If you are planning to get married at St. Paul's, please, get in touch with the Vicar who will be happy to talk to you and to answer your questions.
You can get married in our church if either of you have a qualifying connection to the church.
You have a qualifying connection if either of you:
i) have at any time lived in the parish for a period of at least six months;
ii) were baptised in the parish (this does not apply where the baptism formed part of a combined service of baptism or confirmation);
iii) were prepared for confirmation in the parish (and when confirmed had his or her confirmation entered in a confirmation register in the parish);
iv) have at any time habitually gone to normal church services in the parish church for a period of six months; or
If any of your parents, at any time during your lifetime:
v) has lived in the parish for a period of at least six month;
vi) has habitually gone to normal church services in the parish church for a period of at least six months; or
If any of your parents or grandparents
vii) was married in the parish.
No. The only legal requirement is that either of you have a qualifying connection to St. Paul's.
Music - we have excellent organists who are happy to play at your wedding. Please, ask for more information about fees. You are most welcome to invite a choir or quartet after having talked to us about it. We regret but we cannot play music from CD or from any external drive.
Flowers - we can offer some basic flower arrangements. Again, please, talk to us about expenses. If you want something more elaborate, you will have to rely on a professional florist.
Service - The Church of England has an excellent wedding ceremony planner where you can choose music, reading, and the basic structure of your wedding ceremony. Please, visit https://www.yourchurchwedding.org/ We can print Orders of Service but only in a very simple "office edition". If you want something more professional, you will have to rely on external services.
Photos & Video - They can be taken/recorded. Please, note that if you have a professional video, the organist can ask you for an extra fee.
Confetti - Yes, but not inside the church, and only biodegradable. No rice, please!
Legally, it is not possible.
We can bless your Civil Marriage only if you could have get married in church, had you chosen to do so.
You have to be 16, and if you are under 18 you must have your parents’ consent to marry
The fees are updated annually, so, please check the Church of England website or just give us a call.
In 2022, the fee for wedding ceremony in church is £480. If your banns need to be read in an other Parish, you will have to pay £46 to the Parish for your banns and certificate.
Banns are an announcement of your intention to marry and a chance for anyone to put forward a reason why the marriage may not lawfully take place. Banns have to be read in the parish where each of you lives as well as at the church where you are to be married (if that is another parish).
Please, get in touch with the Vicar. He will make an arrangement with you to call your banns (for which the Church of England sets a fee of £45) and let you know when you can collect the certificate to take to the priest who is marrying you.
You can easily check it on https://www.achurchnearyou.com/
St Paul’s is a lively, forward-looking Anglican church in the Catholic tradition. We are affiliated to the Society of St Wilfrid and St Hilda and our PCC has passed the resolution seeking episcopal oversight from the Bishop of Ebbsfleet.
We are part of the diocese of Salisbury and the Deanery of Weymouth and Portland. We maintain very close links with our Voluntary Aided School, Beechcroft St. Paul’s.