congratulations on your decision to marry.

Bircle Church is a lovely place for weddings, both inside the church and outside the grounds for photos. We welcome all those who fulfil the current legal requirements (i.e. live in the parish, are old enough, and are not related).

We hope that these guidelines will help you in your preparations and if we can be of any further help or if you want to discuss and /or book your wedding please don’t hesitate to contact the Vicar.

Christian Teaching:

1. Marriage is a service for deepening your relationship still further. In it you give the biggest gift you can to each other. It is the gift of yourself for the rest of your life.

2. As a couple you also offer yourselves to God, and this too deepens your joint relationship with God.

3. Marriage is called a Sacrament (a service which is used for deepening relationships with each other and with God). God blesses you (wishes you well) and during your Wedding Service the Priest will bless you both in His Name.

4. As a couple you are invited to worship together here at your local church and to bring any children up as Christians here - you will always be given a very warm welcome. However, if you go to live away from this parish your primary duty should be to the church family where you live and where your children will grow up.

Legal Notes:

1. In this parish, Christian Marriage can be performed for people who are living inside our parish boundary when their Banns are called, or who are regular worshippers at our church and on our Electoral Roll. Please contact the Vicar to arrange this - you will need to let him see evidence of your nationality, identity, age and address.

2. If one of you does not live in this parish you must have your “Banns” read out at the local Church of England church where you live. Contact the Vicar there as soon as possible and not later than four months before your wedding & arrange to have your Banns Called.

3. After they have been called, collect the Banns Certificate, paying the appropriate fee applicable at the time to that Vicar (wedding fees change every year in January) and bring the Certificate to the Vicar here at your pre-wedding interview.

4. Your Banns will be read out here at St John the Baptist, Bircle at our main worship Service on three consecutive Sundays beginning on the first Sunday of the month before your wedding. The Service starts at 10.00am and you should attend at least one of these.

5. All Anglican Clergy are Registrars for Church of England Weddings.

6. Fees are legally due at the Wedding. However, it is helpful if they could be paid (preferably by cheque made payable to “Revd A Brockbank”) a few days earlier at your pre-wedding interview (see below) to enable the money to be split up and paid to the various people who will help to make your wedding day go smoothly. There are Statutory fixed fees and Optional fees which all change in January each year. Optional fees include: Organist, heating, video release and extra flowers. Permission is given to take photographs and videos before and after the wedding, but not during it (also please ask for the attached guidelines for official photographers / video - recordists).

7. Service & Hymn books are supplied for all weddings. Please check ALL details with the Vicar if and before you print your own service sheet! He is here to help and it’s better to check with him rather than to assume all is OK!

Final Preparations:

You will need to meet the Vicar at a mutually convenient time during the week before your wedding. This will also include an informal rehearsal for your wedding service but this is not usually done in church and only the bride and groom attend. Most couples find it very helpful and it usually lasts for 2 hours. It is a time to do a final check, to make any last minute preparations and to talk about the meaning of marriage. It also gives you and the Vicar a chance to get to know each other a bit better before your wedding. This is an important part of your wedding preparation and you should contact the Vicar 2 weeks before your wedding to arrange it. His details are as follows:

The Reverend Arthur Brockbank, Bircle Vicarage, 33 Castle Hill Road, Bury. BL9 7RW. (Tel: 0161 764 3853)

Favourite Hymns which are Suitable for Weddings
(from the Anglican Hymn Book)

22 - Now thank we all our God.
214 - Come down O love Divine.
238 - Great is Thy faithfulness.
242 - Immortal, invisible God only wise.
246 - Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation.
247 - Praise my soul the King of heaven.
254 - At the name of Jesus.
280 - To God be the glory.
351 - The wise may bring their learning.
393 - O perfect love.
511 - The Lord’s my Shepherd.
546 - The King of Love my Shepherd is.
555 - Guide me, O my great Redeemer.
579 - Father, hear the prayer we offer.
583 - Lead us, Heavenly Father, lead us.
625 - Love Divine.
634 - May the mind of Christ my Saviour.