Weddings: A guide for people interested in getting married at Bratton Clovelly
We look forward to welcoming couples to church for their marriage service. It's always a time of joyful celebration, and a moment when those being married are especially blessed by God. The rules regarding where you can marry have relaxed in recent years and as long as you have a personal connection with the church you can marry here. Your Banns will also need to be read out in your home parish church - you can check which parish you live in by entering your postcode on the www.achurchnearyou.com home page.
Please contact Revd John Davies (via the Contact Us tab) to make your application and confirm a date. A booking will be made for your wedding on receipt of a completed application form (see Links) and a deposit. This is a firm date and won't be changed other than by your request.
If you have booked your wedding well ahead the vicar would like to come and visit you about two months beforehand for about an hour, usually during the weeks that your banns will be read out in church. This is in plenty of time to talk through the details of the service and any special arrangements.
In the week before the service the vicar will be happy to arrange a walk through rehearsal in church. This should take about half an hour. It is best if the bride and groom, the best man and the bride's companion, bridesmaids and page boys (if there are any) attend.
Other information which you may find useful
Licences: You have no need to contact the Registrar under normal circumstances for a wedding in the Church of England. You only need worry about a licence if you have been given special instructions by the priest who will be conducting your service.
Timing of services: The service in church normally lasts about three quarters of an hour. The photographer can often take that long again afterwards so bear that in mind when you are thinking about booking your reception. The photographer may also take five to ten minutes from when the bride arrives to letting her process into church. It helps greatly if brides aim to arrive about five minutes early so the service doesn't start too late. The groom should arrive about half an hour before to check the registers.
Music and hymns: A very wide range of music is appropriate for a wedding. There are normally two pieces of music for the processions in and out, most often played on the organ, and the service is intended to include three hymns or songs. If you want advice about this the clergy can usually help. Additionally you may wish to choose some music for the organ to play or from a tape during the signing of the register - this takes three or four minutes towards the end of the service. A helpful website to give you ideas about music is www.yourchurchwedding.org.
Readings: You can choose one or two readings to be read in your marriage service by a friend or family member, or by the vicar - The website www.yourchurchwedding.org offers suggestions, and Revd John Davies will be happy to help you decide.
Service booklets: There is no need to have anything special printed unless you particularly want this. The church has pre-printed service cards, and hymn books. If you do want to design and print your own then we can provide you with the words of the Order of Service and hymns to include in the booklet.
Flowers: You are free to bring flowers in for your service if you would like. Please ask about arrangements for this. The rehearsal is normally a good moment for it to be done.
Photographs: During the service the congregation are asked not to use their cameras (including video cameras) except for at the very end as the couple processes down the aisle. If you have a professional photographer we request that they limit their movement around the church so that they are not too distracting. At the signing of the register they may come to the table for a close-up. The vicar would be happy to meet with the photographer beforehand to discuss arrangements.
Further help: Please contact Revd John Davies at any time to discuss anything to do with the wedding service. He will try to help as best he can. See also www.yourchurchwedding.org for advice about legalities, practicalities and other aspects of the marriage service.
