Today more than a quarter of all marriages in England take place before God in the traditional setting of a Church of England church. This important and joyful experience requires careful planning if the day is to go as hoped. Quite apart from decisions about the dress, who to invite, catering, presents and a date, the church has to be arranged and, in the vast majority of cases, banns have to be called. But what happens if the couple find they cannot get married in the church of their choice? The Archbishops’ Council of the Church of England has established a Working Group to look into, amongst other things, the legal preliminaries to marriage, residence qualifications and in which churches or chapels people are permitted to get married. A Government review of the civil registration service is also underway and the Working Group is collaborating closely with its officials. The Working Group is now initiating a consultation process to seek public opinion on the matters within its remit. Click here for a copy of the questionnaire in portable document format (PDF), which should be completed and returned to the Secretary to the Working Group: Mr Jerry Elloy, Church House, Gt Smith St, London, SW1P 3NZ, by 10 November 2000. You may need to download the Acrobat reader to view this document. Terms of Reference.

In the meantime, the following notes on marriage, which have been prepared from long experience by the Church of England Enquiry Centre, explain the situation as it currently applies, as well as answering many of the other frequently-asked questions which couples planning a wedding often have - eg. ‘Do I need to have been baptised in order to marry in Church?’, and ‘What is the Church’s current position on the remarriage of divorcees?’

NOTES ON MARRIAGE IN THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND
 

1. INTRODUCTION

The purpose of these notes is to help. See also the relevant pages from the Church of England Faculty Office

To help you navigate this document, a table of contents has been provided at the end.

1.1 The Marriage Act, 1949. Although many of the restrictions relating to civil weddings were repealed by Parliament a few years ago (making it easier for couples to marry outside of their immediate residential area, and allowing local authorities to licence many different types of building for the purpose), similar restrictions on Church of England weddings were not lifted. This means that Church of England weddings in this country are still governed by the 1949 Marriage Act, which was not designed to give couples very much choice over where they marry, nor over the type of venue.

1.2 The Venue. A Church of England wedding may only be solemnised inside a building which is licensed for the purpose (which effectively means inside a church, a licensed chapel, or a parish centre of worship). A Church of England wedding may not be solemnised inside a building which is not so licensed (e.g. a private residence) except by Special Licence (and only then for medical reasons). Nor may it be conducted in the open air (e.g. a garden, or a beach).

1.3 The Location. The qualification to marry in a given place is primarily determined by residence in that place. Church of England weddings are normally limited to the parish church of either of the couple (i.e. the church of the parish in which at least one of the couple resides), although allowance is also made for couples to marry in a church which is the usual place of worship of at least one of them [see section 3].

1.4 Banns. The legal preliminary to marriage when the wedding takes place in the parish church of either partner (or in a church which is the usual place of worship of either partner) is for banns to be published. [see Paragraph 2.9]

1.5 Common and Special Licences. Under certain circumstances, a Common or a Special Licence may be granted to allow a marriage to take place in a church which is not the parish church and not the usual place of worship of either of the couple. When a marriage takes place by Licence, banns are not called. [see Section 4].

1.6 Registrar's Certificate. There is also provision made for a Church of England wedding to take place on the authority of a Superintendent Registrar's Certificate, but only if the minister concerned is willing to accept this. In such a case, banns are not called and a licence is not required [see section 5].

1.7 The Service. Any marriage ceremony in a Church of England church - whether it takes place by banns, licence or Superintendent Registrar's Certificate - must be in accordance with the rites and ceremonies of the Church of England. The Service must be one of the three currently Authorised Church of England Marriage Services [see inset below], and by law it may only be taken by an ordained minister of the Church of England [but see paragraph 9.3].
 
 

AUTHORISED SERVICES Marriage Services currently authorised for use in the Church of England are as follows: The 1662 Solemnization of Matrimony (from the Book of Common Prayer); The 1966 Solemnisation of Matrimony (Alternative Services, Series 1); The 1977 Marriage Service (Alternative Services, Series 3; later included in the Alternative Service Book 1980) Both the Series 1 and the Series 3 Services are available as individual booklets and obtainable from the Church House Bookshop, 31 Great Smith Street, London SW1P 3BN (Tel: 020 7898 1301 or 020 7898 1304), price 80p and 95p respectively, plus postage. The 1662 Prayer Book Service is not available as a separate booklet. Note: The 1928 Marriage Service was never passed by Parliament and is not authorised for use, but the 1966 Service is very similar in its wording to the 1928 Service (and sometimes referred to as the '1928 Service').

1.8 Entitlement to marry. Any person of British Nationality who normally resides in England is entitled to marry in his or her Church of England parish church, provided that (1) the other partner is also of British Nationality and also normally resides in England, (2) that there are no legal impediments of the kind described below [Section 6], and (3) that neither of the couple is a divorcee whose previous partner is still living (the Church of England's regulation on this matter is recognised in law [Matrimonial Causes Act 1965, s.8] - see below, section 10.1). This entitlement applies irrespective of whether either of the couple normally attends church and irrespective of whether either of them has been baptised. It also applies irrespective of whether either partner is a member of the Church of England, or of another denomination (or of none) [but see paragraph 10.4 regarding the marriage in church of persons of non-Christian Faiths]. However, the entitlement only applies to the parish church of the person concerned, and does not extend to any other Church of England churches (for which additional requirements must be fulfilled - see Sections 3 & 4).

1.9 If one partner is from outside the EU, Old Commonwealth, or USA - even though that person may normally be resident in England - banns should not be called and the marriage should take place instead by Common Licence. This gives the Diocesan Registrar an opportunity to ensure that the legal requirements of the country of origin are (or have been) observed [see section 4, 'Marriage by Licence'.]

1.10 If one partner is normally resident overseas, the marriage should take place by Common Licence, even though that person may have British Nationality [see section 4, 'Marriage by Licence'].

1.11 Overseas couples visiting England for a temporary period (e.g. a holiday) may marry by common licence, but those who are not able to satisfy the 15-day residence requirement must apply for the Archbishop of Canterbury's Special Licence, and this will be refused if neither of the couple is able to demonstrate a genuine and long-standing connection with the church in question [see section 4, 'Marriage by Licence'].

2. MARRIAGE (PARISH CHURCH)

2.1 The Parish Church. England is divided into parishes, and each one has clearly defined boundaries. Parishes do not normally correspond to local authority areas or civil registration districts. There is usually only one church for each parish, and this will be the parish church for any address situated within the parish boundaries.

2.2 If you and your partner live in different parishes, you have the choice of being married in either parish church.

2.3 Finding Your Parish Church. Often, the parish church for a given address is the nearest church to that address, but not always. If you are unsure which is your parish church, you may need to make local enquiries. Try the telephone directory first, and telephone one in the area (not all churches are listed by dedication at the present time, and it may be that your own church is listed under the minister's name, or under a general heading). If the church you telephone proves not to be your parish church, they may be able to tell from their own map which parish your address falls within. Some libraries have copies of boundary maps for some local parishes, but not all of them do. Your diocesan office may have boundary maps or a street index, or they would be able to refer you to your Area or Rural Dean for advice. [The Enquiry Centre at Church House does not have parish boundary maps].

2.4 Test of residency. There is no stated minimum number of days for which a person must be resident in a parish to qualify to marry by banns. Length of time may be only one of the factors which the minister concerned would take into account in determining whether residence was genuine - e.g. registration for the community charge has been used as a test of residency under recent Church of England guidelines, but the minister might also consider other factors such as the purpose and circumstances of the residence, presence or absence, permanence and continuity, the possession of any other residence etc. Note: Merely owning a property in a parish is not (in itself) considered to constitute residence in that parish, nor is leaving a suitcase in the vicarage or giving a relation's address.

2.5 More than one address? There are some circumstances in which a person may be considered to have residential qualification in two places - for example, students who are away at a college or university etc. during term time (but who return to their parents' home during vacation time), and those who may work away from home during the week and return regularly to their parents' home at weekends. It is not possible to generalise here, and each case is likely to be judged on its merits by the minister concerned. Contact the minister for advice if you are unsure whether you fall into this category.

2.6 Intended residence. Future residence in a parish - i.e., intended residence after the wedding - is not a qualification to marry in that parish, and no clergyman would be able to solemnise a marriage on that basis. A minister may take a 'booking' for a wedding on the understanding that by the time banns are called one of the couple will be resident in the parish (though he is under no obligation to do this), but the banns can not be called (and the marriage can not be solemnised) if that planned residence does not materialise.

2.7 Making arrangements. When arranging a wedding, it is customary to visit in person the minister (or an appointed representative) at the church. The name and address will usually be given on the church notice board. If one of the couple resides in another parish, the minister of that parish must also be contacted [see paragraph 2.9 regarding 'Banns']. Clergy have the right to ask questions in order to be satisfied that there is no impediment to the marriage and that the information supplied is correct.

2.8 Period of notice. As much notice as possible should be given when arranging a wedding - seldom less than six weeks, depending on the season of the year (and many other factors). Churches are often 'booked' many months in advance for weddings and so it is important to contact the minister as soon as possible in order to be sure of getting the required date. [See also following paragraph regarding notice for banns]

2.9 Publishing ('Calling' or 'Reading') the banns. The legal preliminary to marriage in the parish church is the publication of the banns of marriage. Banns are the public announcement that two people wish to marry, and an invitation to anybody who knows just cause or impediment to the union to declare it. On three Sundays prior to the wedding, the banns are read out in the parish church (or churches) of the future bride and groom. Although it is not legally necessary for the Sundays to be consecutive, they usually are, and banns are effective for three months after publication. When banns are called in two parishes, the three Sundays do not have to be the same three Sundays in each case. A minister is entitled to refuse to call banns at less than seven days notice. There is a statutory fee for calling banns, and also (if the couple live in different parishes) for a certificate proving that they have been called in the church other than where the wedding is taking place [see section 8 'Fees']. It is not legally necessary to attend the reading of the banns, though it is obviously wise to do so on at least one of the three occasions in order to make sure that all of the details are accurate. The minister will not perform the marriage ceremony unless he or she is satisfied that the banns have been properly called.

2.10 Names. It is not necessary for all Christian names to be declared when the banns are called, though there should not be an effort to conceal or deceive. The Christian name to be used should be that by which the person is generally known.
 

3. MARRIAGE (USUAL PLACE OF WORSHIP)

Church electoral roll. A couple may marry at a church which, while not being the parish church of either partner, is (instead) the 'usual place of worship' of one of them. The definition of this is that one of the couple (at least) has had his or her name entered on the electoral roll of that church. To qualify for enrolment, the person concerned must have habitually attended that church for public worship for a minimum period of six months. Note: It is also a requirement for enrolment that the person is a baptised member of the Church of England. The legal preliminary is for the banns to be called in both the church where the wedding is to be held, as well as the parish church(es) of the bride and groom (from which certificate(s) of banns must be obtained).

Note: The church electoral roll should not be confused with the local register of electors.

4. MARRIAGE BY LICENCE

Banns are not called for either party when a marriage is solemnised on the authority of an ecclesiastical licence (i.e. a Common Licence, or a Special Licence). It is a requirement for an ecclesiastical licence that at least one of the couple is baptised and, where the other party is not baptised, that person must state on the application form that he or she does not reject the Christian faith and desires marriage in church.

4.2 Common Licence. Persons who are resident only temporarily in a particular parish may apply for a Common Licence (sometimes referred to as a Bishop's or Surrogate's Licence) to marry there. The legal requirement is that at least one of the couple must be resident at a bona fide address within the parish where the marriage is to take place for a minimum of fifteen consecutive days immediately prior to the issuing of the licence, which is then valid for three months. The licence is issued on the authority of the Diocesan Bishop, and application is usually made to the Bishop's Surrogate for Marriage Licences for that area (the minister at the church may be the Surrogate but, if not, he would know who should be contacted).

A Common Licence is also required if one party - although normally living in England - does not have British Nationality, and also in cases where one party - although having British nationality - is not normally resident in England.

Although it is not thought that moving to an address in a parish for the required number of days - i.e. to a hotel - for the sole reason of qualifying to marry there should be grounds for a refusal to issue a Common licence, it should be remembered that the decision to issue one is discretionary.

It should also be remembered that, legally, it is not considered enough to leave a suitcase at an address in the parish or to assume residency by some other fictitious means, and that to give false information when applying for a licence is a criminal offence.

If the licence is granted, the vicar should not refuse to solemnise the marriage.

4.3 Special Licence. In cases where a couple wish to marry in a parish where neither party is resident or on the electoral roll or able to satisfy the 15-day minimum residence requirement necessary for a Common Licence, a Special Licence must be obtained. This is issued on the authority of the Archbishop of Canterbury and, although there is no minimum residence requirement, it is usually only granted in exceptional (special or emergency) circumstances. No application will be considered unless the minister at the church in question is prepared both to take the Marriage Service and to support the licence application. Once granted, the licence is valid for three months. Application should be made to (and further details obtained from) the Registrar of the Faculty Office, 1 The Sanctuary, Westminster, London SW1P 3JT (Tel: 020 7222 5381).
 

5. MARRIAGE BY SUPERINTENDENT REGISTRAR'S CERTIFICATE

A marriage according to the rites of the Church of England may be solemnised (with the agreement of the minister) on the authority of a certificate of a Superintendent Registrar, instead of after the publication of banns or the granting of an ecclesiastical licence. For further information contact the Registrar General of Births, Marriages & Deaths, Marriages and General Section, OPCS, Smedley Hydro, Trafalgar Road, Birkdale, Southport, PR8 2HH (Tel: 0151-471 4200).
 

6. IMPEDIMENTS

6.1 Age. The Law of England stipulates that the minimum age for marriage is 16 years, and a form of ceremony for anyone under that age is void [Marriage Act 1949]. Under the age of 18 it is necessary to have the consent of a parent or guardian. If banns have been called without objection, the minister may assume that consent has been given, but, where the minor is a widow or a widower already, no parental consent is necessary. A minister would be quite within his or her powers in asking for proof of age, but it is not essential to declare one's age on a Marriage Certificate.

6.2 Prohibited Degrees of Relationship. There are certain impediments to marriage through family relationship and the prohibited degrees are contained in A Table of Kindred and Affinity [Canon B31; Marriage Act 1949; Marriage (Prohibited Degrees of Relationship) Act 1986], which is printed in the Prayer Book and displayed in parish churches.
 
 

A Table of Kindred and Affinity
A man may not marry his	A woman may not marry her
mother, daughter, adopted daughter,	father, son, adopted son
father's mother, mother's mother	father's father, mother's father
son's daughter, daughter's daughter	son's son, daughter's son
sister	brother
wife's mother, wife's daughter	husband's father, husband's son
father's wife, son's wife,	mother's husband, daughter's husband,
father's father's wife, mother's father's wife	father's mother's husband, mother's mother's husband
wife's father's mother, wife's mother's mother	husband's father's father, husband's mother's father
wife's daughter's daughter, wife's son's daughter	husband's son's son, son's daughter's son
son's son's wife, daughter's son's wife	son's daughter's husband, daughter's daughter's husband
father's sister, mother's sister,	father's brother, mother's brother
brother's daughter, sister's daughter	brother's son, sister's son

7. THE WEDDING

7.1 The legal hours for a wedding are 8.00am to 6.00pm.

7.2 Weddings on a Sunday. There is no legal objection to a marriage being solemnised on a Sunday, but the minister's day is so full and often the church is occupied for Divine Service that it is not practical.

7.3 Weddings during Lent or Advent. It is not unusual for a minister to refuse a marriage during Lent, and many have the same reservations regarding Advent.

7.4 Hymns / Music / Flowers / Photographs / Tape recordings / Videos etc. Before deciding on the hymns and other music at the Service, the minister should be consulted. Legally, he or she has the right to decide which hymns and music are to be used, but usually this is a matter of discussion with the couple to be married, and there are not normally difficulties. The minister also has the final word on the floral and other decorations of the church. Photographs and tape or video recordings require the sanction of the minister and, in the case of the latter, require copyright permission. As with other arrangements, these matters should be cleared at the earliest opportunity.

7.5 Minimum number of people for a wedding. Five. The officiating minister, the bride and groom, two witnesses.

7.6 Giving the bride away. It is permissible now for another member of the family (e.g. mother, younger brother) or for a friend representing the family to give the bride away rather than the father of the bride, if she so wishes.

7.7 Best man. There are no specific rules or regulations - such as minimum age -relating to the best man (who is, in fact, unknown to law). There is no legal requirement to have a best man at a wedding.
 

8. FEES

Fees fall into two different categories - 'Statutory' (i.e. those fees which are fixed and approved by Parliament), and other fees (sometimes referred to as 'extras'). The Statutory Fees should not vary from one church to another, but the fees charged for 'extras' may vary, and there may be a number of different factors which will have a bearing on this.

8.1 Statutory Fees. Fees charged by the Church of England for marriage (and certain other Services) are the subject of the Parochial Fees Order 1999. They were approved by Parliament and obtained the Royal Assent, and became effective law on the 1st January 2000. It is not the intention of these notes to itemise the fees, and should this be required, a copy of the Order can be obtained from HM Stationery Office.

The following information is for guidance in estimating part of the cost of a wedding:

A. Marriage by Banns:

i. If the couple are residents of the same parish:

Publication of the Banns of Marriage £15.00
Marriage Service £132.00
Certificate of Marriage £3.50*

ii. if the couple are residents of different parishes:

Publication of the Banns of Marriage - Bride's Parish £15.00
Publication of the Banns of Marriage - Groom's Parish £15.00
Certificate of the Banns of Marriage (from the parish other than where the Service is to take place) £8.00
Marriage Service £132.00
Certificate of Marriage £3.50*

iii. if the couple are residents of the same parish, but are marrying in another parish where one (or both) is on the church electoral roll:

Publication of the Banns of Marriage - Parish Church of the Bride & Groom £15.00
Publication of the Banns of Marriage - Parish where the Service is to take place £15.00
Certificate of the Banns of Marriage (from the Parish Church of the Bride & Groom) £8.00
Marriage Service £132.00
Certificate of Marriage £3.50*

iv. if the couple are residents of different parishes, but are marrying in another parish where one (or both) is on the church electoral roll:

Publication of the Banns of Marriage - Bride's Parish £15.00
Publication of the Banns of Marriage - Groom's Parish £15.00
Publication of the Banns of Marriage - Parish where the Service is to take place £15.00
Certificate of the Banns of Marriage (from the Bride's Parish) £8.00
Certificate of the Banns of Marriage (from the Groom's Parish) £8.00
Marriage Service £132.00
Certificate of Marriage £3.50*

B. Marriage by Superintendent Registrar's Certificate:

Certificate £19.00
Marriage Service £132.00
Certificate of Marriage £3.50*

C. Marriage by Licence:

i. Common Licence

Licence £55.00
Marriage Service £132.00
Certificate of Marriage £3.50*

ii. Special Licence

Licence £125.00
Marriage Service £132.00
Certificate of Marriage £3.50*
 

Notes: *The fee for the Marriage Certificate is set by the Registrar-General of Births, Marriages & Deaths at the Marriages & General Section, OPCS, Smedley Hydro, Trafalgar Road, Birkdale, Southport, PR8 2HH (Tel: 0151-471 4200), and is usually reviewed each April. The figure quoted here (£3.50) applies to a certificate issued at the time of the wedding. The fee for a certificate issued subsequently is £6.00.

8.2 Other Fees (or 'Extras')

Charges for 'extras' are normally payable to the Parochial Church Council or to the person providing the item (e.g. the organist, choristers etc.). The level of such charges is a matter for local agreement between the Incumbent and the Parochial Church Council, and should reflect any guidelines laid down by the Diocese.

In a ceremony where the organ is used, the fee does not cover the services of the organist or choir. The Royal School of Church Music produces a list of recommended minimum fees for Organists and Choirmasters (which are broken down into categories according to the type and size of the church). A Copy is available on request from the Royal School of Church Music, Cleveland Lodge, Westhumble, Dorking, Surrey RH5 6BW (Tel: 01306 877676). [It should be mentioned that the organist and / or the minister of the church can refuse permission for another organist to use the instrument.]

This type of cost should be ascertained when arranging the wedding, as well as any other charges - e.g. for bell ringing, heating, use of furnishings, flowers, photographs, tape recordings, videos [see also paragraph 9.4], clearing up confetti etc.

Some parishes do make a flat-rate charge for all 'extras', even though they may not be required by the parties concerned. Even so, details of the amounts payable for 'extras' should be made known to the parties concerned at the earliest opportunity and it is recommended that all amounts should be itemised.

It is not possible here to estimate the overall cost of a church wedding as there are so many individual items to be taken into account -catering, cars, bridesmaids' gifts, clothes, bouquets, etc. - the prices of which vary from one area to another.
 

9. MIXED MARRIAGES

9.1 Mixed marriages - Christian. There is not normally any objection from the Church of England to an Anglican marrying a Christian of another denomination (e.g. Roman Catholic, Methodist, etc.) - whether or not the wedding takes place in an Anglican church or elsewhere. If the marriage takes place in an Anglican church, the non-Anglican partner will have his/her banns published in the Anglican church of the (Anglican) parish where he/she lives.

9.2 Anglican / Catholic marriage. In the case of an Anglican marrying a Roman Catholic in the Anglican Church, the Catholic partner may require permission (i.e. a 'dispensation') from his or her Catholic Bishop before being considered free to marry, though this is not something the Church of England requires him or her to obtain, and the marriage can still take place whether or not it is granted.

9.3 It is not by law possible for a Catholic priest (or anybody other than an ordained minister of the Church of England) to take the Marriage Service itself, but it is often possible (with the agreement of the Anglican minister) for the Catholic priest to take some part in the ceremony - e.g.. he may read passages from scripture, say prayers, give an address etc. [The same courtesies are usually extended to the Anglican minister when the wedding takes place in the Catholic Church].

There is an organisation which offers help and advice to couples from different Christian denominations who are married or planning marriage (usually - though not always - where one partner is a Catholic). This is the Association of Inter-Church Families, and they can be contacted c/o Inter-Church House, 35-41 Lower Marsh, London SE1 7RL.

9.4 Mixed marriages - Christian / Non-Christian Faith. In cases where one of the couple is a devout member of another Faith (e.g. a Jew, Muslim etc.), there can be difficulties and the minister would need to be assured that that person was able to accept as binding the promises and obligations inherent in the Christian Marriage Vows. If in any doubt, the minister might well seek the advice of his Bishop, and it would then be for the Bishop to direct in this matter.

The Council of Christians and Jews at 1 Dennington Park Rd, West End Lane, London NW6 1AX (Tel: 071-794 8178) is able to offer advice to Christian/Jewish couples.
 

10. MISCELLANEOUS

10.1 Marriage in church of a divorcee during the lifetime of a former partner - the current position.

The whole question of marriage and divorce has been under debate by the General Synod of the Church of England for some considerable time and at the moment, the existing regulation not to allow marriage in church for a divorcee whose previous partner is still living, still applies. It applies in all cases where there has been a legally contracted prior marriage, and the Church of England regards a register office wedding as having the same legal validity as a religious wedding. The regulation applies even though the other partner may not be a divorcee, and there is no provision made for the circumstances of individual cases to be taken into account.

At the present time, a minister of the Church of England does have, in effect, a separate right under civil law (by virtue of his role as a registrar) to take the Marriage Service (i.e., regardless of whether or not either of the couple is a divorcee) and, if he wishes to exercise this right, the Church cannot prevent him from doing so.

However, the refusal of a minister to take the Service in these circumstances is final, and there is no process of appeal to the Bishop in the Church of England. A minister is also within his rights to refuse to allow his church to be used for this purpose by another minister. At the same time, it is not possible for divorcees to search for another church where there may be a sympathetic minister prepared to take the Service because of the legal restrictions on where couples may marry [see sections 1-4]. An ecclesiastical licence, which can, under certain circumstances, be granted to allow a couple to marry in another parish, is not granted in cases where either one of the applicants is a divorcee remarrying within the lifetime of a former partner.

Neither the Church of England Enquiry Centre nor other Church offices keeps lists of clergy who will perform the Marriage Service for divorcees (and, in view of the restrictions on where couples may marry, it would be of little use to enquirers if such a list were kept).

As an alternative, the minister may be able to arrange a Service of Prayer and Dedication (sometimes called a "Blessing Service") following a civil marriage ceremony. A Service was published some time ago and is available from the Church House Bookshop, 31 Great Smith Street, London SW1P 3BN, price 90p plus postage. It is called Services of Prayer and Dedication After Civil Marriage. If this Service is not available in a particular area, there may be a similar one which has been authorised for use and the minister would be able to give details. The legal restrictions governing where a couple may marry do not apply to a Service of Prayer and Dedication, and so this could (with the agreement of the minister concerned) be held at any church.

The Church's View on Marriage and Divorce

10.2 Annulment. A decree of nullity is different from divorce and where a marriage has been anulled there is no impediment to a second marriage, provided that the annulment was carried out by an English Court of Law and a Certificate of Annulment granted by that Court. An annulment carried out by any other body (e.g. the Roman Catholic Church) is not acceptable to the Church of England, and there is no process of annulment within the Church of England itself. The difference between annulment and divorce is that a decree of nullity is granted where there has been no "real marriage" (e.g. a void marriage as determined by a court), whereas divorce is the legal termination of a marriage which has existed. In the eyes of the Church, a marriage contracted by any legal means (e.g. a register office etc.) is one for life. [Whether or not there are grounds for annulling a marriage is something best advised by a solicitor]

10.3 Blessings / Repeat Ceremonies. Provided that neither party is a divorcee with a previous partner still living, a Form of Service is available for married couples who wish to 'renew' their vows - or for couples who have been married in a register office but wish to add to this a religious ceremony. This usually consists of a version of the Marriage Service itself, but with just the legal aspects omitted (e.g., no entry will be made in the marriage register). The Service has no legal validity - its status is that of a 'Blessing Service'.

It should be remembered that not all clergy are happy to take a 'repeat' Service - and some will not do so. However, as there is no residence requirement involved, couples are not restricted to their own parish church and may approach a church elsewhere.

10.4 Marriage Abroad. The marriage laws of the country concerned must be satisfied, and the relevant foreign embassy should be contacted before making any plans. Permission is often refused for couples who wish to marry whilst on holiday or during a brief visit.
 

THESE NOTES ARE NOT FOR RE-PUBLICATION

Church of England Enquiry Centre,
Church House,
Great Smith Street,
London SW1P 3NZ.

October 2000