Making it Easier to get Married in Church

Recent changes to the law make it easier for couples to marry in church, even if they don’t live in the parish. Thousands of couples dreaming of a church wedding will find more churches to choose from after 1st October, the day when the new Church of England Marriage Measure comes into effect. The Church of England wanted churches to be free to celebrate more weddings and support more marriages.

The Marriage Measure has completed its process through parliament, so couples who plan to wed this autumn will be able to make plans now, knowing the new legislation will be in force. It also gives clergy a few months in order to find out exactly how the changes will take effect. Under the old rules, couples wanting to marry outside their parish had to obtain a special licence or attend the church regularly for six months and go on the electoral roll. But the new laws will mean couples can marry in a church where they have a family or other special connection, even if they don’t live there.

Couples can be married in a parish church if just one of these applies:

one of them was baptised or prepared for confirmation there;
one of them has lived in the parish for six months;
one of them has at any time regularly attended public worship there 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.

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