New Marriage Measure October 1 2008

From October 1st the Church of England can welcome more couples than ever before. Currently 57,000 weddings a year are celebrated throughout 16,000 C of E Churches in England

Under the old law a couple had the right to marry at the church in the parish where one or both of them live. To marry in any other church used to require a special licence or six months of regular church attendance followed by entry on the church electoral roll

Under the new law couples can marry in any church where they have a connection, even if they don’t live in that parish. The changes mean that a couple are welcome to be married in any Church of England church if one of the following applies:

·         one of them was baptised or prepared for confirmation in the parish;

·         one of them has ever lived in the parish for six months or more;

·         one of them has at any time regularly attended public worship in the parish for six months or more;

·         one of their parents has lived in the parish for six months or more in their child’s lifetime;

·         one of their parents has regularly attended public worship there for six months or more in their child’s lifetime;

·         their parents or grandparents were married in the parish

For more information visit the national CofE website  Or visit the Church of England stand at the UK Wedding Show at St George's Hall, Liverpool during the weekend of September 27 and 28 2008.