Can I get married at Holy Trinity church?
Yes – congratulations! We would be delighted for you to be married in our church, providing that:
- You live in the parish or are a regular worshipper in one of our churches.
- You must never have been married previously (unless you are a widow or widower). Those who have been married previously with a former husband or wife still alive, or those who have entered into a civil partnership which is still current, may not be married here in Hawley, sorry.
- You are both over 18 years old, or have parental permission if you are 16 or 17.
- You must not be seeking to marry someone closely related to you.
Previous residents of the parish, or those whose parents or grandparents have lived or worshipped in the parish may also qualify in some instances.
All couples will need to demonstrate proof of identity and residence well before the date of the wedding. We qualify by residence or another qualifying connection. Please note that the giving of false information is an offence.
How do I get married at Holy Trinity?
Providing that you meet the requirements above, please contact us to book the date and time of the wedding, as soon as you like.
We will arrange at least one meeting with the clergy, possibly with other couples, and a private rehearsal in church. This preparation is designed to help you understand the religious element of your wedding and the significance of the several aspects of the service.
What if I’m not a regular churchgoer?
You can qualify by regular attendance at our services (at least twice a month) for at least six months up until the date of your marriage.
Bookings using this method of qualification are provisional until qualification is complete. We recommend that you both come to a service one Sunday morning before you make any arrangements, as this will help you decide whether joining our congregation is really for you.
If you’re not sure, please contact us.
How much does it cost to get married at Holy Trinity?
We have scale of charges and the total cost will depend on the choices you make. Some fees are set centrally by the Archbishop’s Council of the Church of England, others locally by the Parochial Church Council.
When you make a booking, you will be asked to pay a deposit of £100. This deposit will be returned to you if you cancel the wedding by letter within eight weeks of the date booked. You can also change the date or time of your wedding without losing your deposit. The balance of the fees falls due eight weeks before the date booked. We will invoice you for the sum due.
| Element | Cost |
|---|---|
| Basic cost (this covers all the necessary clergy, legal and parochial fees) | £545 |
| Heating (charged 15 Sept – 15 May unless agreed) | £39 |
| Organist | £99 |
| Bell ringers | £155 |
Are there any regulations affecting the wedding ceremony?
Our rules are to ensure a dignified atmosphere for what is first and foremost a religious celebration, and are designed to ensure the best possible occasion for you and your guests on the day.
- Music. If required, we can provide an organist for your service. You are welcome to provide your own organist if you prefer, but note that our organist is entitled to receive the organist’s fee whoever plays. If you are thinking about engaging musicians other than our own, please let us know as soon as you can. This includes booking a choir or singing group (we have no church choir) or a soloist or instrumentalist.
- Videos. We are happy for the service to be recorded by a nominated professional or amateur videographer. We do not allow general members of the congregation to record the service. The recording will be made from agreed points in the church and operator(s) should not move around the church during the service.
- Photographs. A designated photographer, professional or amateur, is welcome to take photographs during the service from the back of the church. Flash photography is not permitted, except at the signing of the registers. Once the service has started, no-one else is permitted to take photographs to avoid distraction and disturbance.
- Mobile phones. Use of mobile phones is not permitted during the service.
- Social media. Sharing pictures on social media should be agreed by the bride and groom, and we would encourage them to nominate someone to post the first pictures on their behalf.
- Confetti. We have no objection to confetti, but we do ask that it is only thrown outside in the area around the Lych Gate.
- Flowers. You are welcome to decorate the church, pew ends and the Lych Gate with flowers. You or your florist can usually have access to the church on the day of the wedding or the day before, but you will need to check nearer the time. Flower arrangements must not be attached to our buildings by any nail, screw, pin or tack, glue, adhesive or Blu-tack. If there is another wedding that day, you will need to negotiate with the other couple(s) as there may not be time between services to change floral arrangements.
- Dates. We will not accept bookings for Easter or Christmas.
If you’re not sure, please contact us.