Providing you have booked a reasonable time in advance, you should receive a letter after Christmas inviting you to our

Marriage Preparation, and you are expected to attend the course, which is normally held in the Spring of each year. 

Hundreds of couples have been on the course in the past and almost all have told us that they enjoyed the opportunity to think more deeply about married life. We look at the customs associated with weddings; and how the following may affect your marriage: communication, health, money and what you expect from your marriage.

 Four months before the wedding, get in touch with us again. 

It is best if you come to the Church on a Tuesday evening, 7.00 to 7.30 p.m.  We will help you to fill out your application form accurately.  It is useful if you have your birth certificates.

 The Banns are then called on the first three Sundays of the month at the 9.15 a.m. Service at both churches normally two months before the wedding is due to take place.  So if you are being married in September, your Banns will be read on the first three Sundays in July - this is a public announcement that you are to marry, and we would therefore like you to attend to check that it is happening.

Let us know immediately if it doesn’t happen !

 Banns are valid for three months, so there is no point in dealing with them earlier.  You will also arrange (as we will explain) for your Banns to be called in the other parish - unless you both live in Portishead. 

It will be useful if you have found out which Church of England Parish you live in - try the nearest Church, and they will tell you. 

 Banns do not have to be called on the same three Sundays in each Church.  A license is not normally needed, if you are being married by Banns (Banns are cheaper and easier).

About two months before the wedding, you should contact the minister taking your wedding service. 

If in doubt contact the Parish office 01275 818895. 

The minister will go through the finer details of the arrangements with you, and make a date for a ‘rehearsal’ sometime in the last fortnight. 

Usually it is not necessary for anyone but the Bride and the Bridegroom to attend this - others fall into place on the day.          

During the service, it is very unlikely that anything will go wrong or that you will make any mistakes.  We will give you full instructions as you go along.  There is nothing for you to worry about.

What can you usefully do now?

You can think about the music. 

If it is a service with music you will usually have three or four hymns.  The hymns should be well-known so that your guests can join in. 

Even if you like a certain tune, are the words appropriate for a wedding? 

We have strong choirs at both churches and we find that if you choose to have the choir, the singing at your wedding is greatly enhanced.

Discuss the hymns with the Minister.  Many weddings just use our standard hymn and service books; but it is possible, of course, to have an Order of Service printed, with any hymns included. If you are planning a service sheet please let us see it on a Tuesday evening before you have it printed so that we can check the order.

Some of the most popular hymns are at the end of this information.

 ‘Here comes the Bride...’  Do you want traditional music at the beginning and end of the service, or something different? 

 If ‘different’ this can either be left to the organists, who have a lot of suitable music, or we can put you in touch with your organist to discuss your special choice. 

 You will need to provide the music, if we do not have it. 

 ARRANGEMENTS

 Cost of the Wedding.            

Part of the cost (such as the Church fee) is agreed by Parliament.  Incidentally, you may like to know that the Minister will not benefit financially from taking the Wedding.

The work of the church and the clergy is able to continue solely because of the generosity of churchgoers.

The other charges - like choir, organ, and bells are decided by the local church, so the total will vary from place to place. 

 As a guide, the fees in 2006 (in 2007 they may go up) are:-

The basic wedding  is £370.

‘Extras’ (if required) are as follows:   

The organ: £50.  The choir: £30.  The bells: £100  

Permission to Video £50

 The £370 includes church, minister, Banns at Portishead,

wedding certificate. 

You will be invoiced for the fee one month before your wedding day and we would ask you to pay promptly.

 Choir and Bells: 

These depend upon volunteers, and we cannot always guarantee them (especially at holiday times). 

We do our best, but occasionally it proves impossible. 

If you want bells, please ask for the special form and book them direct.

 Flowers: 

The basic cost of a pedestal in 2006 is £40.  Only fresh flowers should be used on the pedestals.  Flowers placed in Church by you or your florist, must be left there until at least the following Monday,

except in Lent (Ash Wednesday to Easter) and Advent (December before Christmas), when they must be removed immediately.

 Video:    Have a word with us first. 

We ask the video operator to sign a form, and a fee of £50 is charged which goes to the Organist, stating that the video will be used for personal use only.  Extra lighting will not be allowed.  The video operator, with the permission of the Team Clergy, will be allowed to video the service from the gallery at St Peter’s or from the foyer at St Nicholas.  Please remember that this is a religious service.

 Passport:   If you are going abroad immediately and need a passport in your married name, there is a form which you get with your passport forms.  About four months before the wedding we sign to certify that we are going to marry you on a stated date; you can then get your passport early.

 ON THE DAY

 Cars at St. Peter’s:  It may be necessary for guests to park some distance away.  There is free parking in Roath Road car park, or opposite the Folk Hall at the bottom of Church Road  North. 

Official wedding cars can use the entrance in Church Road South.

 Ushers:   Please arrange for Ushers to welcome guests, show them to their seats, give out books etc before the Wedding, and to help clear up the church afterwards. The Verger will show them what to do and where to stand. You will also need two Witnesses to sign the Registers.

 Guests:   Please ask you guests to be in their seats at least five minutes before the bride arrives and to respect those wishing to pray before the service begins by being quiet.

 Photographs:   Photographs may not be taken by guests during the service.  The official photographer with the permission of the Minister will be allowed to take a photograph from the gallery at St Peter’s and from the Foyer at St Nicholas during the service, at the signing of the register and of the Bridal couple as they leave the church.

You are encouraged to use the Church Garden for photographs after the ceremony 

 Confetti:   Please ask your guests to throw their confetti when you are outside the Church Garden and Churchyard.

 We try to be constructive and cooperative.  It’s worth pointing out , though, that in the last resort all the details of the Wedding are at the discretion of the Team Clergy, including the time, music, etc. 

One does not ‘hire the Church’, nor the Minister.  We would like to think  that cooperation between all is the best basis for a happy Wedding Service, and we will do all we can to make this service a memorable occasion.

 Finally.... Weddings are social occasions.  But they are also deeply personal and religious occasions.  For many of the arrangements (the Reception, for instance) you will naturally consult with others and fit in with other’s ideas as well as your own.    

But in Church, you should have the say and make decisions together.  No-one else has the right to tell you how you should marry each other.  Nothing  matters more than that you should feel natural, sincere, and ‘right’ as you say to each other, ‘I take you’  

 May God truly bless you.     

Alan Taylor, Clive Laws, Sharon Crossman, Des Williamson

 Check List.

 Ø      Book Wedding  at St Peter's Church on a Tuesday evening 7.00 p.m.

 Ø      January              - receive a letter confirming the date and time

                                          and inviting you to marriage preparation

 Ø      Springtime         - come to the Marriage Preparation course

 Ø      Four months before         

   -  come on a Tuesday evening and fill in forms

 Ø    Two months before   

-   have Banns read here & in other parish

                                     - contact the minister taking your wedding

Ø      One month before      - you will be invoiced, please pay promptly

 Ø      One week before        - Rehearsal in Church                       

 Ø      Wedding day             - don’t be late

Church Office:    Monday to Thursday

9.00 a.m. to 12 noon              (818895)

Banns are read at the following Services

St. Peter’s:                                                     

9.15 a.m. Church Family Communion 

St. Nicholas:

9.30 a.m. Holy Communion                     

To see the Clergy:     Tuesday 7.00 - 7.30 p.m. at St. Peter’s Church

Postal address:           The Rectory, 66 Drakes Way, Portishead BS20 6LD

Web address               www.portisheadparish.co.uk

POSSIBLE HYMNS

Ø      All things bright and beautiful                                  

Ø      Be still for the presence of the Lord

Ø      Christ is made the sure foundation              

Ø      Come down, O love divine    

Ø      Come on and celebrate                                             

Ø      For the beauty of the earth   

Ø      Give me Joy in my heart (Sing Hosanna)    

Ø      Great is thy faithfulness       

Ø      Guide me, O thou great Redeemer  

Ø      I vow to thee my country      

Ø      Jerusalem      

Ø      Jesus, Lord, we pray

Ø      Lead us, heavenly Father, lead us               

Ø      Lord for the years                                         

Ø      Love divine, all loves excelling (which tune?)                     

Ø      Lord of all hopefulness, Lord of all joy        

Ø      Lord of the Dance                                         

Ø      Now thank we all our God                            

Ø      O Jesus I have promised                              

Ø      O perfect love                                                           

Ø      O thou, who camest from above                   

Ø      O worship the King                                       

Ø      Praise my soul, the King of Heaven

Ø      Shine Jesus Shine                                         

Ø      Such Love                                                      

Ø      Tell out my soul

Ø      The grace of life is theirs                                          

Ø      The King of Love my shepherd is

Ø      The Lord’s my shepherd (Vicar of Dibley tune or Crimond?)         

Ø      Through all the changing scenes of life        

Ø      To God be the glory                          

Ø      What a Friend we have in Jesus                   

If your wedding is at Christmas, Easter or Harvest

you may wish to use a seasonal hymn or carol.