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weddings

If you live in the parish of Cramlington (north of the A19) or have connections in any way with St Nicholas' Church you are invited to apply to be married in the Church.

If you are interested in a service of blessing after a civil marriage please contact the Team Rector.

To book a wedding please email us at stnicholasweddings@yahoo.co.uk and we will arrange to see you.  We usually accept bookings up to two years in advance. You can also use this email address to keep us up to date with any changes to your address or telephone number.

We require a £75 booking fee, to be paid in cash within one month of the booking, which is deducted from the total cost when the fees are settled.  If you decide to cancel or postpone your wedding please let us know immediately in writing.  If the marriage is cancelled before the Banns are read (see below) £25 of this booking fee is returnable, otherwise the fee is non-returnable.

We will tell you which vicar will be taking your wedding, and you should expect to meet him or her within 3 months of the wedding. If you have any questions or queries please do not hesitate to contact us.

For more information have a look at Your Church Wedding  or the Wedding Guide UK.

The Calling of Banns

For a marriage to take place at St Nicholas' Church the law requires that Banns are called in your own parish church(es), which is St Nicholas' Church for those resident in Cramlington.  

 

If either party or both of you are resident outside Cramlington, we will help you discover which Parish Church is involved and it will then be your responsibility to arrange for Banns to be called in that church and to bring the Certificate of Banns to the Minister taking the service ONE WEEK before the marriage. FAILURE TO COMPLY with this law could result in your MARRIAGE NOT TAKING PLACE.

Fees
If you plan to pay by cash, fees must be paid at the wedding rehearsal; if you will be using a cheque, then they are to be paid at least 2 weeks before the wedding. If you are paying by cash it would help us if you could include a small number of low denomination notes.

Music and Hymns

You MUST consult with the minister taking the service before making any decisions or having anything printed.  

 

The organist’s fee includes use of the sound system and organist as sound technician, and is payable even if you do not require the organ.

Photographs and Video Recordings

Only one official still photographer and one official video photographer are permitted by arrangement with the minister taking the service.  If you wish to video record your wedding please read carefully the special forms provided. Please tell your photographer that you must vacate the church within the hour that your wedding is to take place.

Flowers

The fee charged is for flowers only; our flower arrangers give their services free. The flowers remain in church for Sunday morning after which they may be used as gifts for the sick or housebound.

At your clergy interview you should be given a flower arrangement form. Please return this to Mrs Sandra Stewart (Tel: 716543) no later than 4 weeks before the date of the wedding.  Mrs Stewart is happy to accept telephone enquiries too.

 

Remarriage in Church

We welcome enquiries from couples where either or both parties have previously been married. The purpose of this section is to explain the Church of England’s policy on remarriage in church.

As Christians we believe that marriage is a lifelong commitment of one man to one woman. However, we realize that life is not that simple, and sadly some marriages do not last. The Church accepts that, in exceptional circumstances, a divorced person may marry again in church during the lifetime of a former spouse.

If you are thinking about asking to be married in church it will be necessary to have an in-depth discussion with one of the clergy before choosing a date for your wedding. He or she will want to talk to you frankly about the past, your hopes for the future and your understanding of marriage. You and your intended spouse should therefore be prepared to consider some questions. You may find it helpful to reflect beforehand on the issues they will raise and should be prepared to answer them with honesty.

 

  • What does marriage mean to you?

  • What have you learned from your previous marriage?

  • Has there been healing of past hurts?

  • If you have children, how are they being looked after?

  • What do others think of your marriage plans?

  • When did your new relationship begin?

  • Have either of your been divorced more than once?

  • Are you wanting to grow in Christian faith?

 

You will need to bring with you the decree absolute of any divorce.  (A decree nisi will not be sufficient.)

Please note that in some circumstances you may be asked to attend more than one confidential interview.  Exceptionally, it may be necessary to consult with the Bishop or her adviser before making a decision, although the final decision remains with the parish priest. This process may take a little time and you will be advised how long this might take at your initial meeting.

If it is not possible for your proposed marriage to take place in church, we will be happy to discuss other alternatives that are open. Some couples choose a blessing service in church after a registry office wedding as an alternative. If a marriage service in church is agreed you may be invited to take part in marriage preparation, possibly with other couples.

Please contact the Team Rector to discuss your wedding plans further.

weddings
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