Congratulations! If you are engaged and starting to plan your big day, we would be delighted to help you plan your wedding at St John's here in Farsley.
There is something unique and special about getting married in church. It is more than just a beautiful venue for you to make your wedding vows. It also adds a spiritual dimension to your ceremony. The prayers, promises and the whole service of celebration become part of your marriage, on the day itself and beyond.
It is both a privilege and a duty for your vicar to join a man and a woman in marriage. You can marry in church regardless of your beliefs, whether or not you are christened and whether or not you have been a regular churchgoer.
Here's a flavour of how one couple's wedding at St John's Church in Farsley looked:
Planning your wedding
There is a lot to think about when you are planning your big day with so many choices and you want to make sure everything is perfect. Start off by taking a look at the Church of England Weddings website which gives you advice on finding a church, planning the service and choosing hymns and readings.
Getting married at St. John's
If you are interested in getting married at St John's in Farsley please contact the parish office by emailing office@stjohnsfarsley.org.uk. The Parish Administrator will be able to arrange a time with you to talk more about your service and answer any questions you may have, whether you have definitely decided you want a church wedding, or even if you are still trying to decide what is right for you.
If one or both of you have been married before, we would love to welcome you. The vicar will need to meet you before we book your wedding in church.
Wedding photography on this page by Jessica Lang
Formalities before your wedding
Most church marriages will require banns to be published, including being read aloud in church, before the wedding can take place. This is where your intention to marry is announced in public and gives anyone with a legal objection to the ceremony time to declare it. You cannot be married without a Banns Certificate if you live outside the Parish of St. John's. We also need to see proof of your identity (usually a passport) before booking your wedding. Read more about what’s special and important about banns.
If one or both of you live outside St. John's parish of Farsley and Rodley, you must contact the vicar of your parish(es) and arrange to have your Banns of Marriage read during a church service there too.
Planning your ceremony
It is really important that your day is right for you. You may want to include special things in your service such as poetry, readings and music. We will work with you to discuss your ideas and the Church of England Wedding website has lots more inspiration for planning the service.
Arranging your wedding rehearsal
Nearer the date of your wedding, please contact the vicar to arrange a date for your rehearsal. This is normally the week before the ceremony. It will take away many of the logistical worries you will have on the big day including where you stand and when you arrive.
St. John's wedding costs
There is a legal fee for marrying in church which is the same all over the country. You can find the current costs of a church wedding on the Church of England website.
This wedding fee includes the cost of the vicar, the church, calling your banns, the marriage certificate, heating, lighting and all administration. It also includes some optional costs for having a church organist play at your service and having a verger who will set up the church making sure it is clean, tidy and warm and can give out your service sheets.
Fees are payable whenever is convenient to you up to one month before your wedding. All fees are returnable, except those fees for the Banns of Marriage if they have already been read in church. We prefer payment by electronic bank transfer.
Other useful information
- The wedding service lasts a minimum of 20 minutes and up to 1 hour depending how many hymns are included, any performances during the signing of the register and whether Holy Communion is shared in the service.
- We reserve the church for half an hour before and after the service. There may be other weddings before and after yours.
- Farsley Farmers Market takes place on the fourth Saturday of each month in the church hall car park between 9am and 12:30pm so you may want to avoid that time for your service.
- If you would like a service sheet, please produce your own to be given out on the day.
- You can include commercial music in the service, often played from a phone or laptop but you will need to arrange your own licence to cover playing copyright material.
- There are always some flowers in church but you are welcome to provide your own flowers in addition to these.
- You are welcome to take photos in church but during the ceremony itself photography is limited to your official photographer. If you are having a video of the service made you will need to sign a form before the day. Just let us know and we will give you a copy of the form. It is also your responsibility to arrange copyright if required.
- We will play the bells at the end of the wedding. At St. John's this is a recording because the church only has one bell in the tower and that sounds very gloomy on such a day of big celebration!
- Although same-sex marriage legislation has changed, it remains the case that it is not legally possible for same-sex couples to marry in the Church of England.
For more information
To discuss your wedding in more detail...
- Get in touch with the Parish Office by emailing office@stjohnsfarsley.org.uk