Weddings

It is always a great joy to see couples include the God of all love in their wedding day, through the words and worship of a church service. St Lawrence Church is a picturesque and intimate venue for this great occasion, and up to around 120 guests can be accommodated at the service.

Who may be married at St Lawrence ?

If one or both of you live within our Parish (which, as the Southborough Team Ministry, now includes Bidborough, all of Southborough west of the London Road, and High Brooms) you are entitled to be married in St Lawrence Church. If you live outside the Parish, you will usually have to join our Electoral Roll, and in order to do that you will be expected to attend one of the Churches in the Team regularly for six months. During the three months prior to the wedding, the Banns will be read both at St Lawrence, and also at the church in whose parish you live, if different.

If you have close family connections within the Parish but live elsewhere it may be possible to arrange a Special Licence, in which case Banns are not read. We can give you details of these different options

What to do first ?

If you are interested in getting married at St Lawrence, the first thing to do is to contact the Vicar, Stephen Hills, for a preliminary chat. If it is possible to hold the wedding here, Stephen will put you in touch with the Church Administrator, who will send you the necessary application forms and a list of the relevant fees.

We will be hoping and praying that your marriage will be life-giving and life-long, and you will be expected to attend a Marriage Preparation Course which is held on a Saturday in the January of the year you are getting married. It is an enjoyable day when 15-20 couples meet together, and spend time thinking about the wedding service itself, and also about how couples can make the very best of their marriages.

You will also want to meet with Stephen to talk about your service, and he will be happy to help you to choose music, hymns, readings and prayers, and to talk through all the practical details of the big day. Then, a few days before the Wedding, there will be a rehearsal in church - an opportunity to work out exactly who will do what, and when, so that you arrive at the day itself relaxed and ready to enjoy yourselves.

What if either person has been married before ?

If either of you have been previously married and divorced, you will usually be offered a Service of Blessing, at which you can celebrate your marriage in a church setting, and where we can pray God's blessing on your future life together. For more details please contact Stephen Hills.

If you do go ahead with your wedding at St Lawrence Church, we will do all that we can to make it blessed and memorable start to your married life together.