Wedding
Arranging
a Wedding? Some practical guidelines.
This page has been prepared to help in making arrangements for a Christian wedding service. We are happy to conduct wedding services in any of our church buildings or in other suitable venues. We will do what we can to help make your wedding a really special occasion when you make promises to each other and we ask for God’s blessing on your relationship.
Contact
If
you wish to arrange a wedding in one of the churches, or to enquire about a member of the
ministry team leading a service in another venue, please make early contact
with one of the ministry team. If you have a particular link to a member of our ministry team we'll try to make sure that person is able to help.
It is important to make provisional arrangements with the minister before confirming the reception arrangements to avoid disappointment.
Registrar
A
wedding can only take place legally if a valid marriage certificate issued by
the Registrar is present at the time of the service. The legal minimum time period of notice for a wedding
is 29 days. Normally, you should make an
appointment with the Registrar 8-12 weeks before the proposed date to arrange a
marriage schedule. If either of you is not a British citizen, contact the Registrar
for advice as early as possible, as you may need Home Office permission to
marry in the UK.
The Registrar will need to see various documents in advance. These include birth certificates and, if appropriate, evidence that you are free to marry in the form of death certificates or divorce papers relating to a previous marriage, or naturalisation certificates if you have become a UK citizen.
The marriage schedule will be available for collection a few days before the wedding and must be collected by the bride or groom in person. It is normally brought to a wedding rehearsal, and after the service it must be returned to the Registrar afterwards within three working days.
The Registrar in Fort William can be contacted on 01397 704583 or at fortwilliamregistrars@highland.gov.uk
The Church Service
A wedding service will typically last for about 30 minutes, depending on what you choose to include. The Minister will help you to work out the content and format of the service. We can use whichever of our buildings is most suitable for you for the service. We can also offer Christian services in other venues.
Music
Most people have hymns during the service (usually 2), and you can discuss options with the Minister. Organ music or recorded music can be used before and after the service, and as the schedule is signed. The choice of music should also be discussed with the organist. The Minister will be able to advise you about possible organists to contact.
Flowers
You may, if you wish, decorate the church with flowers. Please let us know whether or not flowers are being left in the church for the following Sunday.
Confetti
You can throw confetti outside, but please avoid using it within the church building or immediately outside the front door. Biodegradable confetti is the most environmentally friendly option.
Rehearsal
The minister will offer to arrange a rehearsal, usually a couple of days before the service. This is to help you to feel comfortable with the service, and it usually involves whichever members of the bridal party are available. Remember to bring the Marriage Schedule with you to the rehearsal.
Suggested Fees and Donations
Please ask for a copy of our current leaflet about the costs of weddings for details. As a rough guide, for church weddings we normally suggest a minimum church donation of £200 and a fee of £50 for the organist. Special arrangements are in place to ensure no-one is excluded from a church wedding on grounds of cost.
Please note that no part of any church donation you make is paid to the minister for conducting a service.
Photographs/Videos
The Minister will advise on arrangements for photography or video recording. Our aim will be to preserve the special atmosphere of your wedding while letting you make a permanent record of it. Essentially we’ll ask photographers to restrict themselves to a few unobtrusive shots during the service, but invite them forward when you sign the register, and let them set up the shots they wish before and after the service.
The Wedding Day
Ushers should be at the church around 45 minutes before the service time. The Groom and Best Man should arrive about 30 minutes before the start of the ceremony. The Bride is expected to be at the church at the agreed time. Please note that we cannot guarantee that weddings which have not started within 30 minutes of the booked time will be able to proceed.
Sunday Services
Details of our Sunday services are on the Welcome page of the website. Try to come along several times before your wedding so the church feels familiar to you. You don’t have to be a church member or regular attender to get married, but it can be particularly special to get married in a place where you feel you a sense of belonging. If you want to know any more about church membership or any aspect of Christian faith please speak to the minister. We believe that there is no better start to married life than to be part of a church family and to receive the encouragement and support that is there for all.
The rest of this website provides full details of the Church and its activities.
"My command is this. Love one another as I have loved you.” John 15.12